Germany Awards - Service Award for Non-Commissioned Officers 16 years of service

The military awards of the Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt were established on July 17, 1850 by Prince Friedrich Gunther. For officers, after 20 years of service, a silver gilded cross with enameled middle signs was donated. 3 ranks or classes were established for non-commissioned officers. 1st class was awarded after 25 years of service and was a silver cross without enamel. Shown here 2. The class was an oval shaped silver medal and was awarded after 16 years of service. The 3rd class was a round medal of blackened bronze with silver gilded edging and was awarded after 9 years of service.
Service awards are very rare due to the small size of the principality and the short lease period. Only the award figures survived when first awarded on 8 August 1850. The 2nd class medal is listed here with 19 awards. After the military convention with Prussia of 1867, service awards were no longer awarded. Several more medals were awarded between 1850 and 1867. The exact figure is not known here. In 1867, Prince George established service awards in the form of a buckle on the Prussian model for 21, 15 and 9 years of service.

High oval silver medal with a wide raised rim. Above is a relief parallel ear with a wide elongated belt ring. Here, the eye is recycled and provided with a conventional band ring.

Front side:

• Against an even background, a mirrored, decorated monogram - F - G - for Friedrich Gunther.
• A princely hat hovers above him.

Downside:

In the
• center on a smooth base is a large Roman number - XVI-16.

Tape:

Width 35 mm, yellow edges 1 mm, black side stripes of 7 mm, blue central strip.