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Category: Interwar Medals

The Medal For Battle Merit (Russia)

The Medal for Battle Merit was a Soviet military medal created in 1938 and awarded for combat action resulting in a military success.

The Medal for Battle Merit (or Медаль «За боевые заслуги» in Russian) was a Soviet military medal created on October 17, 1938 by the decision of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. It was awarded for “courageous defense of the state borders“, “combat action resulting in a military success” or “successful military and political training and preparation“.

The Medal for Battle Merit was Like the Medal for Courage, its status was revised to prevent the medal from being given for years of service (a practice that was rampant in the USSR) rather than actual bravery during a battle.

More than 5,210,000 medals were awarded between 1938 and 1991.

The Medal For Battle Merit Medal Design

The Medal for Battle Merit  is a 32mm in diameter circular silver color medal with a raised rim on both the obverse and reverse.

The medal is secured to a standard Russian pentagonal mount by a ring through the medal suspension loop. The mount is covered in a 24mm wide grey ribbon with a yellow 2mm edge stripe on each side.

The Medal for Courage (Russia)

The Medal For Courage is a state decoration of the Russian Federation awarded to soldiers of the Soviet Army and other citizens.

The Medal “For Courage” or Medal “For Valour” (or Медаль «За отвагу» in Russian) is a state decoration of the Russian Federation that was awarded to soldiers of the Soviet Army, Navy, border and internal troops and other citizens (and in some cases non-citizens) of the USSR. The medal was retained from the Soviet awards system following the dissolution of the USSR.

It was created by the decision of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on October 17, 1938. The first three Medals for Courage were awarded only three days later to three border guards for acts of bravery during the Battle of Lake Khasan. More than 4,2 million were awarded during the Great Patriotic War.

The award criteria was amended on three occasions by three separate Presidential Decrees, № 19 of January 6, 1999, № 444 of April 17, 2003 and № 1099 of September 7, 2010.

From its creation in 1938 to the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, 4,569,893 medals were awarded, many posthumously.

The Medal for Courage Medal Design

The Medal for Courage measures 34mm in diameter and is a circular silver medal with a raised rim on both the obverse and reverse.

On the obverse are three aircraft flying from right to left. Below the aircraft is the impressed and red enameled inscription in two lines “FOR COURAGE” («ЗА ОТВАГУ») and below is a (T-35) tank with its forward left corner closest to the front.

The medal’s reverse is plain except for an embossed letter “N” followed by an horizontal line in the lower half reserved for the award serial number, and a maker’s mark below it. The medal is secured to a standard Russian pentagonal mount by a ring through the medal suspension loop. The mount is covered in a silk moiré 24mm wide grey ribbon with a blue 2mm edge stripe on each side.

The Medal “For Courage” was retained by the Russian Federation after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, with the same basic design save for the caption “USSR” (CCCP) on the lower obverse.

The Order of the Badge of Honor

The Order of the Badge of Honor (орден «Знак Почёта») was a civilian award of the Soviet Union established on 25 November 1935.

The Order of the Badge of Honor (or орден «Знак Почёта» in Russian) was a civilian award of the Soviet Union established on 25 November 1935.

The order was conferred on citizens of the USSR for outstanding achievements in production, scientific research and social, cultural and other forms of social activity; for promotion of economic, scientific, technological, cultural and other ties between the USSR and other countries; and also for significant contribution to basic and applied research.

The “Order of the Badge of Honor” was awarded 1,574,368 times and later replaced by the “Order of Honor” (Орден Почёта) by a Decree of the Presidium of the USSR on 28 December 1988. Following the USSR dissolution, it was replaced by the “Order of Honor” of the Russian Federation, established by Presidential Decree no. 442 of 2 March 1994.

The Order of the Red Banner of Labor

The Order of the Red Banner of Labor was an order of the Soviet Union established to honor great deeds and services to the state and society

The Order of the Red Banner of Labor (or Орден Трудового Красного Знамени in Russian) was an order of the Soviet Union established to honor great deeds and services to the Soviet state and society in the fields of production, science, culture, literature, the arts, education, health, social and other spheres of labor activities.

