Military Order of Foreign Wars Badge for the War with Spain. Gilt Silver. Awarded to John Jacob Astor, who was later lost on the Titanic. 38 mm, badge only, 90 mm overall. 22.8 grams. Wide drop showing an eagle at the center of a red-enameled eight-pointed star, five rays between each star point. Oval wreath at top connecting to a hanger that reads WAR WITH SPAIN and backed by a tri-color silk ribbon in red, blue and gold. The back shows a blue and red enameled medallion with an anchor at center surrounded by the words DEUS ET LIBERTAS. A small suspension loop is stamped 153 and according to the Military Order of Foreign Wars registers (included with this lot), this particular medal was awarded to John Jacob Astor, IV in either 1899 or 1900.<p>Astor was an American business magnate, investor, writer, real estate developer and served as a lieutenant colonel in the Spanish-American War. The Astor family was one of the richest in the world, and when he perished onboard the <em>Titanic</em> in April 1912, John Jacob Astor, IV had an estimated net worth of $87 million (which would equate to roughly $2.5 billion today).<p>The Military Order of Foreign Wars was founded in December 1894, at the Tribune Building in New York City, and is one of the nations oldest veterans and hereditary associations. Membership is made up of veterans of the armed forces who served in wars with other nations, as well as their hereditary descendants.<p>Not only is this award quite beautiful in its own right, but when is provenance is traced to a person of such great stature, it becomes a most important and desirable item.
