Item number: M250

Year: AD 1955

Size: 70.8 x 40.0 x 1.7 mm

Weight: 19.25 g

Provenance: Katz Auction 2024

This is a medal awarded in AD 1955 by the newly established People’s Republic of China to commemorate the successful trial production of the first domestically produced combined coal mining machine. The medal was issued in the name of the “Ministry of Coal Mining” to honour the individuals involved. It is worn on the left side of the chest, pinned between two square plates, with the ribbon coloured bright red with a central gold stripe.

The obverse side of the medal features a red star against a background of silver rays. At the centre of the red star is a gold emblem of the newly developed coal mining machine. Surrounding the emblem is a circle formed by golden gears and ears of rice, symbolising the working class and the peasantry. The year “1955,” marking the successful trial production of the machine, is also inscribed.

The reverse side of the medal features two lines of text from top to bottom. The first line states the reason for the award, “Successful Trial Production of the First Combined Coal Mining Machine,” and the second line identifies the awarding authority, “Ministry of Coal Mining.” Both lines are written in traditional Chinese characters, as the People’s Republic of China did not officially implement simplified characters until AD 1956. Below the text, there is a number, “1065,” indicating the medal’s serial number.

The design and awarding concept of this medal exemplify the profound influence of the Soviet Union on the early years of the People’s Republic of China. As the first socialist state, the Soviet Union emphasised the nobility of labour and collectivism, transforming the traditional European medal system—previously reserved for nobility and military achievements—into a means of rewarding the working and peasant classes for their contributions to state construction. The Chinese Communist Party, even before establishing the PRC, emulated the Soviet reward system in their controlled areas. After the establishment of the PRC, this practise was expanded to boost economic development and reinforce the ideology of collectivism.

In AD 1953, with Soviet assistance, the newly established People’s Republic of China formulated its “First Five-Year Plan,” with increasing coal production being a crucial task for industrialisation and modernisation. In AD 1952, in Shuangyashan, Heilongjiang Province, which has the highest coal reserves, a new type of combined coal mining machine was used for the first time with direct assistance from Soviet experts. By AD 1955, the total number of combined coal mining machines in the country had reached 46, including two domestically produced units. By AD 1956, the number of domestically produced combined coal mining machines had grown to 37, making a significant contribution to the coal production of the PRC.

物件編號: M250

年代: 公元 1955 年

尺寸: 70.8 x 40.0 x 1.7 mm

重量: 19.25 g

來源: 捷克Katz 拍賣 2024

這是一枚公元1955年，建國不久的中華人民共和國為祝賀首臺國產聯合採煤機試製成功，以掌管煤礦生產的「煤炭工業部」名義授予相關人員的獎章。獎章以別針配戴於左胸前側，夾在上下兩道方形銘條之間的綬帶，配色為鮮紅色和中間有一道金色。

獎章正面是以銀色光芒為背景的紅星，紅星中央是一臺新式採煤機的金色圖徽，周圍被象徵工農階級的金色齒輪和稻穗組成的圓圈環繞，並且標示成功試製機器的年份「1955」。

獎章背面由上而下依序有兩行文字，分別是頒發獎章的原由「聯合採煤機首次試製成功」和主事單位「中華人民共和國煤炭工業部」。上述兩行文字仍採用中國傳統的繁體字，直到隔年公元1956年，中華人民共和國才正式落實簡體字的使用。另外，文字下方尚有一行數字「1065」，即這枚獎章的頒發編號。

這枚獎章的外型設計到頒發理念，充分展現中華人民共和國在建國初期，受到社會主義陣營前輩，即大力扶植其發展的蘇聯深切影響。蘇聯作為首個社會主義國家，大力強調勞動和集體主義的高尚，將過往歐洲限於貴族相互贈與和鼓勵戰功的獎章制度，挪用為鼓勵工農階層建設國家的獎賞。中國共產黨在尚未建政前，即在控制區內效仿蘇聯的獎賞制度，建國後更加擴大規模以提升經濟和鞏固集體主義的意識形態需求。

公元1953年，新生的中華人民共和國在蘇聯協助下制定「第一個五年計畫」，提升煤炭生產更是走向工業化和現代化的重要任務之一。公元1952年，黑龍江省含煤量之首的雙鴨山在蘇聯專家直接協助下，首次使用新式的聯合採煤機。到了公元1955年，全國的聯合採煤機總數已達到46臺，其中兩臺為國產自製。公元1956年，國產的聯合採煤機已成長至37臺，替中共的煤炭產量獻出不可抹滅的貢獻。