It is the labor counterpart of the military Order of the Red Banner. A few institutions and factories, being the pride of Soviet Union, also received the order. The Order of the Red Banner of Labor could be awarded multiple times to the same recipient for successive deeds and long time merit

The Order of the Red Banner of Labor Design

The “type 1” Order consisted of a 38 mm wide by 43 mm high silver badge in the shape of a cogwheel, at center, a disc bordered along its entire outer diameter by panicles of wheat. Protruding from under the lower half of the central disc, a red enameled triangle pointing downwards. On the central disc in the background, a hydro electric dam, at center, a gilded hammer and sickle, at the top, a waving red banner bearing the inscription “Пролетарии всех стран, соединяйтесь!”, “Proletarians of the World, unite!”. At the very bottom of the cogwheel, the relief inscription “USSR” (“СССР”) on a stylized horizontal shield bisected by a smaller cogwheel meshing into the larger one.

On the otherwise plain reverse, a recess at center bearing a threaded post, two rivets used to secure the hammer and sickle and the award serial number engraved on the lower portion opposite the “USSR” inscription. The Order was secured to clothing with a threaded screw and nut arrangement. The earlier nuts were 28 mm in diameter, later ones measured 32 mm.

The “type 2” Order also consisted of a silver badge in the shape of a cogwheel, it measured 38 mm wide by 44 mm high. At the center, a disc surrounded by a gilded wreath of oak leaves bearing the relief image of a hydro electric dam, below the dam, blue enameled water, at the center of the disc, the gilded hammer and sickle, from the inner left side of the disc, a gilded mast bearing a waving red enameled banner protruding from the central disc, covering the upper portion of the cogwheel and protruding past its outer upper edge on which “USSR” (“СССР”) is inscribed in gilded letters.

The Order of Lenin

The Order of Lenin (or Орден Ленина in Russian) was the highest civilian decoration bestowed by the Soviet Union. It was established in 1930.

The Order of Lenin (or Орден Ленина, Orden Lenina in Russian) was the highest civilian decoration bestowed by the Soviet Union. It was named after the leader of the Russian October Revolution and established by the Central Executive Committee on April 6, 1930. The Order of Lenin was awarded:

  • To civilians, for outstanding services provided to the State.
  • To members of the armed forces, for exemplary service.
  • To those who strengthened peace and promoted friendship and cooperation between peoples.
  • To those with meritorious services to the Soviet state and Soviet society.
  • From 1944 to 1957, the Order of Lenin was also used to reward 25 years of conspicuous military service.

The first Order of Lenin was awarded on 23 May 1930 to the newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda. The Order could also be bestowed on cities, companies, factories, regions, military units, and ships – something that allowed them to apply the name of the Order into their official titles. The initial recipients also included three pilots, five industrial companies, and the Secretary to the Central Executive Committee Avel Enukidze. The first person to receive the Order was the test pilot Valery Chkalov in 1936. Among the first foreign recipients were a German and four US citizens, who received the Order of Lenin for helping in the reconstruction of Soviet agriculture and industry.

The Order of Lenin could be awarded multiple times. For example, Nikolay Patolichev, longtime Minister for Foreign Trade of the USSR, and Dmitriy Ustinov, Defence Minister in 1976–1984, received it 11 times.

Notable Recipients of the Order of Lenin

The Order of Lenin was awarded to the following notable individuals:

  • Fidel Castro (President of Cuba)
  • Yuri Gagarin (Cosmonaut, first human being in outer space)
  • Kim Il-sung (President of North Korea, awarded 2 times)
  • Nelson Mandela (Mandela, who led South Africa into democracy and out of apartheid, was awarded the Order of Lenin in 1990, the same year he was released from prison)
  • Ramón Mercader (Spanish NKVD agent who assassinated Leon Trotsky)
  • Joseph Stalin (1949)

The Order of Lenin Medal Design

The Order of Lenin badge was originally worn by screwback on the left chest and without a ribbon. From 943 on, it was worn as a medal suspended from a red ribbon with pairs of yellow stripes at the edges. There are four designs for the Order of Lenin medal:

