Finnish Lotta Svärd member's badge
Every official Lotta Svärd membership pin was issued with a unique sequential serial number stamped on the reverse.
The organization issued roughly 171,000 numbered membership badges before it was dissolved in late November 1944 as a condition of the Moscow Armistice.
Badges in the 160,000 range were manufactured and issued near the tail-end of WWII in 1943–1944 as membership surged during the war.
This is the 2nd type made of nickel-silver rather than silver, all badges after 1940 were made in nickel silver like this one.
Excellent condition!
Designed by artist Erik Vasström in September 1921. It features a blue enameled swastika (the ancient Finnish heraldic symbol of good fortune, unrelated to the Nazi Party) flanked by four heraldic roses.
The small stamped square logo next to the serial number on the back belongs to Veljekset Sundqvist (Sundqvist Brothers), one of the primary Helsinki jewelers contracted to produce these badges.
37 EURO
37 EURO