Russia - Soviet: Hero of Socialist Labour Gold Hammer and Sickle Medal, 2nd type, reverse officially numbered: ‘2526’, made from 23 carat gold, weighing 31 grams inclusive of its suspension, measuring 31.3 mm in width x 33.3 mm in height inclusive of its integral ring, lightly soiled original ribbon, mounted to a rectangular-framed suspension with screw-back, Monetny Dvor mint marked on the screw-back. Awarded to a Khazakhstani horse herder, Dzhumagali Aspenbetov, who was made a Hero of Socilist Labour on 23rd July 1948 for his services as the Senior herder of the Stalin collective farm, in the Zhangalinsky district in what is now a western region of Kazakhstan. A relatively low number. Rare.
Condition: suspension ring cut, some contact marks and evidence of wear, overall about Good Very Fine.
The Hero of Socialist Labour No.2526 is confirmed as having been awarded to a Khazakhstani horse herder, Dzhumagali Aspenbetov (Russian: Аспенбетов, Джумагали), who was born in 1895, and was awarded the Hero of Socialist Labour Gold Hammer and Sickle Medal in a Decree of 23rd July 1948 for his services as the Senior herder of the Stalin Collective Farm, in the Zhangalinsky district in what is now a western region of Kazakhstan.
The Hero of Socialist Labour (Russian: Герой Социалистического Труда) was an honorific title in the Soviet Union and other Warsaw Pact countries from 1938 to 1991. It represented the highest degree of distinction in the USSR and was awarded for exceptional achievements in Soviet industry and culture. It provided a similar status to the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, which was awarded for heroic deeds, but differed in that it was not awarded to foreign citizens. Established on 27th December 1938, by 1st September 1971, 16,245 people (11,748 men, 4,497 women) had been awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labour. One hundred and five people (80 men, 25 women) have been awarded multiple "Hammer and Sickle" medals. By 1991, at the dissolution of the Soviet Union, over 20,000 people had been awarded the title. In the history of the USSR, 16 people became Heroes of Socialist Labour three times.
