Neoclassical, size 6 1/4. Not resizable. "Gold for Iron" Prussian campaign to raise $ for war against Napoleon. It says "Gen Gludlich" which I think means (given?shortened) happily.
The first gold-for-iron campaign began in 1813 in what is now Germany. To fund the Prussian effort to repel the forces of Napoleon, citizens were urged to donate their gold to the state and were given a piece of iron jewelry (what we now call Berlin iron) in return. The drive for gold was quite successful, in fact, it was so successful that wearing gold during this period of war was frowned upon and seen as unpatriotic. Fast forward a century and we come to the second crusade to fund a war with private gold, this time at the outset of WWI. Modeled on the success of Berlin iron, Austro-Hungary encouraged it's citizens to make the empire a gift of their gold and silver and were given a piece of iron jewelry in it's place. This rare iron band is a near immaculate example of the nationalistic jewelry produced during this brief period of history. The inscription reads "Gen Gludlich" which means "given gladly."
MATERIALS: iron
AGE: c. 1910
CONDITION: Very good
SIZE: 6.25, cannot be resized; 4.9mm head, 3.3mm shank