Sgt Stripes Posted 4 February , 2021 Share Posted 4 February , 2021 Can anyone identify which country this cigarette case came from. Its possibly Bulgarian, Russian or Serbian. It has five coins, one of which resembles a British farthing. Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 4 February , 2021 Share Posted 4 February , 2021 The pierced Russian lettering, На память Воине, I think means "To remember the warrior." The engraved letters are Ф and Б, F and B - initials? As well as what looks like a George V farthing there is a 5 pfennig (German) and a 10 centimes (French), so I'm willing to bet that the coin with the lion is either Russian or Austro-Hungarian. The crown above the anchor may have the five-fold cross of Jerusalem in the centre panel, but I don't know what that would mean. And that's where I stick! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt Stripes Posted 4 February , 2021 Author Share Posted 4 February , 2021 Many Thanks Seajane for the Translation . I had a go but got no where. What throws me is the anchor on the coin. The cigarette case is a mystery with only the Cyrillic writing pointing to the country the person came from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabelou Posted 4 February , 2021 Share Posted 4 February , 2021 Sorry but no lion on Russian or Austrian numismatic of this period but double headed eagle ( Doppeladler). I prefer to guess on Bulgaria ...or Belgium. What is strange is the lack of a crown on lion's head. Gabelou Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 4 February , 2021 Share Posted 4 February , 2021 35 minutes ago, Gabelou said: I prefer to guess on Bulgaria ...or Belgium You were right with Belgium, 25 centimes 1918. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 4 February , 2021 Share Posted 4 February , 2021 I think the crown and anchor is a seal, not a coin (nor a button), from the way the devices are engraved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt Stripes Posted 4 February , 2021 Author Share Posted 4 February , 2021 Absolutely fantastic tracking down the Belgium coin. Never thought of Belgium. Thank You. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabelou Posted 4 February , 2021 Share Posted 4 February , 2021 Congratualion seaJane for finding exactctly the good coin. The tail with 2 appendices is typical from Belgian lion and use of zink means second part of WW1. Now the po'nt is the navy seal. The crown is from imperial German navy with pendants. Same symbol in German imperial units : gendarmerie... and navy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWK Posted 4 February , 2021 Share Posted 4 February , 2021 8 hours ago, Sgt Stripes said: Can anyone identify which country this cigarette case came from. Its possibly Bulgarian, Russian or Serbian. It has five coins, one of which resembles a British farthing. Thanks in advance. That looks very much like a Russian/Bulgarian/Serbian etc orthodox crown. Serbian navy? (Although the rope goes the wrong way....) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serbian_River_Flotilla and the little photo above: the King of Serbia? It's not Nicolas II of Russia, that's for sure. And doesn't look like the King of Bulgaria (He liked to dress up...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwin astill Posted 4 February , 2021 Share Posted 4 February , 2021 Crown looks like the imperial State crown of Germany. Edwin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 4 February , 2021 Share Posted 4 February , 2021 I've had both the Imperial German Navy and the Austro-Hungarian Navy suggested. The crown isn't an exact match but these are two versions of the Austro-Hungarian: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabelou Posted 5 February , 2021 Share Posted 5 February , 2021 If we observ the concordent indices, it could gaves Salonica front, with German and Bulgare on one side, English and French on the other side. The Belgian coin is an enigm . I never heard about a Belgian unit or ambulance on this aerea ? There was just a volunter belgian " corps des auto-canons" (armored cars) between 1915 and 1918 in Russia but they fight mainly in Galicia. The crown presented by seaJane is the imperial austrian crown. The imperal German crown (Edwin) is the good one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabelou Posted 5 February , 2021 Share Posted 5 February , 2021 An other point. The box is from1918 . Maybe more a "POW art" than a Trench art? At the end of the war, the food ration were rather small , specialy on the East area. POW production was exchanged with food with the POW guards. POW camp could explay the gathering , otherway unprobable, of these coins. The deco is in Eastern style and taste. To go further, a better picture of the small picture above the Imperial crown could be helpfull. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 5 February , 2021 Share Posted 5 February , 2021 It is indeed a German Imperial Navy button. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apwright Posted 5 February , 2021 Share Posted 5 February , 2021 15 hours ago, seaJane said: The pierced Russian lettering, На память Воине, I think means "To remember the warrior." The engraved letters are Ф and Б, F and B - initials? НА ПАМЯТЬ ВОЙНЫ - To remember the war. Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 5 February , 2021 Share Posted 5 February , 2021 Thank you for the corrections Adrian and AOK4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 5 February , 2021 Share Posted 5 February , 2021 (edited) I have been further advised that the crown is the German state crown, which was never made up in its final version in real life: but this wooden model matches the design exactly. Edited 5 February , 2021 by seaJane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner 87 Posted 5 February , 2021 Share Posted 5 February , 2021 (edited) Hello, very interesting Topic. I have just found an almost exact match for the button which his described as Imperial German Marine Officers Button, Prussian Naval Crown with Cap-Ribbons. I have also attached the 'Kaiserliche' Deck Officers Cap Badge which has the Crown and Ribbons. Edited 5 February , 2021 by Gunner 87 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt Stripes Posted 5 February , 2021 Author Share Posted 5 February , 2021 Many Many thanks for all your help with the search for information on this cigarette box. Its been a pleasure to view the kind response. Just a thought if it is a POW in Salonika is it possible the button was from one of the crew of the shot down Zeppelin LZ85. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apwright Posted 5 February , 2021 Share Posted 5 February , 2021 1 hour ago, Sgt Stripes said: Many Many thanks for all your help with the search for information on this cigarette box. Its been a pleasure to view the kind response. Just a thought if it is a POW in Salonika is it possible the button was from one of the crew of the shot down Zeppelin LZ85. Unlikely to be a prisoner at Salonika. The language is Russian, not Bulgarian. Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt Stripes Posted 5 February , 2021 Author Share Posted 5 February , 2021 Thank you for the information. Much appreciated. I was getting carried away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabelou Posted 6 February , 2021 Share Posted 6 February , 2021 12 hours ago, apwright said: Unlikely to be a prisoner at Salonika. The language is Russian, not Bulgarian. Between 1916 and 17 , under General Maurice Sarrail suppervision, there were 2 russian brigade in Salonika front. 23 000 soldiers. After 1917 and Russian revolution, the situation became confuse: a part of these Russian soldiers try to escape to Russia, a part works as "civilian paid workers" for the allies in the region, and a ( radical) part was interned as prisonner in a camp. Some engage in French foreign legion, others in "White" Russian legion, . Maybe the box comme from one of the last parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt Stripes Posted 6 February , 2021 Author Share Posted 6 February , 2021 I think the country the box was made might keep its last secret. Would have loved to have seen a Bulgarian coin on it but absolutely delighted with the information provided. Once again many thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lammy Posted 8 December , 2023 Share Posted 8 December , 2023 The photograph is pretty good. Maybe post it on some russian genealogy sites, could come up with an answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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