German Local Issue Medals For War Service

Started by Fred, January 28, 2022, 06:44:45 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Fred

After the wars of German Unification most German states issued medals to their troops.  Twenty-five and forty years later, usually on the anniversary of the Battle of Sedan, many local towns gave medals to their veterans of those wars. These were for the veterans only and are not the common patriotic or souvenir medals.  These medals are virtually uncataloged by anyone other than me. Attached is a sample scan. I would like to hear from anyone with related items or questions.
Anything just made for collectors just isn't worth collecting.

Figleaf

As the medals were issued after the events (somewhere in the period 1870-1914, I presume?), can they be attributed to a shorter period by studying events and manifestations? If for example the city of Halle organised a great commemorative march or commissioned a monument to German unification, wouldn't that be a date indication?

Also, are you aware of who produced these medals? The one you show looks professionally struck and the wreath looks official, but there is no indication of the maker.

Peter
An unidentified coin is a piece of metal. An identified coin is a piece of history.

Fred

Thanks Peter, the medals are almost always dated 1895-96 or 1910.  They are usually produced by private mints with quality ranging from mediocre to superb. The medals almost always are worded using the words Gewidmet (awarded) and Ihren... or Seinen... to distinguish them from the public sale pieces.  Some day I may try and illustrate a few of the medals here if I can reduce the sizes enough to fit here.
Anything just made for collectors just isn't worth collecting.

Fred

For example the medal illustrated here is worded to translate the City of Halle to it's veterans of 1870-71. On the is the date 1895 and "SedanFeier" over church spires
Anything just made for collectors just isn't worth collecting.

Figleaf

That makes sense. 1895 would be 25 years after the battle of Sedan and 1910 would be 40 years after, while 1896 would be 25 years after the treaty of Frankfurt that ended the Franco-Prussian war.

Peter
An unidentified coin is a piece of metal. An identified coin is a piece of history.