Medal For Labour Valour

Medal "For Labour Valour"
Medal "For Labour Valour" (obverse)
Awarded by  USSR
Type	Civilian efficiency medal
Eligibility	Soviet citizens and foreign nationals
Statistics
Established	December 27, 1938
First awarded	January 15, 1939
Total awarded	1,825,100
Ribbon of the Medal "For Labour Valour"

The Medal "For Labour Valour" (Russian: Медаль «За трудовую доблесть») was a civilian labour award of the Soviet Union bestowed to especially deserving workers to recognise and honour dedicated and valorous labour or significant contributions in the fields of science, culture or the manufacturing industry. It was established on December 27, 1938 by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. During its existence, its statute was amended three times by further decrees, first on June 19, 1943 to amend its description and ribbon, then on December 16, 1947 to amend its regulations, and finally on July 18, 1980 to confirm all previous amendments. During its existence of just over fifty years, it was bestowed to almost two million deserving citizens. The medal ceased to be awarded following the December 1991 dissolution of the Soviet Union.

The Medal "For Labour Valour" was awarded to workers, farmers, specialists of the national economy, workers of science, culture, education, health and other to citizens of the USSR, and in exceptional cases, to foreign nationals, for:

The Medal "For Labour Valour" was worn on the left side of the chest and in the presence of other medals of the USSR, immediately after the Nakhimov Medal. If worn in the presence of awards of the Russian Federation, the latter have precedence.

The Medal "For Labour Valour" was a 34 mm in diameter (some struck in 1945 measured 35 mm) circular medal struck from .925 silver with a raised rim on both sides. In the upper obverse, a ruby-red enamelled 19.2 mm wide five pointed star with a silver hammer and sickle at its center. Below the star, the inscription in two rows of sunken and red enamelled 2.8 mm high letters "FOR VALOUR LABOUR" (Russian: «ЗА ТРУДОВУЮ ДОБЛЕСТЬ»), at the very bottom, the relief inscription in 3.3 mm high letters "USSR" (Russian: «СССР»). On the otherwise plain reverse, the relief inscription on two rows of 2.5 mm high letters "LABOUR IN THE USSR - A MATTER OF HONOUR" (Russian: «ТРУД В СССР — ДЕЛО ЧЕСТИ»).