In brass, measures 32.0 mm in height (incl. eyelet), 26.5 mm in width. The obverse features an allegorical female figure in traditional Kokoshnik headdress passing a wreath of laurels to a young worker with a sledgehammer. The inscription reads "Long Live the 1st of May of a Free Russia!" The reverse has an inscription "Liberty. All Proletarians, Unite".

Very fine condition. There is a die break affecting the lower portion of the obverse, but it is clearly a manufacturing flaw, not a result of wear. There is a tiny nick on the reverse at approximately 2:30 o'clock position,

In brass, measures 32.0 mm in height (incl. eyelet), 26.5 mm in width. The obverse features an allegorical female figure in traditional Kokoshnik headdress passing a wreath of laurels to a young worker with a sledgehammer. The inscription reads "Long Live the 1st of May of a Free Russia!" The reverse has an inscription "Liberty. All Proletarians, Unite".

Very fine condition. There is a die break affecting the lower portion of the obverse, but it is clearly a manufacturing flaw, not a result of wear. There is a tiny nick on the reverse at approximately 2:30 o'clock position, not visible from the obverse, but no other edge bumps. Otherwise, the jetton has only a few very tiny contact marks and light scratches that are either completely invisible or barely noticeable to the naked eye. The raised artwork and lettering on both sides are extremely well-preserved and crisp, better than the majority of similar jettons from the period. The brass exhibits only a mild tarnish; the toning is overall attractive, free of major blemishes.

This piece is in stark contrast with most other jettons of the Russian Provisional Government period. Vast majority of them came immediately in the aftermath of the downfall of the monarchy in February - early March 1917 and carried slogans reflecting the euphoria of the early days of the new regime. Many praised the liberty and bright future that would inevitably come with it, and quite a few were generally sympathetic to the fledgling provisional authorities.

The 1st of May jetton strikes a rather different note, glorifying the working class and appealing to proletarians to unite, a paraphrase of the Marxist slogan "Proletarians of All Countries, Unite!" At the time, the government was in ever increasing disarray, the situation at the fronts was dismal, and the public had grown disillusioned with the immediate results of the February revolution. In 1917, the 1st of May "Workers Day" holiday was for the first time openly celebrated in Russia. It even had Alexander Kerensky, a member of the Socialist Revolutionary party, member of the Petrograd Soviet, current Minister of Justice and future Premier, take active part in the event. The situation was promptly used by the Bolsheviks and other radicals in the Soviets who attempted to seize power. This led to a crackdown in the following July, with many Bolshevik leaders arrested and Lenin, revealed as a German agent, forced to go into hiding. The open promotion of Marxist slogans became politically incorrect once again, albeit for a short while - until the Bolshevik-led rebellion and the end of democratic rule in Russia later that year.

Please note, the penny in our photo is for size reference.
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