Original 1896 military Italian Royal Navy Medal Cristoforo Colombo Anchor Eagle For Sale

1895–96 Royal Italian Navy Medal – R. Nave Cristoforo Colombo Training Squadron Commemorative

This is a rare and historically important Italian Royal Navy medal, issued for service aboard the R. Nave Cristoforo Colombo during the 1895–1896 training cruise period. The medal features maritime and national symbols, including an anchor and the Royal Italian Eagle, representing both naval service and royal authority.

This piece likely belonged to a sailor or cadet who served on the Cristoforo Colombo, a steel-hulled corvette of the Regia Marina, used at that time as part of the Training Squadron based in Venice.

• Inscription (Top): R. NAVE CRISTOFORO COLOMBO (Royal Ship Cristoforo Colombo)

• Inscription (Bottom): 1895 – 96

• Design: Large anchor at center, a timeless symbol of naval strength and duty

• Features the Royal Italian Eagle, emblem of the Kingdom of Italy and its military might

• Bold and finely detailed relief work, consistent with late 19th-century Italian medal engraving

• Diameter: 30mm across

• Material: Possibly silver or silver-plated (unmarked; buyer may test)

• Condition:

• • Loop missing (originally intended for ribbon or chain)

  • Surface wear consistent with age; fine details remain visible

  • No cracks or repairs

  • Damage to rim, scratches, signs of wear and use

  • Uncleaned patina for collector-grade Background

    • Cristoforo Colombo was launched in the early 1890s to serve both in colonial deployments and later in naval cadet training.

    • In 1895, it joined the Training Squadron, alongside the corvette Flavio Gioia, to instruct future naval officers.

    • This medal is a direct artifact of that naval transition, representing the ship’s dual purpose in colonial and educational service.

    Why Collect This Medal?

    • Scarce Regia Marina artifact from the pre-WWI Italian naval buildup

    • Celebrates the legacy of Christopher Columbus (Cristoforo Colombo) and Italian maritime pride

    • Appealing to collectors of naval history, 19th-century medals, or Italian royal memorabilia

    • A powerful symbol of Italy’s naval modernization in the late 1800s

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