On the other hand a lot of recipients were buying bars, that weren't listed in their award documents and wore them on their medal bars. As an example for such an incident find the medal bar of Vice Admirals Max Looff pictured below. The only explanation for this happen is that the bars were just taken by the medal manufacture or von Looff, with or without any knowledge. Vice Admiral Max Looff wearing the above pictured medal bar. Absolutely remarkable is the Life Savings Medal and the Cross 4th class of the Prussian Order of the Crown for a second life saving act awarded on the ribbon of the Life Savings Medal.
Some bars are rather rare.
Besides the meanwhile deceased people a high percentage of people were already retired. Therefor they couldn't report to the official offices of the general orders commission. This fact explains the extreme rarity for certain bars. These were mostly the higher ranking officers. An exemption are the NCO's that became government officials and police officers after their active duty in the Navy.