The Soviet Military Awards Page Forum  
  • Serial Numbers Database 2.0
Enter Here

vBClassified Featured Listings
Echoes of War
Echoes of War
Seeking following Soviet campaign medals for ..,

Go Back   The Soviet Military Awards Page Forum > Soviet Awards Forums > Union Of Soviet Socialist Republics

Union Of Soviet Socialist Republics Awards, Uniforms, Research and everything Soviet Union (Союз Советских Социалистических Республик) 30th December 1922 - 26th December 1991.

View Poll Results: From what era, shall we say, did this bar originate in?
1942-1944 0 0%
1945-1991 8 80.00%
1991-2010 2 20.00%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 10. You may not vote on this poll

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 10-06-2007, 06:47 AM   #241
EricFG
Senior Member
 
EricFG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Naples, Florida, USA
Age: 59
Posts: 1,496
God I hope that was just a bad dream you had. :cry:
Don't people know they can get more cash by selling to us???
I hope you left the SMAP forum business card with these "melters". ;)
__________________
"patina imparts character" - PJS
A wise man said: 'you should not pay a premium for what you want beyond your comfort level, and always ensure there is a mutually agreeable return policy.'
EricFG is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
Old 10-07-2007, 01:02 AM   #242
Kirchgoens
Senior Member
 
Kirchgoens's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: US Mid Atlantic
Age: 57
Posts: 351
Not a bad dream...

It wasn't a bad dream; it's reality in much of CIS (but I can't speak on Russia, Belorus, or Ukraine). I recently was offered ten serial numbered BM's. It took me a couple days to meet with the guy. In the mean time, he had sold six of them to a guy for melting who does silver jewelry. I got the four left over only because the other guy ran out of money. I asked my seller why he did that and what he thought of the loss of history. His answer was "I don't care who pays me as long as I get my money, and I really don't care about history. I just want the money." At this point, they won't melt the OG3's, ORS's, ORBL's, OLG's, and wartime OPW's because they think they can still do better. I am starting to see high-s/n'd OBH's get melted to, but not that often. The BMs, CSM's, non-numbered DL's and VL's, 1985 OPW's, and motherhood/maternity stuff are transforming into earrings and pendants faster than you can imagine.

Pray that the price of silver doesn't hike too badly, or else you'll see more and somewhat higher awards changed into hearts, rings, and charm bracelets. If that hike comes, our hobby could really become one of three groups: the guys who who started early enough, the guys who have tons of money to blow, and the rest who will live with collections of brass medals.

I guess this thread should maybe go somewhere else now that it's changed from ribbons and suspensions. I'm not sure how to use linkback though. I'll save my story of a recently broken-up (and very nice) set for another thread. It will wonderfully showcase how this stuff gets separated at the source...

...Brian
Kirchgoens is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-21-2007, 05:53 PM   #243
Jeff Evans
New Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver, CO
Age: 33
Posts: 7
Kolodkas

Hey guys, I'm new here so I'm sorry if this has been posted before. I have two medals which I'm sure are as authentic as it gets, while I have two I'm not so sure of due to the suspension. The two I think are actually original have a very weather look about them, with none of the shiny new aluminum finish the other two have. One of the medals, the Defense of Caucases has a very new ribbon as well as suspension, does that mean that the whole thing is fake, or just the suspension? Sorry if I didn't word that very well. Please help. Thanks.
__________________
-Jeff Evans
My Collection: Defense of Stalingrad, Defense of Leningrad, Defense of Caucasus, Victory over Germany [x2], Capture of Budapest, Combat Service #1,663,521, Order of the Patriotic War I Class & II Class.
Jeff Evans is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-21-2007, 06:51 PM   #244
ANZAC
Senior Member
 
ANZAC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Age: 59
Posts: 343
Welcome to the Forum Jeff:)

First of all don't be afraid to cruise the forum and use the search engine, there is heaps of info available to answer all or parts of any question. But as always continue to ask your question right up front:)

Having an aluminum suspension doesn't make you medal a fake. Aluminum suspensions started being used from about the early 1970s on. Steel and brass are world war 2 era materials. Having said that your medal may or may not be post war depending on certain aspects of the medal itself.

