WW 1 Lusitania Medal in its original box , used by the Allies as a propaganda measure against the sinking of RMS Lusitania in 1915 by a German submarine on its way back to Great Britain from the USA . The original medal was struck by a Munich silversmith extolling the sinking , but the design was seized upon by the Allies and recast in a heavy metal and sold to stir up anti German feelings due to the civilian casualties including many women and children who were drowned when the ship was torpedoed just off the coast of Southern Ireland . The other reason for reproducing the medal was to highlight this atrocity to the Americans in the hope that it would bring them into the War , because of the number of Americans on board RMS Lusitania who were also drowned .
The medal is in good condition with some age patina , but the details remain clear and crisp . The original card box the medal was issued with has some staining and foxing to it and there is slight damage to the card rim of the box lid . There is no accompanying leaflet with the box and medal .