Russia (St. Petersburg mint) Bronze Award Medal 1812 (middle XIX cent.) - For Love of the Fatherland

11.29g. 29mm. UNC/UNC. 

Medalier: Karl Leberecht (C. LEBERECHT F on obverse truncation). 

Diakov 356.1 (Ae R1); Bitkin (Medals) N634 (R3). 

Very rare. 

Obv.: Bust of Alexander I right. 

Inscription around: 

АЛЕКСАНДРЪ I. ИМП. ВСЕРОСС. 

(Alexander I, Emperor of All Russia). 

Rev.: Five-line inscription within oak wreath tied above and below. 

Inscription around: 

ЗА / ЛЮБОВЬ / КЪ / ОТЕЧЕСТВУ / 1812. 

(For love of the Fatherland. 1812). 

The medal “For Love of the Fatherland” was established on 9 February 1813 by Emperor Alexander I as a one-time award for peasant partisans of the Moscow province who had distinguished themselves during the Patriotic War of 1812. By nomination of Moscow Governor-General F. V. Rostopchin, 27 specific individuals from the districts of Bronnitsy, Vereya, Volokolamsk, Zvenigorod and Mozhaisk were approved for the award. The presentation took place in Moscow on 25 May 1813 and was conducted personally by Rostopchin. Since two of the nominated peasants had died before the ceremony, only 25 medals were actually bestowed, with the remaining two returned to the Mint for melting. Owing to the singular nature of the award and the extremely limited number distributed, original silver pieces are among the rarest decorations of the Russian Empire, with surviving confirmed specimens held primarily in institutional collections.