German Awards - Commemorative Medal for Duke Alfred's Silver Wedding 1899

This commemorative medal was established on January 23, 1899 by Duke Alfred of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. The reason was his silver wedding with Maria Alexandrovna, Grand Duchess of Russia, 2nd daughter of Tsar Alexander II. Alfred was 2 son of Queen Victoria and Albert of Coburg-Gotha and, therefore, also the Prince of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Edinburgh, etc. The wedding took place on January 23, 1874 in the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. Celebrations for the silver wedding took place at Schloss Friedenstein in Gotha. They were overshadowed by the suicide attempt of Crown Prince Alfred, who soon died. By decree of the duke, the medal was awarded to all principalities present at the festival, including the retinue, the ducal court state, serving officers and officials. Also, the medal could receive persons close to the ducal house. Designed and printed by Max Kavachinsky. He worked at the Prussian Royal Mint in Berlin. He was a ducal Saxon court medallist and sculptor. Exact award figures are not known. There are also miniatures of the medal. Source: J. Nimmergut, Deutsche Orden und Ehrenzeichen bis 1945, vol. III, 1999.

Round medal made of matte silver without embossed edges. Above is a soldered ordinary eye with a ribbon ring.

Front side:

• In the center, almost to the lowest edge, portraits of the ducal couple facing the right.
• In the foreground is Duke Alfred in a general's uniform with a cloak and the Order of the Golden Fleece.
• The Duchess Mary with a crown and a 4-row chain is displaced and half-closed at the back.
• At the bottom right is a rose branch with 6 flowers.
• On the upper half with a small distance from the edge to the left - ALFRED -, above - 1874 - (-) - 1899 -,
• right - MARIE -. At the bottom left along the edge is a small signature of the stamp cutter:
• - Max - from - Kawaczynski - ad.- viv.- fec.- (ad.viv.fec. = made after life)

Downside:

In
• the pedestal with a relief inscription rises in the lower part - 23.- JANUARY -.
• It has 2 suspended, figured coat of arms connected in the center by a loop.
• On the left is the personal coat of arms of the duke, on the right is the Russian coat of arms of the duchess.
• On the side behind the shields of the coat of arms on the left is oak foliage, and on the right is laurel foliage with fruits.
In the
• center above the shields is a large 5-arched crown. Up along the edge is a fluttering ribbon.
• On the 3 highlighted parts, the sublime font is TRUE - AND - HARD -.
• Behind the middle piece of tape, a star from these rays falls on the crown.

Tape:

• 28 mm wide, alternating 3 green and 2 white stripes 5 mm and 6 mm.

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