Circular gilt ‘Kriegsmetall’ zinc alloy medal with loop for ribbon suspension; the face with the head of Grand Duke Wilhelm Ernst in relief facing left, circumscribed ‘WILHELM ERNST GROSSHERZOG VON SACHSEN’; the reverse inscribed ‘DEM VERDIENSTE 1914’ (for Merit 1914) within a circular oak wreath; the gilding is now almost absent; on replaced correct ribbon. The award was instituted by Grand Duke Wilhelm Ernst on 25 June 1902 as a general decoration. Early in World War I the award was amended with the inscription on the reverse seen on this example and initial examples were in gilt red bronze (Zinklegierung). In mid-1918, shortages of material led to the medal being produced in zinc alloy ‘Kriegsmetall’, as in this example, by, amongst others, Paul Meybauer of Berlin. The medal was awarded until late 1918. Only a few thousand awards of the decoration were made in total and it is comparatively rare, especially in ‘Kriegsmetall’.
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