A Stunning Prussian, 25 Year Gold Long Service Medal, In Gilt Bronze. Instituted by the King of Prussia Friedrich Wilhelm III on June 18, 1825. The Tenth Anniversary Of The Battle of Waterloo

With original silk ribbon.
In superb pristine condition awarded from and after June 18 1825.

The Prussian 25-Year Long Service Cross (or Medal) in gilt bronze was awarded to military officers for a quarter-century of faithful service. Instituted in 1825, this highly collectible imperial decoration typically features a Cross Pattée design with the recipient’s year designation on the reverse.

The award is a Cross Pattée. The obverse typically features a central royal crown or the royal cypher of King Friedrich Wilhelm III.

It generally bears a Roman numeral "XXV" (25) or the number "25" to denote the years of service.
It is hung from a period-original cornflower-blue ribbon.

Prussian Long Service Award for Officers for 25 Years' Service (Dienstauszeichnung für Offiziere) was instituted by the King of Prussia Friedrich Wilhelm III on June 18, 1825 in conjunction with the tenth jubilee of the Battle of Waterloo, known in Prussia as Schlacht bei Belle-Alliance after the inn “La Belle Alliance” that was used by Napoleon Bonaparte as his headquarters. It was also there that the Duke of Wellington and Generalfeldmarschall Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher met after the allied victory. The Battle of Waterloo ended with a victory of the armies of the Seventh Coalition (comprising that of Prussia) over the French army under the command of Napoleon. Since its institution and until the beginning of the Great War, Dienstauszeichnung für Offiziere was issued to officers only, but according to 1915 regulations it was extended to senior NCOs (Feldwebel and above) as well as to military officials. However, as the WWI broke out, decorations with Long Service Awards were discontinued. Nevertheless, Dienstauszeichnungen were issued for quite a short period of time, from November 1918 until February 01, 1920.

Code: 16558