Megan

That is handsome. Thank you for sharing! Instituted on 27 June 1871 and awarded for caring for wounded soldiers during the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71). Whilst primarily awarded to women, men were also eligible.

That's a nice one... your collection is getting really impressive.

As far as I can make out from pictures of award ceremonies, the Medal for the 50th Anniversary of the Union (Nishani ya Kumbukumbu ya Miaka 50 ya Muungano) comes in 3 classes. Class 1: Sash over the right shoulder and star. Class 2: Neck badge and star. Class 3: Chest badge. Only the obverse of the Class 2 badge and star have been found as decent images - both Ilya and I found that independently!

Some (not much) progress with all these anniversary medals. I've managed to figure out that they awarded: TPDF 20th Anniversary Medal (Nishani ya Miaka Ishirini ya JWTZ) TPDF 40th Anniversary Medal (Nishani ya Miaka Arobaini ya JWTZ) 50th Year of Independence Anniversary Medal (Nishani ya Miaka 50 ya Uhuru) 50th Year of Union Anniversary Medal (Nishani ya Miaka 50 ya Mungano) TPDF 50th Anniversary Medal (Nishani ya Miaka Hamsini ya JWTZ) 60th Year of Independence Anniversary Medal (Nishani ya Miaka 60 ya Uhuru) (The TPDF/JWTZ ones are for the Defence Forces, the others for more general distribution.) Now to find images of them... put any of these names into search engines and no end of pictures of award ceremonies but all concentrating on the recipient being awarded, no glimpse of what's being pinned on. GRRR.

Wow! Useful information indeed!

Nice... the Order of Beneficence - Τάγμα της Ευποιΐας - instituted 7 May 1948 and awarded to women for charitable works and merit in the arts and letters. This star dates from the Royal period - you can tell this by the blue background, the Republic version has a yellow background to the picture of the Virgin Mary. The same colour change occured with the badge, also the Royal period one had a crown on top. Here are all 5 classes of the Royal version: And to compare, the Royal and Republic Grand Cross badges: They ought to be the same size, sorry - working off a laptop and grabbing images off of my site!

Thank you, both. Switzerland is a bit of an unknown to me, it's only quite recently that I discovered that they made any kind of awards at all. Yet another thing to add to my website... 🤓

What do the ribbons represent? And does Switzerland award actual medals or just ribbons?

I also think they are original. Indeed, I recognise them... they are on my website, courtesy of the kind folks at the London Medals Company, who have given me the run of their catalogue!

Hndsome beast... checking my site, the page for this award hasn't been touched since 2002! And has no images on it either! So many medals, so little time 🤓

Nice...

Not really into pool... but medals, dogs, and alcohol, yes 🤓

His name liveth for evermore.

Wow - thank yoi for that. Where did you find it? I've been looking for that sort of thing but so far withot success. Every little fragment of information helps to build up the picture.

More fine additions to your hoard. Thank you for sharing.

A fine "man-cave" to be sure! Thank you for showing it to us...

In the meantime, I have started correspondence with Spinks, who made some insignia for Tanzania in the 1980s and 1990s. They tell me that the Order of the Declaration of Arusha consisted of a gilt neck badge (class 1), a gilt chest badge (class 2), and a silver chest badge (class 3), all of the same design and with the blue enamel band inscribed NISHANI YA AZIMIO LA ARUSHA [ORDER OF THE ARUSHA DECLARATION]. This is a Class 1 neck badge: As for the Medal of Valour, all they could tell me was that the badge is silver gilt and enamel. On the obverse, the inscription NISHANI YA USHUJAA appears on an enamelled border to the centre. The reverse is plain and polished. So at least I know what I am looking for!

Not a good image, but substituting '40' for '50' in the Swahili name and running a search came up with this: Peering, the award being presented appears to be star-shaped. So was our mystery star the 40th anniversary award? Wonder if there is a 60th anniversary award? Curious minds... have found one! Whole page and a video (all in Swahili of course) about an awards ceremony. But of course they are more interested in showinf the recipients than the awards they were getting! GRRR. https://globalpublishers.co.tz/rais-samia-akitunuku-nishani-za-miaka-60-muungano-na-kuzindua-kitabu-picha-video/ Fist 2 pictures are presentations of the Order of Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere to widows of former presidents,, the rest appears to be the 60th Anniversary award, again a star shape. Next step is, I suppose, to ask the Tanzanian embassy in the UK if they can shed any light on this intriging puzzle.

Interesting... now, I've found images that appear to be better ones of the Class 2 of the Medal/Order for the 50th Anniversary of the Union (Nishani ya Kumbukumbu ya Miaka 50 ya Muungano):

OK, thanks. Once you have sold your initial print run, please consider a PDF/Print-on-demand model - it prevents all the wonderful information you have gathered going out of print and being lost! It's also easier to update as new information comes to light 🤓

I see what you mean - they ask for all manner of reference numbers that non-Estonians don't have. Maybe try contacting their support at klienditugi@osta.ee and ask what alternative routes are availble for foreigners to register.

Looks interesting and beautifully presented. Is it available as PDF or dead tree only? How much does it cost? And would you like a review on Medals of the World?

I know of this, thank you, Rusty. It's from Zanzibar, which was formed by the union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar (but is autonomous with its own government). It's the Tanzananian medal I am looking for... But many thinks. I'll find the right place for this eventually. Trouble is, they both speak Swahili so searches on the local name keeps throwing this beastie up!

And meanwhile I cannot find ANY images of the Medal of Valour (Nishani ya Ushujaa) in either military or police versions. GRRR.

More internet ferreting around has come up with this. My rudimentary Swahili suggests it's an award to mark the 50th anniversary of the union that formed Tanzania. This would seem to be the same as the large star Emmanuel posted earlier - it seems that a multi-class order was instituted just to mark the anniversary. Yet Ilya's images at the top of this page for the "Nishani ya Kumbukumbu ya Miaka 50 ya Muungano" which translates to "Medal of the 50th anniversary of the Union" look quite different... this has at least 4 classes and a collar.