Vaardigheidsmedaille van het Nederlandsch Olympisch Comité
Instituted in 1914 by the Netherlands Olympic Committee (Nederlandsch Olympisch Comité - N.O.C.) as an award to those who'd fulfilled the minimal requirements of the N.O.C. in multiple branches of sport. There are two types known of this medal:
Type 1 (1914-1926)
A round medal, 41.1 mm in diameter, showing a (Greek?) head facing left. On his head he wears a "coronae"; a wreath of laurel, used by the Romans to decorate meritorious persons. The head is surrounded by the circular legend "VOOR ALZIJDIGE VAARDIGHEID" (for all-round proficiency). The reverse has the letters 'N', 'O' and 'C', each in a ring separated by stylized laurel leaves.
Type 2 (1926-1959)
Identical to the first type, but 32.8 mm in diameter.
For both types the ribbon is plain Nassau blue.
The medal was awarded in bronze for first participation, in silver for third and in gilt for fifth participation. For further participations Arabic numerals are worn on the ribbon (e.g. "2", "4", "10", "12", etc.). There are also versions known with a gilted crown between the medal and the ribbon. This gilted crown was awarded for reaching the highest standards on all branches of sports during one attempt.
The N.O.C.-medal was replaced by the N.S.F.-medal in 1959.
Vaardigheidsmedaille van de Nederlandse Sport Federatie
Instituted in 1959 as a replacement for the N.O.C.-medal. It had the same qualifications as the N.O.C.-medal.
It is a round medal, 32.9 mm in diameter. On the obverse it shows the Dutch lion surrounded by the circular legend "VOOR ALZIJDIGE VAARDIGHEID" (for all-round proficiency). The reverse has the letters 'N', 'S' and 'F', each in a ring separated by stylized laurel leaves.
The ribbon is plain Nassau blue.
The medal is awarded in bronze for first participation, in silver for the third and in gilt for the fifth participation. For further participations Arabic numerals are awarded ("2", "4", "6" to "9"). For the tenth participation a bronze laurel branch is awarded. For 11th till 14th bronze Roman numerals "I" to "IV" are worn with the laurel branch. The laurel branch and Roman numerals are worn in silver for 15th till 19th participations and in gold for 20th till 24th. For 25th till 29th participations a silver Arabic numeral on a wreath of laurel leaves is awarded and from 30th participation on a gilted Arabic numeral on a wreath of laurel is awarded.
"Orders and Decorations of the Netherlands"