Created by Heinrich Himmler to be the top decoration issued by the Schutzstaffel, the Himmler Honor Ring was originally hand presented to the recipient by Himmler himself. Silver construction, with a death's head skull on the front flanked by "sig" runes, leafy engraving around the exterior, a swastika in a diamond, sig runes over a tyr rune, and an asterisk in a hexagon on the rear quarter. The interior is inscribed "S.lb. Dr Dietzler 20.4.42 H.Himmler", indicating presentation on April 20th, 1942, concurrent with Hitler's 53rd birthday. Included with the ring is a copy of the book SS Totenkopf H. Himmler Honor Ring 1933-1945 by Don Boyle, and a large number of photocopied correspondence, in original German, to and from one Paul Dietzler, a non-commissioned officer (ranking up to Oberscharfuhrer in the correspondence) in the SS.