Silver, enamels; measures 49.0 mm in height, 46.8 mm in width; weighs 37.4 g without the screw plate. This is the early, more scarce variation of the Type 2 screw back, featuring three rivets on the outer part of the reverse. The mint mark is stamped in a straight line (Sub-variation 2), the font of the second word "Dvor" being noticeably larger than the first word. The serial number is engraved in a standard manner at 5 o'clock.

In outstanding, excellent condition. Both the white and red enamels are literally flawless, completely free of not only wear visible to the naked eye, but also of even the microscopic contact marks that could be found under a 10x magnification. The details of the bas-relief and the rest of the medallion are exceptionally well-preserved and crisp having only some microscopic contact marks that are not easy to find even with a 10x loupe. The rays likewise have only a few microscopic dings invisible without magnification.

The reverse has a couple of tiny scratches and the usual light scuff marks left by the screw plate, otherwise pristine and exhibits a beautiful untouched patina. The screw post is nearly 13 mm in length, has not been reduced, and includes an original silver screw plate. To summarize, this is a truly superb example of one of the most prestigious of Soviet WW2 "commander's" awards - practically impossible to upgrade.

Ivan Kosobutskiy was born in 1895 in the town of Senno in the Vitebsk region of Belorussia (then a part of the Russian Empire). In 1915, he graduated from the 7th Moscow School of Warrant Officers and through 1917 fought in the First World War on the Western Front as an assistant company commander. In June 1918, at an early stage of the Russian Civil War, Kosobutskiy was drafted into the Red Army and appointed deputy commander of the Senno People's Infantry Regiment. Starting from October 1918 he fought on the Western Front, soon rising to a regiment commander. He took part in actions against Semion Petliura's Ukrainian pro-independence army, fought and was wounded in action in the Soviet-Polish War in 1920, and confronted the forces of Gen. Bulak-Balakhovich in Belorussia in 1921. During the Civil War, Kosobutskiy earned his first decoration, the Order of the Red Banner of RSFSR (#13475), that was bestowed upon him in 1922.

After the conclusion of the Civil War Kosobutskiy remained on active duty in the military and upon graduating from the prestigious Frunze Military Academy in 1930, was appointed Chief of Staff of the 9th Rifle Corps, North Caucasus Military District. For much of the 1930s, he continued to serve as chief of staff of various divisions and corps until his appointment to the Kiev Military District as a corps commander and later, senior inspector and chief of staff of the district (his quick promotion may be due to the fact that the original Kiev District command had been virtually wiped out during the Stalin's purge of the military.) Interestingly, from January - August 1940, Kosobutskiy was on what was euphemistically called a "business trip" (i.e. special assignment, likely to a foreign country) of the Deputy Narkom (People's Commissar) of Defense Shchadenko.

Kosobutskiy met the beginning of the Patriotic War as commander of the 41st Rifle Corps, Northwestern Front, which in early July 1941 fought heavy defensive battles, ensuring the withdrawal of the troops of the front from the line of the Western Dvina River to the Pskov-Ostrovskiy Fortified District. Like many other high-ranking Red Army officers, he was blamed for the early Soviet disasters, stripped of his rank, court-marshalled, and sentenced to 10 years in the GULAG. In late October 1942 however, he was released from jail and sent to the front (probably not coincidentally, the defensive phase of the Battle of Stalingrad had just reached its critical point, and there was a severe need of experienced military cadres.) A year later, Kosobutskiy's conviction was completely expunged by a special decree of the Supreme Soviet, and he was reinstated in the rank of Major General - although his Party membership was not restored.

From December 1942 Kosobutskiy was assistant commander of the Northwestern Front for the formation of reserves. In this capacity, he earned his first decoration of the Patriotic War, the Order of the Red Banner (#65969). It was awarded on 26 October 1943 for Kosoboutskiy's excellent performance and in particular, facilitation of the Front's advance in the area of Zmiev.

After being seriously wounded and convalescent in a hospital, Kosobutskiy was appointed Commander of the 34th Rifle Corps, which at various times would be a part of the 1st Guards, 46th, 57th and 37th Armies of the Southwestern and 3rd Belorussian Front. With this unit, Maj. Gen. Kosobutskiy took part in the battle for the Dnieper River line, in the Nikopol-Krivoy Rog, Odessa, and Iasi-Kishinev offensives, and the liberation of the cities of Dnepropetrovsk, Krivoy Rog, Shumen (in Bulgaria), and Constanta (Romania).

During the Red Army offensives in Ukraine in the early months of 1944, Kosobutskiy showed outstanding leadership and skills. From 27 January - 10 February, his corps liberated 19 settlements, including the town of Stalindorf (a pre-war center of the Jewish National District in Dnepropetrovsk region, now Vakulovo). On 22 February, the corps alongside other units of the 46th Army stormed and seized the city of Krivoy Rog (Kryvyi Rih), an important industrial and mineral mining center of Ukraine. For these achievements, Kosobutskiy was awarded with the Order of Suvorov 2nd cl. (#733) on 19 March 1943.

Starting from April 1944, Kosobutskiy's corps was tasked with holding a bridgehead on the right bank of the Dniester River in the area of villages of Răscăieți and Purkari, Moldova. The corps repelled numerous German and Romanian attempts to liquidate the bridgehead, holding firm and inflicting heavy losses on the enemy. In just one such defensive battle on 23 July 1944, the corps eliminated up to 1200 enemy soldiers and 18 armored vehicles.

On 20 August, the corps went over to the offensive, broke through a heavily fortified defensive line, and by a flanking maneuver reached the railway station of Sarata, thus trapping the lower Dniester group of enemy troops. From 20-28 August, the corps destroyed three Romanian infantry divisions and parts of the fourth, killing some 10,000 enemy soldiers and capturing 5,200 prisoners. It also liberated 45 settlements and by 28 August, reached the Danube. For this brilliant success, Kosobutskiy was awarded with the Order of Kutuzov, 2nd cl. on 13 September 1944. On the same day, he was promoted to Lieutenant General.

Starting from October 1944, the 34th Rifle Corps was a part of the Soviet army of occupation in Bulgaria and therefore took no further part in the fighting. After the end of the war, Kosobutskiy briefly served as Chief of Staff of Combat and Physical Training of the Southern Group of Soviet Forces, before receiving a position of an instructor at the Voroshilov General Staff Academy, the highest of all Soviet military education establishments. In 1949, he rose to a department chief in the academy and in 1953 was transferred to the reserves. He passed away in Moscow in 1974.

Research Materials: photocopy of the award record card and award commendations for the Order of Kutuzov, 2nd cl.; Order of Suvorov, 2nd cl.; and the 1943 Order of the Red Banner. Ample information about Lt. Gen. Kosobutskiy is available in various published and Internet sources, such as Commanders of the Corps, Biographical Encyclopedia. (Basik, Vedenskiy et al. C. 2006, Moscow) and Russian- and English-language Wikipedia articles.