Medals of the Nijmegen Vierdaagse.

Awards for 1 to 24 years are dealt with on a separate page:

Introduction.

As the numbers of walkers who have completed a large number of marches has increased, special crosses have been authorised and awarded to mark their achievement. There are now distinct crosses for 40, 50 and 60 marches. All are awarded with a crown suspension and a ribbon number from the first year of their award.
 
New high quality versions.
While remaining broadly similar in design to the crosses awarded previously, the quality and design of these ‘high number’ medals has been improved for awards made from 2007.
In 2005 the KNBLO decided to improve the design of the Cross by introducing a crown that is made separately and fixed to the medal by the manufacturers. This gives it a similar appearance to the older Koninklijke Begeer medals although, unlike the earlier medals, the crown is not awarded alone to be attached by the recipient, but is always awarded as part of a complete medal. These changes were introduced for higher awards (25, 40, 50 and 60 years) in 2007 and for other awards that bear a crown (2, 6 and 11 years) in 2010.

In addition, since 2007 the 50 and 60 year crosses have been manufactured to a higher standard, are made of gilded silver (hallmarked) and are heavier than the old version. While still produced by W. van Veluw, the look and quality of these crosses is closer to the ones produced formerly by Koninklijke Begeer. The new versions have the same dimensions as the older type, 36 mm at their widest point and bear the makers name: “W.v.Veluw B.V. Zeist” at the centre of the reverse.

Those walkers who had previously received the 40, 50 or 60 year crosses can purchese and wear the new versions. There is no requirement to return the old medal.
The crosses below show both the original and new versions.

The design of the ribbon numbers, as shown in the photographs, has remained unchanged.

This cross was similar in metal and general quality to the ten and eleven year cross, the only difference being in the colour of the laurel behind the arms. The wreathed year figure on the ribbon also changed its background colour.

Crosses from earlier years, like the 10 and 11 year medal, were of a slightly darker metal, changing in the mid 1980's to a bright yellow metal.
The ribbon numbers also changed by the mid 1980's. Earlier ones were of a metal-fronted design (on the left). The version with a glazed front (on the right) was then adopted.
As with other Vierdaagse crosses, awards up to 1982 were suspended from a pin, those from 1983 having the same suspension bar as seen on 10 and 11 year gold crosses.

Fom 2007.