Medal House

[desantnik]

Gentlemen, I just received an unsolicited catalog from a Finnish firm "Medal House" for an auction to be held MAR 17 - maybe from my OMSA membership (yet another reason to join OMSA). The publisher's address is Medalhouse Auctions Ltd. - Orders & Medals worldwide and email is listed as jani.tiainen@finnmedals.com.

Mr. Tiainen makes the claim "...most of the Soviet items in this catalog were shown to Paul McDaniel and received approval." I'm running down Paul's involvement now, but after fifteen years I know Paul well enough that he issues certificates of authenticity, NOT general "yeah, looks good" to a box of medals.

From the catalog the photos are not the best, but at cursory glance I do not like the following:

402 - s/n and overall appearance - no wear, star on tower, etc.
406 - Nevsky s/n #1860 and a 1980-dated document
414 - strong s/n and face of Ushakov
423 - Republican order 'P' added - could be good, but I doubt it
434,437,438 - OPW stickpins and s/n for 437,438
480 - s/n and brushed reverse
483 - hand/engraved Monetnii Dvor, messed up rivets and lead solder on post
498 - "Dublikat" engraved on numbered labor medal
521,522,523 - any of the serial numbers and reverses of these pieces

I'll keep you posted as to the nature of Paul and Mr. T's interaction, but I don't like the looks of this.