Spain, I Restoration. A Royal & Military Order of St. Ferdinand in Gold, I Class Knight, c.1830

(Real y Militar Orden de San Fernando). Originally instituted by the General Courts of Cadiz as a National Order on August 31, 1811. Army of the Hundred Thousand Sons of Saint Louis issue. A rare cross in Gold, enameled white Maltese Cross with ball finials, with a green enamel downward facing laurel wreath in each quadrant, surmounted by a green enameled laurel wreath set in Gold, obverse centre featuring a partially enameled white and red figure of St. Ferdinand in Gold, encircled by an enameled blue border inscribed AL MÉRITO MILITAR (To Military Merit), reverse centre superposing by two crowned orbs in Gold, circumscribed by the inscription EL REY Y LA PATRIA (King and Fatherland) on enameled blur surround, measuring 38.18 mm (w) x 57.63 mm (h - inclusive of horizontal pierced integral ball), weighting 18.1 grams, with detached obverse medallion, enamel loss and contact, suspended using a early French style ring, remains very fine.

Footnote: The Order of St. Ferdinand was established in recognition of the military personnel who participated in the Peninsular War against Napoleonic army. It was mainly conferred upon European royalist armies from Spain, Great Britain, Portugal, and France. This version was specially conferred upon the French army of the Hundred Thousand Sons of Saint Louis who helped the Spanish Royalists to restore the reign of King Ferdinand VII of Spain. The French army mobilized in 1823 by the Bourbon King of France, Louis XVIII; it was a force with around 60,000 troops led by the Duke of Angoulême.

This offering is a part of the "Dr. Albert Goodwin Collection", a preeminent assemblage of world Orders, Medals, and Decorations composed solely by Dr.Goodwin between 1946-1967. Dr. Goodwin had a successful career as an educator and prominent physician in New York as well as actively serving in both World Wars with the United States Medical Corps. He acted as both President and Vice-President of the Orders and Medals Society of America (OMSA) and is responsible for organizing their first convention in 1960. He maintained further membership with the American Society of Military Collectors, the International Orders Research Society, and the American Numismatic Society. His knowledge and passion for history and awards is evident in this meticulously compiled collection that is now available in its entirety for the first time exclusively on eMedals.com.