Memorial sign “For Labor Valor in the Ninth Five-Year Plan”

The award system for labor and military collectives that distinguished themselves during the All-Union Socialist Competitions by 1975 was quite well developed in the USSR. Presentation of orders, passing red banners and cash bonuses to industrial enterprises, collective farms, state farms, various institutions and other organizations were several components of this system. In 1972, another type of collective award was the Anniversary badge of honor of the Central Committee of the CPSU, the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR, the Council of Ministers of the USSR and the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the USSR. The establishment of the Anniversary badge was an important link in the collective award system. It was in demand in labor and military collectives and, along with orders and banners, undoubtedly aroused pride among its owners and respect from other collectives. Perhaps for this reason, it was decided to establish a memorial sign for the winners of the socialist competition in the ninth five-year period. In January 1975, the Central Committee of the CPSU, the Council of Ministers of the USSR, the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions and the Central Committee of the Komsomol adopted two joint decisions:

• “On the All-Union Socialist Competition of Industrial, Construction, and Transport Workers for the Early Implementation of the National Economic Plan for 1975 and the Successful Completion of the Ninth Five-Year Plan” ^[1] .
• “On the All-Union Socialist Competition of Agricultural Workers for Increasing Production and Procurement of Agricultural and Livestock Products in 1975 and Successful Completion of the Ninth Five-Year Plan.”

These decisions were published in all central, republican, regional and local newspapers of the country. These publications cited the texts of the decisions. In addition, readers were informed about the establishment of a memorial sign of the Central Committee of the CPSU, the Council of Ministers of the USSR, the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions and the Central Committee of the Komsomol "For Labor Valor in the Ninth Five-Year Plan" ^[2] . A complete list of collectives awarded with commemorative signs was published on February 10, 1976: in industry, in the newspapers Trud and Socialist Industry , and in agriculture, in the newspaper Selskaya Zhizn .

The commemorative badge “For Labor Valor in the Ninth Five-Year Plan” was awarded to labor collectives that were awarded the Red Banner of the Central Committee of the CPSU, the Council of Ministers of the USSR, the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions and the Central Committee of the All-Union Leninist Young Communist League according to the results of the All-Union Socialist Competition and achieved the highest rates in fulfilling the five-year plan's targets for increasing efficiency production and product quality improvement. Collectives awarded with a commemorative badge were entered on the All-Union Honor Board at the Exhibition of Economic Achievements of the USSR.

The sign consists of three overhead elements:

• A five-pointed convex star, the rays of which are formed by a golden frame, with ruby ​​glass plates fixed in it.
• A laurel wreath intertwined with a red and gold border at the edges of the ribbon, falling in the form of a bow for the crossing of branches. On the visible segments of the ribbon, from bottom left to right, clockwise, the years of the ninth five-year plan are drawn in gold - 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975.
• A gold medallion framed below with a wreath of golden ears and decorated with a golden image of a sickle and a hammer, and also crowned with a semicircular inscription: "For labor distinction in the ninth five-year plan." On the medallion in the rays of the bright sun at its zenith, in the blue sky are symbolic images of the main sectors of the USSR economy: nuclear energy, coal industry, oil industry, gas industry, metallurgy, agriculture, housing, hydropower.

• The number of characters is 750 pieces ^[3] .
• Height - 300 mm ^[4] .
• Width - 280 mm.
• Weight - 3420 g.
• Material - tombac , ruby glass .
• A manufacturing method is combined: casting and stamping.
• Processing methods - gilding, blackening, applying cold enamels, decorative finish.
• The connection of the elements of the sign is screw ^[5] .
• Manufacturer - Moscow Mint . The stamp of the Moscow Mint is applied on the reverse side of the mark in a percussive manner.
• The badge was awarded together with the Certificate of the Central Committee of the CPSU, the Council of Ministers of the USSR, the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions and the Central Committee of the Komsomol in the red folder of the A2 format.
• The sign was placed in a red plastic case with a transparent plexiglass cover 300 × 400 mm in size ^[6] .

• Memorial sign "For high efficiency and quality of work in the tenth five-year period"
• Commemorative badge "For high efficiency and quality of work in the eleventh five-year period"
• Anniversary badge to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of the USSR

Sources

• Collection of Decisions of the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics for 1975, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1990
• The newspaper Trud for February 8 and 10, 1976
• Voronchenko V., Zach A. Award badges of heroes and drummers of labor. - Yekaterinburg: Ural Publishing House, 2009. - 290 p. - (Collector's Library). - ISBN 978-5-93667-122-7 .

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