This is the lowest grade of this prestigious order, Russia's principle gallantry award from the time of the Napoleonic Wars until the 1917 revolution. It shows the image of Nicholas II on the face and on the reverse 'For gallantry' is inscribed in Cyrillic, together with the class of the medal below the serial number.

This award was granted to other ranks for meritorious service in the years before WW1 and in the early stages. There were two sizes of gold and two of silver, of which this is the smaller version of the latter (3.1cm diameter).