Mongolia, Manchukuo Empire. A National Foundation Merit Medal 1939

Instituted in 1939. In patinated silver with gilt characters, of Japanese manufacture, obverse illustrating a shepherd leading his flock of sheep, with a Mongol tent in the background, inscribed in Chinese and Mongol "For Merit" above, surrounded by a motif incorporating a dragon and clouds, the two symbolic of good fortune, reverse inscribed "Build, Create, Achieve Merit Medal 1939. 9. 1" (September 1, 1939) and "Genghis Khan Era 734th year" in parallel inscriptions in Mongol and Chinese, measuring 30.5 mm in diameter, contact marks and surface wear, very fine.

Footnote: The Federated Autonomous Government of the Mongol Borderland, established the National Foundation Merit Medal on September 1, 1939, with the medal itself struck in Japan. Inner Mongolia had been incorporated into the Manchukuo Empire in 1933.