Awards of Germany - Order of Merit of St. Michael Cross of Merit with Crown

The Order of Merit for St. Michael was established by King Ludwig I on February 16, 1837. The motto of the order is "Principi Fidelis Favere Patriae," loyal to the prince, serving the fatherland. The abbreviation of the motto PFFP is found in the high classes of the order, distributed over the cross sleeves. The Cross of Merit with a crown was introduced only in 1910 with the last expansion of the order. The last unit was: Grand Cross, 1st grade, 2nd grade with a star, 2nd grade, Honorary Cross, 3rd grade, 4th grade, Merit Cross with and without a crown, silver medal and bronze medal.
The Royal Order of Merit of St. Michael was originally a chivalric order founded by Joseph Clemens of Bavaria, then Prince-Bishop of Cologne, on 29 September 1693 and open only to nobility. Members were to defend the Catholic faith as well as provide financial assistance. The secularization of 1803 led to the disappearance of a branch in the Rhineland. The branch in Bavaria lasted until 1837. Initially, the order consisted of 2 classes of the Grand Cross and the Knight. It was expanded to 3 classes in 1808. Grand Cross, Komtur and Knight.
After the establishment of the Order of Merit in 1837, all persons could now be accepted regardless of faith and class. The prerequisite was excellent useful service in various fields, devotion and love for the homeland, which were supposed to cause the satisfaction of the king. Maximilian II. expanded the order at the expense of gross-komture, dividing the knights into 1st and 2nd. Class before the new classification came into effect in 1887. A notable manufacturer was Jacob Reeder. With the manufacturer's punch - J.L. - it's on the lower cruciform shoulder. Source: J. Nimmergut, Deutsche Orden und Ehrenzeichen bis 1945, vol. 1, 1997 . 

Silver cross with raised, smooth edges. The inner sides of the cruciform sleeves are fine-grained. Front and back with a raised middle shield. On the upper cruciform shoulder, a movable, connected to the inner hinge, 5-curved crown. A ribbon ring passes through the imperial crown apple.

Front side:

• The silver central shield is highly oval and evenly spaced up and down.
• On it is an image of the archangel Michael standing on a defeated (dragon) devil
. In
• with his left hand he holds a shield with the slogan - QUIS -/- UT -/- DEUS -.
• (Who is like God) He has a cross on his chest, both blue.

Downside:

• The silver central shield is round and smooth.
• Mitiig blue inscription: - VIRTUTI - (virtue).
• The front central shield rises above them and is visible from behind.

Tape:

• 35 mm wide, alternating between 3 pink and 2 dark blue stripes of 7 mm.

Obverse: Order of Merit of St. Michael Cross of Merit with Crown

Reverse: Order of Merit of St. Michael Cross of Merit with Crown

Established:

February 16, 1837 by King Ludwig I.
1910 Foundation of the Cross of Merit with Crown

Awarded:

1910 – 1918

Data:

• Material: Silver
• Size: 62mm x 37mm, crown 25mm x 21.5mm
• Weight: about 22g

estimated collector price:

1100 – 1300 €

OEK Number:

378