It is likely that someone has replaced the original suspension dto make it look 'new' and more sellable. I for one stick to the original suspension and ribbon where possible. There has been discussion on the pros and cons of this on the forum.

If you want to be more comfortable with you authenticity of your medal then post some good close up photos or scans of the front, reverse, ring and even suspension on the forum and our experienced members will be more than happy to advise as best they can.

By the way I am no expert on suspensions but you get to pick up a thing or two when you've been around the forum for a while:D.

Brendan:thumbsup
__________________
"If we come to a minefield, our infantry attacks exactly as it were not there."
Marshall Geogi Zhukov to General Eisenhower, 1945
ANZAC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2007, 11:25 AM   #245
Kirchgoens
Senior Member
 
Kirchgoens's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: US Mid Atlantic
Age: 57
Posts: 351
Aluminum is becoming a reality...

I see a lot of aluminum suspensions on campaign medals, even the wartime versions. Often the suspension seems to be the second thing to go (after the ribbon), and often they go together. Medals without suspensions are a staple in the bazaars in the former Soviet Union (or at least the ones I frequent on a weekly basis). Also, as these things wear out, the old veterans replace them themselves if they have the money or ability (which many don't). I'm finding that it is getting really tough to find old suspensions. It is often easier to find a bare GPW-era medal than it can be to find an unused period 2-piece brass or steel suspension. They haven't made them for years. Even finding an unused 1960's-80's-era 2-piece aluminum suspension of the type used on orders can often be a challenge, yet I frequently find the actual ORBL/OBH/OLG3's and even an occasional OOR from that time period with no suspension at all.

I know we are all near-fanatics (myself included) about loving "salty", old, "seasoned", stained, worn-out ribbons and those "heavy" patinas, but old veterans see that as sloppiness, as being un-STRAC. Look at the reality of being an old soldier and veteran (which I am of the US Army): veterans love to have a shiny rack with clean/unsoiled ribbons when they wear what they have. Can you imagine a paratropper being proud of tarnished wings or an infantryman preening with his patina-encrusted CIB? Absolutely not! We may find shining an old Kafkaz or Stalingrad or Berlin medal anathema, but trust me when I say that an 85-year old veteran of the GPW would love to have his stuff shined on the 9th of May, and would also probably love it if someone mounted all his medals on one nice aluminum suspension with brand new ribbons so he could himself shine a bit more on that special day of which he has so few left.

Since my last paragraph strayed a bit off topic, maybe I should have put it into the general discussion of a topic that's as well-worn as those beloved ribbons. ;)

...Brian
Kirchgoens is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2007, 11:54 AM   #246
Jeff Evans
New Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver, CO
Age: 33
Posts: 7
Thanks to both of you, I appreciate your quick responses. I shall make it my goal now to look for medals with the original suspension and ribbon if possible. Fortunately for me, I have the most interest in the "Defense of..." medals, most of which (minus my Caucasus one) seem to come with the original stuff. I understand why a veteran wouldn't want tarnished looking medals, but I think it's somewhat deceptive for people to sell this stuff having put the new ribbon and suspension on just for those collectors who don't care for the original.
__________________
-Jeff Evans
My Collection: Defense of Stalingrad, Defense of Leningrad, Defense of Caucasus, Victory over Germany [x2], Capture of Budapest, Combat Service #1,663,521, Order of the Patriotic War I Class & II Class.
Jeff Evans is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2007, 12:55 PM   #247
Jeffrey Meffert
Senior Member
 
Jeffrey Meffert's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: San Antonio, Texas, USA
Age: 67
Posts: 640
kirchgoens

I generally agree but with one exception. For my 20+ years in the Air Force I wore the same cap eagle my father did for his 20 years. I usually favored the overseas cap but my dad wore his "wheel hat" every day so most of the plating was off the eagle. As a young captain I was called on "a pretty ratty looking eagle" during an open ranks inspection, the colonel perhaps thinking I was trying to save a few bucks at the thrift store. When I respectfully explained that the eagle was my father's, the colonel harrumphed and told me to "carry on". Of course the way I said that might have implied that my father was no longer with us...
(Dad is coming over this afternoon for thanksgiving dinner).
Jeffrey Meffert is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-17-2007, 08:40 AM   #248
Tal Inbar
Senior Member
 