Order of Lenin First Design (1930-1932)

The first design of the Order of Lenin (awarded between 1930–1932) is a round badge with a central disc featuring Vladimir Lenin‘s profile surrounded by smokestacks, a tractor, and a building, possibly a power plant. It was sculpted by Pyotr Tayozhny and Ivan Shadr based on sketches by Ivan Dubasov. It was made by Goznak of silver with some lightly gold-plated features. A thin red-enameled border and a circle of wheat panicles surround the disc. At the top is a gold-plated hammer and sickle emblem, and at the bottom are the Russian initials for “USSR” (СССР) in red enamel. There were only about 800 of this design minted.

USSR Order of Lenin Type 1

Order of Lenin Second Design (1934-1936)

The second design of the Order of Lenin was awarded from 1934 until 1936. This design consists of a solid gold badge, featuring a silver-plated disc bearing Lenin’s portrait. The disc is surrounded by two golden panicles of wheat, and a red flag with the inscription “LENIN” in Cyrillic script (ЛЕНИН). On the left is a red star and at the bottom is the “hammer and sickle” emblem. Both are done in red enamel.

USSR Order of Lenin Type 2

Order of Lenin Third Design (1936-1943)

The third design of the Order of Lenin was awarded from 1936 until 1943. The design is the same as the second type, except that the central disc is enameled gray and Lenin’s portrait is made with a separate piece of platinum.

USSR Order of Lenin Type 3

Order of Lenin Fourth Design (1943-1991)

The fourth design of the Order of Lenin was awarded from 1943 until 1991. This version maintained the visual design elements of the third model, featuring the portrait of Vladimir Lenin. However, a significant change was the method of wearing the medal. While all previous versions were attached to clothing via a screwback mechanism, the fourth design was suspended from a ribbon, making it more adaptable and easier to wear on various types of clothing.

The ribbon used for the Order of Lenin was a red silk moiré ribbon, reflecting the symbolic color of the Soviet Union and its Communist Party. The medal itself retained its distinctive features: a gold badge with a platinum portrait of Lenin, surrounded by a wreath of wheat ears, a red banner, and a hammer and sickle at the bottom. This design was meant to symbolize the unity of the Soviet people and their dedication to the principles of communism.

USSR & Russian Medals and Awards - The Order of Lenin

What's the Value and Price of The Order of Lenin?

The Order of Lenin is a very rare and well-respected award. As such, prices for this medal can range from U$ 1000 for types 4 and 5, to over U$ 50,000 for type 1. These prices can get higher too if the medals come with the accompanying documents.

The Order of the Red Star

The Order of the Red Star (or Орден Краснoй Звезды in Russian) was a military decoration of the Soviet Union established on 6 April 1930.

The Order of the Red Star (or Орден Краснoй Звезды in Russian) was a military decoration of the Soviet Union established on 6 April 1930 by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.

It was awarded to soldiers of the Soviet Army, Navy, border and internal security forces, employees of the State Security Committee of the USSR, as well as NCOs and officers of the bodies of internal affairs; to units, warships, associations, enterprises, institutions and organizations; as well as to military personnel of foreign countries.

It was common for individuals to receive this prestigious award multiple times, with many being honored two, three, four, five, or even six times.

The Order of the Red Star Medal Criteria

The Order was awarded for personal courage and bravery in battle, successful operations of military units and formations, outstanding service in ensuring public safety and the security of the State Border of the USSR, exemplary performance of special command tasks and other outstanding deeds committed in peacetime, merit in the development of military science and technologies used in training of the Armed Forces of the USSR or merit in strengthening the defense capabilities of the socialist community.

In some cases, the Order of the Red Star was also used as a long service award (from 1944 to 1958) to mark fifteen years of service in the military, state security, or police.  Its statute was only defined on May 1930, amended on 7 May 1936, 19 June 1943, 26 February 1946, 15 October 1947, 16 December 1947 and by decree No 1803-X of 28 March 1980.

