Austria-Hungary Austro Hungarian mark - star * - asterisk ?

[Magician]

Let us solve this mark on Austro Hungarian medals - star * so called asterisk.

What does this means?

I have heard that medals produced at the end of war were made from war materials (tombak) instead of silver/gold and those medals where marked with star but I don't know if this is a fact or just rumors.

I have seen mark star on medals like:

- Order of Franz Joseph I. Knight's cross of the Order (3rd class)

- Military Merit Cross 'Piis Meritis' (2nd class)

Attached file (star) on my Piis Meritis medal.

[pinpon590]

Hi !

An other example of this star on a FJ order (bronze made) :

Edited January 13, 2013 by pinpon590

[Elmar Lang]

Hello,

no rumours at all.

The "Star Mark" ("Stern-Punze" or "Sternchen-Punze") was adopted to mark all decorations made of gilt or silver-plated metal instead of gold or silver; not necessarily at the end of the war.

All the best,

E.L.