Austria, Imperial. An Order Of The Iron Crown, I Class Star, By C.f. Rothe, C.1900

(Orden der Eisernen Krone). Instituted on 7 April 1815 by Emperor Franz I. Type II. (1850-1914 Issue). A breast star constructed of an eight-pointed silver star with jewel-cut faceted rays, the obverse with a central Gold medallion with a sun-ray pattern depicting the Iron Crown, with circumscription AVITA ET AUCTA (INHERIT AND MULTIPLY) on a blue-enamelled background, surrounded by a border of golden beads, the reverse presents a vertical pinback, the pin bears the maker’s mark C.F. ROTHE WIEN in addition to the official State hallmarks "A A", the back plate presents the initials FR and a greyhound silver hallmark, measuring 85.72 mm (w) x 90.25 mm (h), weighing 58.9 grams, and in near mint condition.

Footnote: By the end of 1917 (taking into account only awards from 1914-17), concerning the I Class, the number of members of the order alive at a given time was 126 Austrian/Hungarians and 119 foreigners. See, M. Christian Ortner and Georg Ludwigstorff, Austrian Orders and Decorations, Part 1/Volume 2: The Imperial-Royal Orders up to 1918 (Verlag Militaria, 2017), 162.