Catherine II. For Bravery in the Finnish Waters 13 August 1789.
Silver award medal. Signed Т. Ivanov. 39 mm. 21,1 gr. R2. Weakly struck, otherwise VF. Barac 62; Diakov 217.1.

Obverse with a crowned and laureate bust of Catherine II with the legend Б∙М∙ЕКАТЕРИНА∙II∙ІМП∙ИСАМОД∙ВСЕРОСС∙ (by God’s grace Catherine II Empress and autocrat of all Russia). Beneath the mantle the signature · Т · ІВАНОВЪ ·, for the engraver T. Ivanov.
Reverse with a five-lined inscription:

ЗА
ХРАБРОСТЬ
НА ВОДАХЪ
ФИНСКИХ.
АВГУСТА 13.
1789 ГОДА
(for bravery in the Finnish waters, 13 August 1789).

This medal was instituted in 1789 during the Russo-Swedish War of 1788-1790 and awarded to
non-commissioned officers and enlisted men of the Russian Army and Navy who were attached to the Baltic Fleet on 24 August 1789 (13 August O.S.), the day of their victory over the Swedes in the First Battle of Svensksund, also known as the First Battle of Rochensalm.

At some time, as part of a 19th-century collection, the medal was kept in a handmade cardboard
presentation box with on the inside the inscription 1789 Russland für Tapferkeit in den Finnischen
Gewässern XXXVX.7 and on the outside the date 28/4 1868. 41,5 x 66,5 x 6,8 mm.

Lit: Barac4, 1450; Diakov2, 219; Duffy, 185-188; Werlich, 33-34.