Russia (Courland Governorate) Silver Official Badge 1866 (second half of the 1860s) - Volost Starshina - Alexander II (1

Russia (Courland Governorate) Silver Official Badge 1866 (second half of the 1860s) - Volost Starshina - Alexander II (1855-1881)
22.12g. 38mm. VF/VF. St. Petersburg Mint. Smirnov 814; Melnik–Mozheiko 5010. Rare. Obv.: In the center, crowned cipher of Alexander II with the numeral II beneath. Around, legend in Latvian: PAGASTA PREEKSCHNEEKS and in Russian: 19 февраля 1866. (Volost Starshina. February 19, 1866.). Rev.: Coat of arms of Courland divided into four fields with lions and stags. Below, inscription in Russian: 30 Августа 1818. ("30 August 1818."). This official silver badge was issued for the Volost Starshina (head of the rural community) in the Courland Governorate (Modern Latvia and Lithuania), following the introduction of the "Regulation on Volost Communal Administration in the Baltic Provinces" of 1866. The reform established volost communities of at least 200 members, each headed by a volost starshina with assistants and subordinate officials, including field wardens, hospital overseers, and police servants. The badge symbolized the authority of the starshina within the rural communal administration of the Baltic provinces.