Since we're in a PMR kind of mood today - for your viewing pleasure from a friend in Moldova.
This is notable in that the 2004 book on these awards published by the "Presidential Administration" depicts a RUSSIAN lifesaving medal - ROSSIYA is clearly evident on the reverse.
This medal is either post 2004 or the book got it wrong.
Details seems to be missing from the obverse - the model may have been a straight casting from a Soviet/Russian medal, but it does not seem to be Moscow or St. Pete mint manufacture.
My guess, regarding the book, is that the award had been established but not yet minted or awarded. And my best guess regarding the manufacture, if not Moscow or St. Pete's, is the Ukraine. Unless, of course, the PMR is now making it's own medals- they've been making their own commemorative coins for some time now and the quality level is quite high.
This will probably prove to be extremely difficult to find, just like it's Soviet counterpart, which doesn't help me one little bit.:(
"We are Marching for the Victory of Communist Labour" V.I. Ulyanov (Lenin)
By luck and timing, I was able to get one, along with it's ribbon bar. I've had a chance to examine the medal closely, and I know I'm going way out on a limb here, but I believe the less defined image is done on purpose. The reason I fell this way is that, one, I believe the medal to be struck in the PMR, and they've shown a pretty high level of skill in this endeavor. Two, the "degradation" of the image is uniform- it doesn't go from "tight" to complete fall-off as fakes will often do. And three, the type (lettering) is perfect. Also there is no surface irregularities to indicate a casting. Anyway, here's a front close-up of mine...
"We are Marching for the Victory of Communist Labour" V.I. Ulyanov (Lenin)
Here is another one. Thick and heavy but with very poor details. It has also been varnished on the front and rear, which doesn't seem to cover the flaws but accentuate them.
Originally they were made in the Russian Federation - with some exceptionally great quality items... In more recent times some of the bits have been made in Belarus and even Moldova (private companies) but most of the PMR State awards are made in the PMR, often from repurposed older pieces.