Between 1930 and 1941, the Order of Lenin was awarded approximately 22,000 times. However, during the four years of the Great Patriotic War, the number of awards surged dramatically to nearly 3,000,000. In total, from its inception in 1930 until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Order of Lenin was conferred around 3,870,000 times.

A 1946 Soviet 60 kopek stamp featuring the Order of the Red Star.
A 1946 Soviet 60 kopek stamp featuring the Order of the Red Star.
Lieutenant Colonel Anatoly Lebed, pictured wearing his three Orders of the Red Star earned during his service in Afghanistan.
Lieutenant Colonel Anatoly Lebed, pictured wearing his three Orders of the Red Star earned during his service in Afghanistan.
Fragment of the memorial to internationalist soldiers (Mykolaiv).
Fragment of the memorial to internationalist soldiers (Mykolaiv).

The Order of the Red Star Medal Design

The Order of the Red Star is a red enameled 47mm to 50mm wide (depending on the variant) silver five pointed star. It was designed by artist Vasily Kupriyanov and sculptor Vladimir Golenetsky. 

In the center of the obverse is an oxidized silver shield bearing the image of a Red Army soldier wearing an overcoat and carrying a rifle, along the shield’s entire circumference, a narrow band bearing the Communist motto in relief, «Пролетарии всех стран, соединяйтесь!» “Workers of the world, unite!“, the band below the soldier bore the relief inscription “USSR” («СССР»). Below the shield, the hammer and sickle also of oxidized silver.

The otherwise plain reverse bore the maker’s mark and the award serial number. The Order was attached to clothing by a threaded stud and screw attachment.

The ribbon of the Order of the red Star was a 24mm wide silk moiré dark red with a 5mm wide central silver stripe.

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The Order of the Red Banner

The Order of the Red Banner was the first Soviet military decoration, established in 1918 by decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee.

The Order of the Red Banner (or Орден Крaсного Знамени in Russian) was the first Soviet military decoration. It was established on 16 September 1918, during the Russian Civil War by decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee.

The Order was awarded to individuals as well as to military units, cities, ships, political and social organizations, and state enterprises. Recipients were recognized for extraordinary heroism, dedication, and courage demonstrated on the battlefield. In later years, it was also awarded on the twentieth and again on the thirtieth anniversary of military, police, or state security service without requiring participation in combat (the “Long Service Award” variant).

The Order of the Red Banner Medal Design

The Order consisted of a white-enameled badge, which had a golden hammer and sickle badge surrounded by two golden panicles of wheat on a Red Star, backed by crossed hammer, plough, torch, and a red flag bearing the motto Proletarians (Workers) of the World, Unite!.

The medal was surrounded by two golden panicles of wheat; at the bottom were the letters “SSSR” (СССР). Additional awards of the Order bore a white enameled shield with a silver sequence number at the bottom of the obverse. A recipient of multiple Orders of the Red Banner would wear a basic badge of the Order with a numeral corresponding to the sequence of the award on a cartouche over the wheat at the bottom of the badge.

The early variants of the Order were screw back badges to allow wear on clothing. Later variants (from 1943) hung from a standard Soviet pentagonal mount with a ring through the suspension loop. The mount was covered with an overlapping 24mm wide red silk moiré ribbon with 1.5mm wide white edge stripes and a 7mm wide white central stripe.

The Order of the Red Banner was worn on the left side of the chest and when in the presence of other Orders and medals of the USSR, was placed immediately after the Order of the October Revolution. If worn in the presence of Orders or medals of the Russian Federation, the latter have precedence.

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The Medal for the Macedonian Struggle

The Medal for the Macedonian Struggle was instituted in 1931 by the Second Hellenic Republic (1924-1935) first by law and then by Presidential Decree a year later.

It was awarded to living Makedonomachoi (Macedonian fighters) veterans of the Macedonian Struggle 1903-1909. The Macedonian Struggle was a the Greek guerrilla warfare against the forces of the supporters of the Bulgarian Exarchate such as the IMRO (International Macedonian Revolutionary Organization) that were aiming to annex Macedonia to Bulgaria. The Greek efforts for Macedonia were coordinated by the Hellenic Macedonian Committee, formed in 1903.

