Austria-Hungary Jubilee Cross Medal (1848-1908)

With Civilian version red ribbon.

Some spots on front where gold plating has flecked off

The 1908 Military Jubilee Cross (1908 Militär-Jubiläumskreuz or the 1908 Katonai Jubileumi Kereszt) was instituted on 10 August 1908 (published 18 August 1908) to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the rule of Kaiser Franz Joseph I which occurred on 2 December 1908.   In the case of multiple qualification for one of the 3 various Jubilee awards, this award was restricted to only one per person.  The military version was considered the highest, the civil was the middle (exactly the same as the military version but for a solid red ribbon), while the court version was the lowest – which was quite a change from the 1898 Jubilee awards!

The 1908 Military Jubilee Cross was presented to all military officers, professional military officials and soldiers (except Reservists) who had a minimum of 3 years of service between 2 December 1898 to 2 December 1908, all personnel who had taken part in a minimum of one engagement during the 1848-1849 War, and to all military professionals (including civil employees at military schools, cadet institutes, and military orphanages) who were on active duty on 2 December 1908.  It was also awarded to all those on duty on 2 December 1908 on a non-professional military status who had received a minimum of 2 years of military training (specifically:  students of Officer Candidate Schools from the 2nd Class and higher and conscript candidates for any reserve rank who were in their 2nd or higher year of service).  On 31 December 1914 (published 6 January 1915), Kaiser Franz Joseph I ordered that all officers and officials of the Reserve (or any other similar status) who have participated in the current war and who had already possessed the status of an officer (or official) on 2 December 1908 and had not received the 1908 Military Jubilee Cross should now receive it.

The bronze gilt alloy medal is cross shaped (ca. 36 mm x 42 mm) and surrounded by a laurel wreath.  Within the obverse center of the cross is a circle (ca. 27 mm) with the bust of Kaiser Franz Joseph I.  At the 8:00 to 11:00 position is FRANC. IOS. 1.  At first glance, the entire design appears to be struck off-centered but this design was purposely incorporated.  The reverse is plain (except for the wreath) with a thick 1848  1908 centered in a 2 line inscription.  The medal is almost 4 mm at the thickest point and tapers to the ends of the cross.  It is suspended from a thick barrel type suspension which is part of the struck medal and has a hole bored through for the suspension ring.  The suspension ring is usually of the same metal as the medal but the alloy varies.  The tri-fold military silk ribbon (40 mm wide) is white with a narrow red stripe (5 mm wide) 3 mm from each end.  Note that various ribbons are often used on this award but only the solid red (Civilian Jubilee Medal) was ever additionally awarded, the remainder being fantasy ribbons.  The original ribbon was woven silk with a very distinctive weft - most modern ribbons are a poly based material and some have printed coloring rather than woven.  The original grommet and hook device was of thin fine brass and very tightly affixed - almost all show various degrees of suspension ring wear to the internal ribbon. 

eBAY