Tom Y

The dimensions were changed slightly. and there was a fair difference in weight. My type 1 example, with ribbon, weighs 16.3gm and the type 2 17.9gm. There is also a difference in the background, with a much more delicate stippling.

The basic MVK was instituted by Friedrich Franz II in 1848 and issued in all ensuing wars with a change of date. Friedrich Franz IV renewed it in 1915 with the date 1914. The earlier form, let's call it type 1, was struck early in the war. At some time later the design was changed slightly with a different crown and all capitals on the reverse. It was awarded until 1929.

You're right, Brian. The cores are surprisingly thin. I have one from a repair attempt that went pear shaped and it's 1.2mm at the edge and weighs 6.2gm.

I should have said issue and private purchase. This was discussed in another forum long ago and far away.

Nothing I recognize. It may just be a less than perfect job of soldering.

The wartime issues were blackened iron with a concave depression on the reverse center. The postwar production could be either iron or tombak with a smooth reverse.

Here's a single mount, seemingly for civilian wear.

The attractive document was printed on a stiff, medium weight, straw colored paper. This particular one is for female worker Edwine Hansmann.

The Charlottenkreuz was instituted by Wilhelm II of Württemberg on the 5th of January, 1916 to honor his wife, Queen Charlotte and produced by the Royal Mint in Stuttgart. It was awarded to persons, regardless of station or gender, for service with the wounded and sick in the field or homeland or general war welfare service. The early pieces were a high grade of silver, but towards the end of the war debased to 50%.

Thanks, Heiko. Obviously, I was just guessing.

Looks fine to me. I imagine the letters stand for Deutsche (süd?) Krieger Bund.

It's Austrian, for the first Balkan War.

I think Mitgliedskreuz (member's cross) might be a better name. From the date it appears to be a 20th anniversary of the Franco-Prussian War. Most towns had their own vets' organization apparently affiliated with a national group. More often than not you find these with the cross missing and when it's there it's usually stamped sheet metal rather than cast like yours. A nice find :cheers:

I guess I'll have to concede, but ot bears little resemblance to my other S marked crosses.

I can't get the right light angle with my scanner, but it's beyond a doubt an 8. As to the I, my feeling is that it's a ding, but thought I'd throw it out there to see if anyone has one similar.

Thanks, Mervyn, these were fairly common when I was a kid, but I've never seen the Burma overprint before. They seem to be in better condition than the ones I remember, too.

No, definitely an 8. Looking at it through a loupe there's no mistaking it.

Some closeups of the Cross I posted here. I'm sure of the 8, even though it looks like a B in the scan, but the Öse could be an I, a 1, or just a ding.

I just came across these amid the chaos of my collection. As they're I assume they belong that way.

That's what it looks like to me.

Celluloid makes the most sense. Put a match to it. If it burns it's celluloid, if it melts it's plastic. If it cracks it's porcelain :cheeky:

Enamel's nice an' all that, but an almost 200 year old ribbon is superb :love:

I knew I had one somewhere.

Now you need one of these. Instituted in September, 1918 for front line service. I don't know whether the stripes are pink from fading or it's from an odd lot of ribbon, but it seems original to the award. and, of course,

I might suggest using piece of mat board cut as a very narrow mat. Or, alternatively, you could use a mat with a cutout for each card but it's a lot more work.