Date
Instituted: 1855.
Campaign: Crimean War 1854-56.
Description: The Sultan of Turkey issued this
medal to allied military personnel involved in the Crimean war.
There are three different issues of this medal for those issued
to British, French or Sardinian personnel. The obverse shows
the Sultan of Turkey’s cipher with the Mohammendan date for 1271
on all versions. The reverse depicts a cannon with four flags
to its rear. The flag to the fore on the second from the left
depicts the country for which the medal was intended. The inscription
in the exergue reads ‘La Crimee 1855’ for French issue, ‘La Crimea 1855’ for Sardinian issue
and ‘Crimea 1855’ for British Issue. The ribbon is attached
through a steel ring which is attached to the medal by a smaller
silver ring, however many medals are found with privately attached suspenders of various designs.
Metal: Silver.
Size: 36mm.
Clasps: None authorised for this medal.
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Naming: Issued
un-named.
Comments: Most collectors mistakenly
believe the reverse with the flags and cannon are the obverse of
this medal and indeed many of the recipients at the time wore them
that way. Due to the loss by shipwreck of many of these medals
intended for British recipients awards were made with whatever issue
came to hand with the most common being of the Sardinian type.
The general quality of these medals was poor and many British officers
had copies of superior quality made in 925 silver with plain or
scroll suspenders.
It
is also common to encounter the original award medals with the steel
ring (which is prone to rusting) from which the ribbon is attached
replaced by a scroll suspender akin to British issue medals.
Such medals are still considered contemporary and do not alter in
value.
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