Indochina Medals - Cambodia - CM31-36 Medals of National Construction

MEDALS OF NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION

The Medals of National Construction, sometimes translated as Medals of National Edification, are a set of six medals established on May 21, 1964, for contributions of funds or services in regard to the construction of major projects desired by Sihanouk and the government. Presumably many of these medals went to the richer Cambodian and Chinese merchants who were dunned for their money.

There are several die varities of these medals - if anyone has other die varities, please let me know (or any information about French made examples).

There appear to various ribbon sizes - if anyone has other ribbons sized, please let me know. Also, if anyone has sources for ribbon, I'd be interested in aquiring any.

Some of the medals have maker marks on the reverse - if anyone has other examples, or information on these marks, please let me know.

I'm always interested in obtaining other die varities or miniatures.

CM31	MEDAL OF NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION FOR THE NATIONAL OLYMPIC STADIUM
	established May 21, 1964
	For:	contributions of funds or services for the construction of the National Olympic Stadium
	Design:	round breast badge, bronze gilt, 40mm across, with suspension ribbon
		Obverse:	stadium track with grandstands circling around and main stands above and behind, with five Olympic rings above and Cambodian inscription below "Aid to the National Olympic Stadium";
		Reverse:	plain
	Ribbon:	39mm; light green 4mm, bright mauve 8mm, light blue 15mm, bright mauve 8mm, light green 4mm; The ribbon can either be well made French ribbon or a locally made coarse cloth. (Another example ribbon is 33mm; 4mm, 6.5mm, 12mm, 6.5mm, 4mm)
	Device:	on service bar and perhaps at times the suspension ribbon, five gold Olympic rings

This award was for the construction of access roads to the National Olympic Stadium which is still in use in Phnom Penh. It was also used in 1966 for the First GANEFO d'Asie Games and in April 1975 by the Khmer Rouge to incarcerate prisoners before their execution.

Examples of this award are relatively common, but usually without the ribbon.

Medal of N'tl Const - National Olympic Staduim

CM31 Medal of N'tl Const - National Olympic Stadium

There are several different die varities (If anyone has other die examples, or if anyone is aware of French made examples, please let me know.):

CM31 Die 1 (40mm)	CM31 Die 2 (41mm)
CM31 Die 3 (42mm)	CM31 Die 4 (41mm)	CM31 Die 5 (40mm)

CM32	MEDAL OF NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION FOR THE PREAH MONIVONG BRIDGE
	established May 21, 1964
	For:	contributions of funds or services for the reconstruction of the Preah Monivong Bridge in Phnom Penh
	Design:	round breast badge, bronze gilt, 40mm across, with suspension ribbon
		Obverse:	bridge above waves, with Cambodian inscription "Preah Monivong Bridge" above and below, and with scalloped design around edge;
		Reverse:	plain
	Ribbon:	40mm; deep reddish lilac 7mm, blue 5½mm, red 15mm, blue 5½mm, deep reddish lilac 7mm (another example ribbon is 36mm; 6mm, 5mm, 14mm, 5mm, 6mm)
	Device:	on service bar and perhaps the suspension ribbon, in gold two spans of a suspension bridge

The medal, usually without a ribbon, is relatively common.

CM32 Medal of N'tl Const - Preah Monivong Bridge

There are several different die varitiess (If anyone has other die examples, or if anyone is aware of French made examples, please let me know.):

CM32 Die 1 (40mm)	CM32 Die 2 (40mm)	CM32 Die 3 (40mm)
CM32 Die 4 (40mm)

CM33	MEDAL OF NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION FOR SIHANOUKVILLE PORT
	established May 21, 1964
	For:	contributions of funds or services for the construction of Sihanoukville Port
	Design:	round breast badge, bronze gilt, 35mm across, with suspension ribbon
		Obverse:	mermaid wearing Khmer crown going to left and holding three lotus buds;
		Reverse:	plain
	Ribbon:	light blue with horizontal wavy blue stripes 3mm apart
	Device:	on service bar, round silver disk with a stylized fish and waves

The medal without the ribbon is relatively common.

CM33 Medal of N'tl Const - Sihanoukville Port
(correct ribbon)

CM33 Medal of N'tl Const - Sihanoukville Port
(re-constructed ribbon)

At least four different die varieties are known, the one with the most difference having the mermaid with a more crooked arm and the three lotus buds drooping instead of upright.

CM33 Die 1 (35mm)	CM33 Die 2 (35mm)	CM33 Die 3 - Upright Stems
	CM33 Die 2 Reverse Marking
	CM33 Die 2 Another Reverse Marking

CM34	MEDAL OF NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION FOR THE PHNOMPENH - SIHANOUKVILLE RAILROAD
	established May 21, 1964
	For:	contribution of funds or services for the construction of the railroad between Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville
	Design:	round breast badge, bronze gilt, 34mm across, with suspension ribbon
		Obverse:	smoking locomotive and train in head on view, with scalloped design around edge;
		Reverse:	plain
	Ribbon:	36mm; dark brown 10½mm, light blue 4½mm, bright mauve 6mm, light blue 4½mm, dark brown 10½mm
	Device:	on service bar, gold locomotive and car

The medal without the ribbon is relatively common.

CM34 Medal of N'tl Const - Railroad (Sylvester coll.)

Only one die is known for this medal.

CM34 Medal of N'tl Const - Railroad (34mm)

CM35	MEDAL OF NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION FOR HYDROELECTRIC DAMS
	established May 21, 1964
	For:	contributions of funds or services for the construction of hydroelectric dams
	Design:	round breast badge, bronze gilt, 34mm across, with suspension ribbon
		Obverse:	and hydroelectric facility, with scalloped design around edge;
		Reverse:	plain
	Ribbon:	35mm: light blue 4mm, light yellow green 5mm, yellow 7mm, dark green 3mm, yellow 7mm, light yellow green 5mm, light blue 4mm

This is the least common of this six piece series of medals, and sometimes seen in bronze, which may just represent examples that were not finished.

Dam
CM35 Medal of N'tl Const - Hydroelectric Dam (Sylvester coll.)

CM35 Medal of N'tl Const - Hydroelectric Dam Gold (gilt)

CM35 Medal of N'tl Const - Hydroelectric Dam Bronze

CM35 Medal of N'tl Const - Hydroelectric Dam Miniature

CM35 Gold (gilt) (34mm)	CM35 Bronze (34mm)	CM35 Miniature (21mm)
CM35 Gold (gilt) Reverse Marking	CM35 Bronze Reverse Marking	CM35 Miniature Reverse Marking

These examples are stamped on the reverse with “N”. (Does anyone know the significance ? Does anyone have another stampings or blank examples ?)

CM36	MEDAL OF NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION FOR PALACES
	established May 21, 1964
	For:	contributions of funds and services for the construction of State residences and reception palaces, and possibly temples and schools
	Design:	elliptical breast badge, bronze gilt, 40mm across, with suspension ribbon
		Obverse:	Cambodian palace enclosed in wreath;
		Reverse:	plain
	Ribbon:	light blue with on each side three pink berries and a continuing green V’ed line representing the stems.

It is less common than most of this series of medals, and sometimes seen in bronze, which may just represent examples that were not finished.

Only one die is known for this relatively crude piece.

MCN Palaces
CM36 Medal of N'tl Const - Palaces (Sylvester coll.)

CM36 Medal of N'tl Const - Palaces

THE ORDERS AND MEDALS OF THE KINGDOM OF CAMBODIA

MEDALS OF NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION