I recently ran across an interesting find that I know nothing about. I was wondering if anyone could tell me about this medal. I can only find one place that has a photo of it. And a brief description here: http://www.omsa.org/military-maria-theresia-order-commemoration-medals-part-ii/ https://www.revolvy.com/page/Military-Order-of-Maria-Theresa Section 4. The medal I have is the silver issue. How common are these? Any idea as to its value? Any information is appreciated. Thanks.
Thank you for your reply. The description on the second link says that recipients of this medal were entered into Austrian nobility and given the title of Baron. I can't imagine many being issued.
Is the coin posted yours. Or is it from the link? It's pretty hard to see what is on the reverse. @yarm
The coin posted is from online. It's easier to read than the actual coin I have. Below are photos if the coin/medal in my posession.
The engraver/artist of the coin is under the bust on the obv. I can't read it. Sometimes googling his name will bring up more information. And just to make sure. On the reverse is there anything engraved into the coin such as a name?
Medalists name: Christian Schnitzspahn Four interesting quotes about this medal from the links above: " Knight's Cross recipients were automatically ennobled with the title of Ritter in the Austrian nobility for life, and admitted to court. Upon further petition, they could claim the hereditary title of Baron (Freiherr). " " Membership of the order was awarded a total of 1241 times. Alois Windisch and Friedrich Franek were the only two men who were awarded both the Knight's Cross of the Military Order of Maria Theresa and the German Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross." " During World War II, only one person received the Knight's Cross of the Order of Maria Theresa: Major General Kornél Oszlányi, commanding officer of the Royal Hungarian Army's 9th Light Infantry Division" " This medal which was authorized in 1859 is in many ways the most confounding of the Maria Theresia Order commemoration medals. The reasons are as follows: fist there seems to be less information regarding this medal to be found in the literature than any of the other medals being discussed..." The details of the reverse are: In the center of the medal is a knight cross of the Order of Maria Theresia around which are oak and laurel boughs. At the 3, 6 and 9 o’clock positions are ribbons with the following inscriptions; at 3 o’clock is inscribed SOLFERINO XXIV JUNI (Solferino June 24); at 6 o’clock is an inscription that is too faint for the author to decipher and at the 9 o’clock position is inscribed MONTEBELLOU XX MAI (Montebello May 20) Around the rim of the medal is inscribed: SI DEUS NOBISCUM QUIS CONTRA NOS MDCCCLIX (If God be for us who can be against us 1859). At the bottom of the medal in small letters on the rim is inscribed C.S.CR.REC (believed to be a reference to the medalist and designer Christian Schnitzspahn .
I can't either. What could this possibly mean? How can there be no information or other photos online? This order began in 1757 and ended in the early-mid 20th century, with only 1240 persons given this honor. Most of them received differently styled medals. No record of how many persons actually received this style of medal. None sold previously that I can find. I'm at a loss here...