The Historical and Memorial Museum of the Demidovs houses a historical medal “For the 100th Anniversary of the Russian Empire”. It was cast in 1821 in honor of a landmark event in the life of the country — the centenary of the establishment of the empire.

A medal (from the French word “medaille”, derived from Latin “metalllum” meaning “metal”) is a historical object shaped like a coin that serves to commemorate and celebrate important events or people. It also serves as a sign of distinction and can be awarded to a person or organization for military merit, achievements in science, technology, culture, sports, academic disciplines and other accomplishments. Medals can also be made for retail or as independent works of artistic expression. They do not possess purchasing power. In the past, medals commissioned by an individual usually featured a portrait of the person and were often used as a form of diplomatic or personal gifts without the purpose of acknowledging the recipient’s deeds or behavior.

The medal is usually made in the form of a metal badge, mainly round in shape, with relief images. It has an obverse (front) and reverse (back) sides, and an edge. Many medals are attached to a ribbon or bar. Such a bar can be covered with enamel or a moire ribbon of a certain color. There are many kinds of medals, but ones issued as awards and in celebration of a historic event stand out the most.

Making a medal is a complex and time-consuming process. The medallist not only creates a sketch, but also engraves dies for stamping and modeling the shape of the future medal. In Russia, medal art began to develop only in the late 17th century — much later than in other countries. The emperor Peter I greatly influenced the development of this art form. The heyday of Russian medal art and the production of artistic medals began in the second half of the 18th century, during the rule of Catherine II.