Duke Ernst Medal

The Duke Ernst Medal (German: Herzog Ernst-Medaille) was an award of the Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg. It was founded on the 16th of September 1906 to commemorate the eightieth birthday of Duke Ernst I. The Medal was originally intended for civil merits and actions that benefited the duchy and its ducal house. The medal was worn on a blue silk ribbon with two gold stripes on the left breast. The round silver or gold medal has a diameter of 31 millimetres. Ladies wore the medal with or without a crown and/or clasp on a lady's bow of the same blue-and-gold ribbon on the left shoulder.

The first type of the medal bears a left-facing portrait of the reigning monarch, Ernst I, wearing military uniform, and bears the legend "ERNST I HERZOG VON SACHSEN-ALTENBURG". On the reverse is an ornamented monogram E (for Ernst) with a ducal crown above. To the sides of the monogram are the dates 1826 and 1906. Beneath the monogram is the medal's date of foundation, 16 September.

On 1 August 1909, a year, six months, and twenty-two days after the death of Ernst I, his nephew Ernst II updated the portrait and legend with his own.