Depicts Emperor Franz Joseph facing right, wearing the Holy Crown of Hungary and the Hungarian coronation mantle, surrounded by the inscription "In memory of the thousand-year-old Hungary 1896." The denomination below.

The Holy Crown of Hungary (also known as the Crown of Saint Stephen) was the coronation crown used by the Kingdom of Hungary for most of its existence; kings have been crowned with it since the twelfth century. No king of Hungary was regarded as having been truly legitimate without being crowned with it. In the history of Hungary, more than fifty kings were crowned with it, up to the last, Charles IV, in 1916. The cross is attached to the crown in a rough manner, rising from the midriff of Christ in the central enamel plaque at the top of the crown. The cross was knocked crooked in the 17th century when the crown was damaged, possibly by the top of the iron chest housing the insignia being hastily closed without the crown having been placed in it properly. The cross has since been left in this slanted position, and is now always depicted as such.

Depicts a group of Hungarian conquerors. The depiction is based on a detail from Árpád Feszty's painting "The Arrival of the Hungarians." In the center is the conquering leader Árpád on horseback, to his left is the Goddess Hungária holding a palm branch, and to his right is a group of conquering soldiers.

Árpád (c. 845 – c. 907) led the confederation of Magyar tribes during the late 9th and early 10th centuries. Historians debate whether he served as the sacred ruler or kende of the Hungarians, or as their military leader or gyula, due to conflicting information in various sources. Nevertheless, many Hungarians consider him the "founder of our country," and his pivotal role in the Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin is highlighted in later chronicles. The dynasty stemming from Árpád governed the Kingdom of Hungary until 1301.

Depicts the personal motto of the Emperor as Apostolic King of Hungary: "My faith is in ancient virtue."