United Nations Korea Service Medal

Material: Bronze
Size: 35 mm
Description: This is a United Nations Service Medal Korea, a historic campaign medal crafted from a solid bronze alloy. The obverse displays the official emblem of the United Nations, depicting a polar projection map of the globe surrounded by two framing olive branches. The medal disk hangs from a non-swiveling suspender bar adorned with a matching bronze clasp reading "KOREA". The attached suspension ribbon consists of seventeen alternating vertical stripes of light blue and white. This particular specimen shows a heavy, dark mustard-gold oxidation and surface grime across its face, which highlights its authentic age and decades of storage.
Circa: 1950–1954
Notes:
Instituted in December 1950, this was the first United Nations medal created. It was awarded to military personnel who participated in the Korean War under UN command between 27 June 1950 and 27 July 1954. National issues were named differently but shared the same core design and ribbon; this example is the Commonwealth type.
While English versions are standard, rare premium variations include French, Greek, Turkish, Ethiopian, or Tagalog reverse inscriptions, which command substantial financial markups from specialized phaleristics collectors.