Austria-Hungary Medal for Bravery in Gold - Old model awarded posthumously?

[saxcob]

Please find attached images of a gold medal for bravery mounted on a cardboard.

The text on the cardboard reads:

"Gefallen als Held

am 11.9.1915

bei Debelo - Osoje Serbien

Fähnr. Möhwald Hugo"

"Died a hero

on 09/11/1915 (from 1914)

at Debelo - Osoje Serbia

Ensign Möhwald Hugo "

The coin weighs 28,05g and is in absolutely uncirculated condition. Judging from the outer appearance it indeed seems to be made of gold.

These circumstances raise quite some questions:

1. Were these medals awarded posthumously?

2. How can it be that the 1859-1866 model (portrait of Franz Joseph I, looking to the left, with a small beard) was used almost 50 years later?

3. Would it be possible that it is not the piece actually awarded but bought by the grieving parents?

4. Is anything known about the ensign Hugo Möhwald?

The piece is from an old collection.

Thanks in advance for your help!

[saxcob]

An Austrian colleague just informed me that the medal was indeed awarded posthumously to Ensign Hugo Möhwald of the infantry Regiment 22 on 11 October 1914 and that the old model was still in use at the beginning of the war as they still had some pieces in stock.

[Great Dane]

Wow, great piece and great that you could have it confirmed, so it wouldn't be just another one of those "I guess we'll never know..."

/Michael

[Elmar Lang]

An exceptional piece indeed (and perfectly preserved, i need to congratulate).

There is phptographic evidence of 1859-66 type GTM awarded in the early stage of WW1. I will try to find that picture, but I am sure of its existence, having seen it on an Italian Militaria Forum.

E.L.