Netherlands The Netherlands: Inauguration Medal 1948

[Megan]

Inhuldigingsmedaille 1948

This royal commemorative was instituted on 13 August 1948 to mark the inauguration ceremonies held for Queen Juliana on 6 September 1948, following her mother Queen Wilhelmina’s abdication on 4 September 1948… the ceremony being held exactly 50 years after Queen Wilhelmina’s own inauguration on 6 September 1898. This was the first royal commemorative to be instituted by means of a formal Royal Warrant, previous ones having been established merely by court decision and thus being only semi-official.

It was awarded to individuals involved in the preparations for the ceremonial, those who had an official part to play in the inauguration ceremony itself (including the military personnel on duty) and the invited guests, with some 3,240 being presented in total. The medal was designed by Nel Klaassen and made at the Royal Mint in Utrect.

The medal is silver, 30.5mm in diameter. The obverse of the medal shows the portrait of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard facing left, while on the reverse a crowned J is surrounded by the text "JULIANA KONINGIN DER NEDERLANDEN (Juliana, Queen of the Netherlands) with the text INHULDIGING 6 SEPTEMBER 1948 (inauguration 6th of September 1948) in a semi-circle below the crowned J.

The ribbon is orange with a double blue central stripe and narrow red, white and blue edges.

It was created by Koninklijk besluit no. 49 van 13 augustus 1948 (Nederlandse Staatscourant no. 160 van 18 augustus 1948)/Royal Decree No.49 of 13 August 1948 (Dutch Government Gazette No.160 of 18 August 1948)

[Picture credit: eMedals]

[Ulsterman]

very cool. Do you know if there is an award list at all?

[Megan]

I understand that there is a list of recipients at the Netherlands chancellery.