In brass; 37.3 mm in height incl. eyelet, 32.2 mm in width; weighs 16.0 g not including the suspension and connecting link. First variation of the medal featuring a separate eyelet soldered to the medallion.

In very fine to excellent condition. The artwork on the obverse shows just a tiny amount of wear to the high points, and its raised details remain nicely preserved and crisp. There are only a few tiny dings, mostly to the edge and all of them nearly unnoticeable, no edge knocks or significant scratches. The brass on the obverse has acquired an attractive even patina with only one minor area of oxidation at the edge in approx. 2 to 3 o'clock segment. The reverse is nearly pristine having only some tiny contact marks. Note that it exhibits a peculiar "tiger stripe" pattern which appears occasionally on the early Soviet campaign medals; it is believed to be a manufacturing flaw that occurred when workers of the mint "cut corners" to speed up production - not a result of age and wear.

The medal comes on its original suspension device, a WW2 two-layer model in steel with a self-locking pin. The ribbon is heavily worn but remains sound and exceptionally attractive; judging by its wear and how it "fused" with the suspension, there is every reason to believe that it may be original to the medal. The connecting link likewise appears to be original; its ends are still joined with solder.

Overall, this is a very attractive example of the Stalingrad Medal: it has a great deal of personality but no significant flaws.