Russia Silver Prize Medal 1862 - Moscow Hunting Society - NGC MS 64

38mm. Fantastic luminous specimen, sharply detailed, toned to a lovely mauve patina. 

Medalier: unsigned. 

Diakov 710.2 (Ar - R2). 

Very rare. 

Obv.: Within a wreath of oak and laurel branches, a bear stands upright holding a log. On the log, a plaque with inscription and the date. Above the bear’s head, the same date 1862. 

Inscription around: 

ИМЕНИ ИМПЕРАТОРА АЛЕКСАНДРА II МОСКОВСКОЕ ОБЩЕСТВО ОХОТЫ 

(In the name of Emperor Alexander II, Moscow Hunting Society). 

Rev.: Laurel and oak wreath tied at the bottom with a ribbon; in the center, a plain field. 

This medal was instituted in 1862 by the Moscow Hunting Society in the name of Emperor Alexander II. The Society was founded in the mid-19th century as one of the most prominent organizations of its kind in the Russian Empire. It united members of the nobility, officials, and wealthy landowners, who shared the passion for hunting as both a sport and a social tradition. The Society organized collective hunts, maintained hunting grounds around Moscow, introduced rules of ethical hunting, and published periodicals dedicated to gamekeeping and natural history. 

The Moscow Hunting Society also became an important cultural institution: its clubhouse served as a meeting place for the aristocracy, and its activities were connected with charitable initiatives and the promotion of wildlife conservation ideas. Patronage by Emperor Alexander II elevated the Society’s prestige, turning its medals into symbols not only of membership but also of distinction and honor within one of the most exclusive circles of Imperial Russia.