Heritage World Coin Auctions
Long Beach Signature Sale 3076 5-6 & 9 Sep 2019
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Russia
USSR silver "20th Anniversary of the Red Army" Medal 1938 AU, Barac-873. 32mm. Type 1. Issued with original accompanying documentation (booklet with multiple pages and recipient photograph - Award #33762) to Senior Lieutenant of State Security (rank equivalent to major of the Red Army) Alexander Matveyevich Kirillov on October 27, 1938. Kirillov joined the Red Army in 1918, rising to squadron commander before joining counterintelligence in 1920. He served as Head of Military Counterintelligence of the Northern Fleet during WW2 and was promoted to Major General in 1943. In 1947 he was appointed Head of Academy of Counterintelligence, and received several other decorations for his service in the war, including the Order of Lenin and three Orders of the Red Banner.
This 20th anniversary medal was awarded to distinguished veterans of the Russian Civil War and to those who had served 20 years in the ranks of the Red Army by February 23, 1938. The majority of the medals issued were awarded to officers, with only a handful of medals awarded to the State Security officers, and fewer of these survived Stalin's "great purge". During the 1938-1939 purge, many deputies and department heads were tried and executed, with approximately 40% of State Security officers dismissed and their awards confiscated and destroyed.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/russia/russia-ussr-silver-20th-anniversary-of-the-red-army-medal-1938-au-/a/3076-32182.s?type=CoinArchives3076
HID02906262019
© 2019 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 1500-2000 USD
USSR silver "20th Anniversary of the Red Army" Medal 1938 AU, Barac-873. 32mm. Type 1. Issued with original accompanying documentation (booklet with multiple pages and recipient photograph - Award #33762) to Senior Lieutenant of State Security (rank equivalent to major of the Red Army) Alexander Matveyevich Kirillov on October 27, 1938. Kirillov joined the Red Army in 1918, rising to squadron commander before joining counterintelligence in 1920. He served as Head of Military Counterintelligence of the Northern Fleet during WW2 and was promoted to Major General in 1943. In 1947 he was appointed Head of Academy of Counterintelligence, and received several other decorations for his service in the war, including the Order of Lenin and three Orders of the Red Banner.
This 20th anniversary medal was awarded to distinguished veterans of the Russian Civil War and to those who had served 20 years in the ranks of the Red Army by February 23, 1938. The majority of the medals issued were awarded to officers, with only a handful of medals awarded to the State Security officers, and fewer of these survived Stalin's "great purge". During the 1938-1939 purge, many deputies and department heads were tried and executed, with approximately 40% of State Security officers dismissed and their awards confiscated and destroyed.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/russia/russia-ussr-silver-20th-anniversary-of-the-red-army-medal-1938-au-/a/3076-32182.s?type=CoinArchives3076
HID02906262019
© 2019 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 1500-2000 USD