Soviet Medal “Veteran of Labour” - Ветеран труда

State: Issued, used, good condition.
Presented by: Soviet Union.
Period: 1974–1991.
Type: Civilian labour award.

One of the most recognisable civilian decorations of the Soviet Union.

The Medal “Veteran of Labour” (Ветеран труда) was established in 1974 and awarded to Soviet citizens in recognition of a lifetime of long and dedicated work.

Recipients came from virtually every corner of Soviet society: factory workers, farmers, scientists, teachers, healthcare workers, government employees, cultural workers and later personnel of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Unlike a medal for one extraordinary act, this was something earned over decades. It was commonly presented as workers reached retirement age after completing the required years of service.

And the scale was enormous.

Almost 40,000,000 were awarded.

That number makes it one of the most widely issued Soviet medals, but also tells quite a story about the USSR itself. Behind virtually every surviving example was an ordinary person who had spent a substantial part of their life working within the Soviet system.

Award ceremonies commonly took place at the recipient's workplace, with the medal presented on behalf of Soviet state authorities.

The medal remained in use until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, bringing its roughly 18-year history to an end.

These are genuine issued Soviet medals, not reproductions. Being issued pieces, expect signs of wear, age and individual variation — each one has already lived a Soviet life.

A small, affordable piece of everyday USSR history.

Original Soviet issue.