Decorations:

Gold "Hammer and Sickle" Medal of Hero of Socialist Labor, Type 2 Var. 3, #12496, awarded on 5 August 1966.

The star medallion is in 23 K gold; the suspension is in gilded silver. The medallion measures 34.0 mm in height (incl. eyelet), 32.7 mm in width; weighs 15.4 not including the suspension and connecting link; total weight with suspension and screw plate is 28.9 g. The suspension is 26.3 mm wide. Features serial number stamped on the lower part of the reverse (Variation 3).

The "Hammer and Sickle" Medal is in outstanding, exce

Decorations:

Gold "Hammer and Sickle" Medal of Hero of Socialist Labor, Type 2 Var. 3, #12496, awarded on 5 August 1966.

The star medallion is in 23 K gold; the suspension is in gilded silver. The medallion measures 34.0 mm in height (incl. eyelet), 32.7 mm in width; weighs 15.4 not including the suspension and connecting link; total weight with suspension and screw plate is 28.9 g. The suspension is 26.3 mm wide. Features serial number stamped on the lower part of the reverse (Variation 3).

The "Hammer and Sickle" Medal is in outstanding, excellent condition. The ridges of the star are exceptionally crisp; the points are free of the usual bumps. There is no significant wear of any kind, only a few minuscule contact marks that are either barely noticeable or completely invisible to the naked eye. The reverse is literally pristine with untouched lettering and stippling; its raised edge has none of the dings typically acquired with wear.

The medal comes on its original suspension complete with hexagon nut, rectangular back plate and mint marked screw plate. The original gold plating is fully preserved and clearly visible on all parts of the suspension, although it is partly obscured by the very attractive even silver patina. The screw post is over 13.5 mm long (measured from the back plate), has not been shortened. The nicely preserved ribbon is old, almost certainly original to the medal. The silver connecting link likewise appears to be original; its ends are still joined with solder in a seamless manner characteristic of the Soviet Mint production. Overall, this is an exceptionally well preserved example of the Hammer and Sickle Medal - in our opinion, impossible to upgrade condition- wise.

Order of Lenin, Type 6, Var. 2, #383056, awarded on 5 August 1966 (with the Hero of Socialist Labor medal).

The medallion is in solid 23 K gold and platinum; measures 45.1 mm in height (incl. eyelet), 38.5 mm in width; weighs 32.9 g not including the suspension and connecting link. This is a very uncommon and interesting piece. A Type 6 Variation 2 by McDaniel classification, it is among the first post-war, serially produced Orders of Lenin with engraved serial number (other than occasional duplicate issues), and also one of the last that specifically mentions Leningrad Mint in raised lettering on the reverse (all the later issues by both Leningrad and Moscow mint had a generic mint mark). This specimen was apparently made at the Leningrad Mint in the summer of 1966, immediately after the change in production specifications. Its serial number is among the lowest observed for the Variation 2; note also that the style of engraving is slightly different from most other Variation 2 issues.

The order is in excellent, near mint condition. The enamel is literally flawless: there is not a flake or single contact mark that could be found even under a 10x magnification. The golden wreath and platinum bas-relief portrait are free of noticeable wear; their details are perfect and exceptionally crisp. The reverse is essentially pristine, having only a couple of tiny, barely noticeable surface scuffs. The rivets are perfectly tight. Comes on an original suspension device, a two-layer model in steel with an integral catch of the pin. The perfectly old ribbon which is apparently original to the order. The connecting link appears to be original as well, and its ends are still joined with solder. To summarize, not only is this specimen a very uncommon version of the Order of Lenin, but also it is in unmatched condition.

Award Documents:

Order Booklet, filled-out on 25 August 1966. The document shows only two entries: for the Order of Lenin and Gold "Hammer and Sickle" Medal, both with the 5 August 1966 award date. The document is in excellent, near mint condition. The cover shows no wear; the gold state emblem and inscription are perfect and bright. The binding is tight; the internal pages are perfectly clean and crisp.

Hero of Socialist Labor ID Card ("Small Certificate"), issued on 11 August 1966. Bound in very high quality patent leather with impressed gold inscription "Hero of Socialist Labor" and Soviet state emblem on the cover. The first internal page has provision for a photo, with the usual stamp "valid without a photograph". The main pages contain a hand-written citation from the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and its stamp. The citation states that the Title of Hero of Socialist Labor was granted on 5 August 1966 "for special achievements in completion of the Seven-Year Plan and attaining high production results". The is hand-signed by Nikolai Podgorny, Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet (nominally the head of state), and Mikhail Georgadze, the Secretary of the Presidium.

The document is in excellent, near mint condition. Unlike most documents of its kind that were frequently carried by the recipient to obtain numerous privileges provided to Heros, the leather binding is practically pristine. The inside pages are perfectly clean, having only a mild age toning, no soiling fingerprints or stains.

According to the information found from various Russian-language Internet sources, e.g. Warheroes.ru, Grigoriy Gordienko was born in 1927 in the Kharkov region of Ukraine. He started his labor career as a worker at the Serp i Molot ("Hammer and Sickle") Motor Factory in the city Kharkov. He soon mastered his profession and was promoted to a senior foreman of the testing station at the factory. He also joined the Communist Party - an important stepping stone in being considered for future promotions - and became a mentor for a number of young workers at the factory. It is worth mentioning that in 1966 when he was made a Hero of Socialist Labor, this highest Soviet title of recognition for labor was awarded very sparingly compared with the later part of the Brezhnev era or even the immediate post-war period. Gordienko died of unknown causes in July 1968, less than two years later, so the Gold "Hammer and Sickle" medal and the Order of Lenin awarded with it apparently remained the only two decorations he ever received. His untimely death at the age of 41 explains why both the awards and documents in the group show practically no wear.
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