Posted 7 years ago
Electron.J…
(1 item)
I found this pin while metal detecting behind my house on what used to be a US Army base. Judging from the amount of caked on crude it had been in the ground for a few decades at least. There is no writing that I could find on the back (or front). The pin does still swing open and shut. The crest on the front looks to be a Russian Coat of Arms (two headed eagle with three crowns) but I could not find anything like this pin online. Thanks for any help you guys can give my on tracking down its history. The pin is 3cm x 3cm.
Austria-Hungary not Russian.
T A
"The regimental cap badge is the Hapsburg double-headed eagle. It was granted to the King's Dragoon Guards by the Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria when he became Colonel in Chief in 1896. It has been worn by the regiment continuously except during World War I, when it was decided to wear the Dragoon Guards cypher instead of the Hapsburg Eagle. A message was sent to the regiment from the Emperor that any KDG captured would be treated as a guest by Franz Joseph himself."
Similar to the House of Habsburg coat of arms. The Habsburg line was one of the most influential families in European history. They conquered through marriage and ruled the Austrian Empire, the Holy Roman Empire, France, and Spain just to name a few. Marie Antoinette and the Archduke Franz Ferdinand were both of the Habsburg line, among many others.
Thanks TubeAmp and PhilDMorris! That is very helpful and interesting.