Commemorative Table Medal "100 Years of the Riga City Telephone Network" (1882–1982)
Country of Manufacture: USSR (Latvian SSR)
Year of Issue: 1982
Material: Toned (blackened) copper, patination
Diameter: 60 mm
Rim Thickness: 5 mm
Weight: 120 g
Set Includes: Original presentation wooden case (beech/ash) with a red fabric lining.
The medal was issued in a limited edition to commemorate the centenary of the foundation of telephone communication in Riga. It represents a classic example of Soviet commemorative medal art of the Baltic school.
Obverse: An artistic high-relief panorama of Old Riga featuring the recognizable silhouettes of the city's main spires (from left to right: the towers of St. James's, St. John's, and St. Peter's churches, and the Riga Dome Cathedral). Strict parallel lines cross the composition diagonally, stylistically symbolizing wires, overhead communication lines, or telephone beams connecting the city. The background features an expressive grainy texture.
Reverse: The center features a relief silhouette of a classic rotary telephone from the Soviet era. The abbreviation RPTT (Rīgas Pilsētas Telefona Tīkls / Riga City Telephone Network) is placed inside the rotary dial. The commemorative dates 1982 and 1882 are struck above and below the telephone set. The perimeter of the medal features a formal inscription in two languages (Latvian and Russian): RĪGAS PILSĒTAS TELEFONA TĪKLS ★ РИЖСКАЯ ГОРОДСКАЯ ТЕЛЕФОННАЯ СЕТЬ.
Condition
The medal is in excellent collectible condition (XF/UNC). The patination is original and even, with no signs of mechanical damage, scratches, or oxidation. The relief is high and sharp. The wooden case is fully intact with original hinges, and the lining fabric has preserved its bright color. An excellent piece for a thematic collection focusing on the history of communications or the phaleristics/medal art of Latvia and the USSR
