Variation coding Scandinavian orders

Please note: The ID numbering refers to the definitions at www.ordersandmedals.net. If you have a new type, then send a picture on an e-mail to orders@ordersandmedals.net and get it registered.

In order to clearly identify the various differences between the St Olav orders (and others) one has to create a system that is unique and also caters for unexpected additions of new variations. Several methods have been looked at and eventually a system was selected that not only caters for the St Olav orders, but also can be used for all the Scandinavian orders.

In the following the system is explained. The purpose is two-fold. Firstly to have a unique number and secondly to be able to read from the code which order it is. A typical version of the code is as follows:

NStK1D07*aM

By splitting up the different segments one can more easily see the logic behind it.

N   St   K1   D07   *   a   M

First segment N:

This is simply the country code.

D – Denmark

F – Finland

I – Iceland

N – Norway

S – Sweden

Second segment St:

This a short code for each order in question.

Da – Dannebrog

El – Elephant

Fa – Icelandic Falcon

Li – Finnish Lion

NL – Norwegian Lion

NS – North Star

Se – Seraphimer

St – St Olav

Sw – Sword

Wa – Wasa

Third segment K1:

This is a short code for the type of order.

CL – Collar

CB – Commander badge

CG – Commander or Grand Cross Badge if they are similar

CS – Commander star

GB – Grand Cross badge

GS – Grand Cross Star

K1 – Knight 1

K2 – Knight 2

MI – Miniature

MS – Miniature in silver

Fourth segment D07:

This is simply the year and follows the numbering defined by Swedish Jewellers. This year will also be guided by the next segment. So D06 = 1882.

	-	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
A	1759	1783	1807	1831	1855	1879	1903	1927	1951	1975	1999
B	1760	1784	1808	1832	1856	1880	1904	1928	1952	1976	2000
C	1761	1785	1809	1833	1857	1881	1905	1929	1953	1977	2001
D	1762	1786	1810	1834	1858	1882	1906	1930	1954	1978	2002
E	1763	1787	1811	1835	1859	1883	1907	1931	1955	1979	2003
F	1764	1788	1812	1836	1860	1884	1908	1932	1956	1980	2004
G	1765	1789	1813	1837	1861	1885	1909	1933	1957	1981	2005
H	1766	1790	1814	1838	1862	1886	1910	1934	1958	1982	2006
I	1767	1791	1815	1839	1863	1887	1911	1935	1959	1983	2007
K	1768	1792	1816	1840	1864	1888	1912	1936	1960	1984	2008
L	1769	1793	1817	1841	1865	1889	1913	1937	1961	1985	2009
M	1770	1794	1818	1842	1866	1890	1914	1938	1962	1986	2010
N	1771	1795	1819	1843	1867	1891	1915	1939	1963	1987	2011
O	1772	1796	1820	1844	1868	1892	1916	1940	1964	1988	2012
P	1773	1797	1821	1845	1869	1893	1917	1941	1965	1989	2013
Q	1774	1798	1822	1846	1870	1894	1918	1942	1966	1990	2014
R	1775	1799	1823	1847	1871	1895	1919	1943	1967	1991	2015
S	1776	1800	1824	1848	1872	1896	1920	1944	1968	1992	2016
T	1777	1801	1825	1849	1873	1897	1921	1945	1969	1993	2017
U	1778	1802	1826	1850	1874	1898	1922	1946	1970	1994	2018
V	1779	1803	1827	1851	1875	1899	1923	1947	1971	1995	2019
X	1780	1804	1828	1852	1876	1900	1924	1948	1972	1996	2020
Y	1781	1805	1829	1853	1877	1901	1925	1949	1973	1997	2021
Z	1782	1806	1830	1854	1878	1902	1926	1950	1974	1998	2022

Fifth segment *:

This segment guides the year in front.

* – Says that the year in front is the type year. Not exact year.

H – Says the year is hallmarked exact.

? – Says the year is unknown and not even the type is set.

Sixth segment a:

This segment starts with a and continues through z and continues with capital letters A through Z. So the number of unique possibilities becomes large.

Seventh segment M:

This segment is a continuation of the previous. The intention is to use a couple of fixed values to help on some issues.

M – Is for Military version as for the St Olav.

a – is for an additional counter. This by default is set to a. If the sixth counter has reached Z, then the seventh counter will move to b. Makes the possible numbers endless for all practical purposes.

How to use it:

The code can be used by every collector up to a certain point. The first 5 segments are for use for everyone. So NStK2M06* means a Norwegian St Olav Knight 2 from the 1890 series. One can also add an M if it is military. The last two is for defining exactly a variation type of this. If every collector starts making aa’s and so forth then chaos would apply to the numbering system. So for that purpose one has to accept a coordination of these exact numbers. The www.ordersandmedals.net site will define new codes. As variations to the Scandinavian orders are to be published these numbers and their corresponding variation images will be known.

N153

N137

N135

N139

N033

N131 Knight drilled holes Hammer

N146 later(??) Tostrup