Medal for Military Valor – Wars of Italy, 1859 Type: Medal for valor (private issue) Year: 1859 Peso 14,67 g Metal: Silver Edge: Plain or slightly raised frame Rarity: R2 – Very rare Mint / Manufacture: Private French striking Condition: FDC (Fleur de Coin / Mint State) Patina: Natural, iridescent, of exceptional beauty ⸻ Obverse: Legend: AL VALORE MILITARE (“To Military Valor”) Description: Crowned oval shield of Savoy, flanked by branches of laurel and palm tied together at the base. Reverse: Legend: GUERRE D’ITALIE – 1859 (“Wars of Italy – 1859”) Description: Smooth field prepared for personal dedication, within a wreath of laurel branches tied below with a ribbon. ⸻ Historical Notes: Commemorative medal struck in France in 1859 to celebrate the Second Italian War of Independence and the soldiers of the Franco-Piedmontese alliance. Though unofficial, it is highly sought after for the elegance of its engraving and its historical association with the campaigns of Magenta, Solferino, and San Martino. ⸻ References: • Brambilla I, p. 270 • Von Heyden, no. 21 • Ercoli, no. 27a