150th Anniversary of the establishment of the Victoria Cross (1856-2006).

99.99% Silver
36mm
25g

From COA:

From the cascabels of Russian cannons that were captured during the Crimean War (1854 - 1855), a great military honour is forged. It is the Victoria Cross, the highest military decoration that is awarded "...for most conspicuous bravery, or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice, or extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy."

Instituted by Queen Victoria in 1856, a total 1,351 Victoria Crosses have been awarded to British and Commonwealth military forces. Ninety-four of them have been awarded to Canadians - 8 for acts if bravery carried out prior to the South African War (1899 - 1902); 70 during the first World War (1914-1918); and 16 during the Second World War (1939*1945).

The Victoria Cross is one of the most recognized military medals in the world. It features a cross pattee with the Royal Crown surmounted by a lion guardant and a scroll inscribed with For Valour. The date of the act is engraved within a reaised circle on the reverse. The cross is suspended from a straight bar which has the rank , unit and name of the recipient engraved on the back. In 1993, a special Canadian verion was instituted. It is identical to the original with the exception that the inscription on the scroll is in Latin (Pro Valore).