Its fighting forces were mainly former Officers of the Hellenic Army, volunteers brought to Crete and the Peloponnese,m as well as Macedonian Greeks.

The success of their efforts bolstered Greek presence in the still Ottoman-ruled Macedonia, and prepared the annexation of the Greek major part of Macedonia, following the Balcan Wars.

The Medal for the Macedonian Struggle Design

There were only approximately 2000 medals awarded. The text “Hellenic Republic” circumscribes it. The ribbon is colored light blue, black and yellow.

The Order of Saints Olga and Sophia

  • Time Period: Pre-WW1
  • Year of Institution: January 1936
  • Country: Greece

The Royal Family Order of Saints Olga and Sophia (or Βασιλικόν Οἰκογενειακόν Τάγμα Ἁγίων Ὂλγας καὶ Σοφίας, Vasilikon Oikogeneiakon Tagma Agion Olgas kai Sofias) was an order of the Greek royal family reserved for women.

It was the third highest hohor of the modern Greek state and the Crown after the Order of the Redeemer and the male-only Order of Saints George and Constantine. It was instituted in January 1936 by King George II in the memory of his grandmother (Queen Olga) and his mother (Queen Sophia).

The order was abolished in 1973 by the Greek state and today is awarded only by the head of the former Greek royal family, at the monarch’s pleasure for personal services of women to the Crown.

The Order of Saints Olga and Sophia Design

The Order is awarded on the following Grades:

  • Dame 1st Class or Grand Cross
  • Dame 2nd Class
  • Dame 3rd Class
  • Dame 4th Class
  • Grand Cross (‘Μεγαλόσταυρος’) – wears the badge of the Order on a collar or on a sash on the right shoulder, and the star of the Order on the left chest;
  • Grand Commander (‘Ανώτερος Ταξιάρχης’) – wears the badge and the star of the Order on the left chest;
  • Commander (‘Ταξιάρχης’) – wears the badge of the Order on a necklet;
  • Gold Cross (‘Χρυσούς Σταυρός’) – wears the badge on a ribbon on the left chest;
  • Silver Cross (‘Αργυρούς Σταυρός’) – wears the badge on a ribbon on the left chest.

The Order of Saints George and Constantine

The Royal Family Order of Saints George and Constantine is an order of the Greek royal family established in January 1936 by King George II.

  • Time Period: Pre-WW1
  • Year of Institution: January 1936
  • Country: Greece

The Royal Family Order of Saints George and Constantine (or Βασιλικόν Οἰκογενειακόν Τάγμα Ἁγίων Γεωργίου καὶ Κωνσταντίνου, Vasilikon Oikogeneiakon Tagma Agion Georgiou kai Konstantinou) is an order of the Greek royal family.

or the duration of its existence, it has been the second highest decoration awarded by the modern Greek state and the Greek crown, after the Order of the Redeemer. It was instituted in January 1936 by King George II in the memory of his grandfather (King George I) and his father (King Constantine I).

The order is awarded only to men, while the corresponding Order of Saints Olga and Sophia is reserved for women.

The Order of Saints George and Constantine Design

The order’s design was influenced by the royal family’s Danish origin, evoking the appearance of the Order of the Dannebrog. The order is not awarded since 1975 by the Greek state after the abolition of monarchy and today is awarded only by the Greek Royal Family.

The Order has five classes:

  • Grand Cross (‘Μεγαλόσταυρος’) – wears the badge of the Order on a collar or on a sash on the right shoulder, and the star of the Order on the left chest;
  • Grand Commander (‘Ανώτερος Ταξιάρχης’) – wears the badge and the star of the Order on the left chest;
  • Commander (‘Ταξιάρχης’) – wears the badge of the Order on a necklet;
  • Gold Cross (‘Χρυσούς Σταυρός’) – wears the badge on a ribbon on the left chest;
  • Silver Cross (‘Αργυρούς Σταυρός’) – wears the badge on a ribbon on the left chest.