Tal Inbar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Israel
Age: 55
Posts: 2,302
Almost a complete set of Umalatova medals....
Attached Images
File Type: jpg sss.jpg (41.6 KB, 16 views)
__________________
Under the banner of Marxism-Leninism, under the leadership of the Communist Party--forward to new victories in the construction of communism!
Tal Inbar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-17-2007, 11:08 AM   #249
Lapa
Senior Member
 
Lapa's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: St Petersburg, Russia
Age: 62
Posts: 2,397
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tal Inbar View Post
Almost a complete set of Umalatova medals....
My opinion remains that this general has "improved" his range of awards.
Until recently, it was no big problem to acquire blank official documents and fill them up yourself with whatever you felt like being awarded.

Marc
Lapa is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-17-2007, 11:26 AM   #250
Esteban_cool
Senior Member
 
Esteban_cool's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Santiago, Chile
Age: 36
Posts: 1,103
So, everybody had access to Brezhnev´s privileges once? Nice!:thumbsup
__________________
There's nothing in the streets
Looks any different to me
And the slogans are replaced, by-the-bye
And the parting on the left
Are now parting on the right
And the beards have all grown longer overnight

The Who, Won't get fooled again
Esteban_cool is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are Off
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Bulgarian Ribbon Bars. EricFG People's Republic Of Bulgaria 33 08-27-2017 02:40 PM
Ribbon Bars Nota Bene Sold Soviet Awards Archive 2 10-08-2006 02:01 PM
Ribbon Bars Nota Bene Sold Soviet Awards Archive 2 10-04-2006 06:05 PM
Ribbon Bars Nota Bene Sold Soviet Awards Archive 2 08-05-2006 08:09 PM
Ribbon bars desantnik Sold Soviet Awards Archive 2 05-08-2006 07:06 AM


RUSSIAN NAVAL BADGE SOVIET CRUISER SLAVA IN THE FUTURE MOSCOW UKRAINIAN WAR picture

RUSSIAN NAVAL BADGE SOVIET CRUISER SLAVA IN THE FUTURE MOSCOW UKRAINIAN WAR

$59.99



SOVIET UNION MEDAL FOR DEFENDING MOSCOW IN GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR 1941-1945. picture

SOVIET UNION MEDAL FOR DEFENDING MOSCOW IN GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR 1941-1945.

$45.00



RUSSIAN  NAVAL BADGE  CRUISER MOSCOW  UKRAINIAN WAR picture

RUSSIAN NAVAL BADGE CRUISER MOSCOW UKRAINIAN WAR

$29.99



RUSSIAN  NAVAL BADGE  CRUISER MOSCOW  PENNANT NUMBER 121 UKRAINIAN WAR picture

RUSSIAN NAVAL BADGE CRUISER MOSCOW PENNANT NUMBER 121 UKRAINIAN WAR

$29.99



Russian MVD Moscow Municipal Police Sleeve Patch Insignia RARE Original 1990s picture

Russian MVD Moscow Municipal Police Sleeve Patch Insignia RARE Original 1990s

$12.99



1945 Jeanette Sweet Collection Patch #61 Mission To Moscow picture

1945 Jeanette Sweet Collection Patch #61 Mission To Moscow

$18.95



 US State Department US Embassy Moscow Russia Challenge Coin 2

US State Department US Embassy Moscow Russia Challenge Coin 2" 124

$14.39



1945 Germany Summer Graffiti See Germany And Die, Slaves Moscow Photo picture

1945 Germany Summer Graffiti See Germany And Die, Slaves Moscow Photo

$9.99



Glass Copper Vintage Old Vase Landscape Red USSR, Moscow Kremlin picture

Glass Copper Vintage Old Vase Landscape Red USSR, Moscow Kremlin

$99.00



RUSSIAN SOVIET NAVAL BADGE  CRUISER MOSCOW BLACK SEA FLEET UKRAINIAN WAR picture

RUSSIAN SOVIET NAVAL BADGE CRUISER MOSCOW BLACK SEA FLEET UKRAINIAN WAR

$69.99




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:35 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2011 Arthur G. Bates III