German Awards - Karolus August Bronze Medal of Merit

The medal was instituted 1814/15 by Grand Duke Charles Augustus during his stay in Paris. The medal was awarded in 3 classes, gold, silver and bronze. The medal was intended for general merits, for charitable purposes, for excellent hard work and as a prize to the Institute of Free Drawings, an art school. Use as a military award has not been proven. The Stempelschneider was the French engraver Andrieu, the medalist of the Paris Mint. Medals were minted with 2 different inscriptions on the back. The inscription reads - CAROLVS -/- AVGVSTVS -/- MAGNVS - DVX -/- SAXONIAE -, Karl Augustus Grand Duke of Saxon, the second inscription reads - MITESCVNT -/- ASPERA -/- SAA ECLA - be soft in tough times. This decision was proposed by the philologist Eichstedt from Jena and chosen after consultation with Goethe. Initially, the medal was awarded only unbearably. Since 1820, medals could also be worn on the ribbon of the Order of the House (that is, with an eye and a ring of ribbon). With the reverse side shown here, only 25 gold medals were struck, silver medals were struck 100 times, and the bronze medal shown here was struck 200 times. The medals were non-refundable and remained with the heirs after death.

Bronze medal with raised border. In a portable version, there is a soldered eye with a ribbon ring on top.

Front side:

• Portrait of Grand Duke Charles Augustus.
• The Grand Duke with an antique cloak, a round brooch on his shoulder.
• On the shoulder part is the signature of the stamp cutter - ANDRIEU F.-.

Downside:

• Along the edge is a dense, closed oak-deciduous wreath, tied with a loop below.
• In the included field, a four-line enlarged font:
• - CARVLVS -/- AVGVSTVS -/- MAGNVS - DVX -/- SAXONIAE -.