DPRK Prices "How Much To Pay".

[CtahhR]

It will be interesting to see what the future brings.

Also a quick reminder that this thread is on the topic of international market prices for DPRK awards.

[GabrielMk3]

Originally Posted by Pobeda45

They are indeed in a tough spot in DPRK: as they've learned from Glasnost and the Eastern Europe movements of the late 1980s, ANY democratization of the press will lead to the regime's extinction. DPRK has outlasted them all only because of its totalitarian, Stalinist nature with the weird Kim dynastic element. It would seem that they want to modernize without opening up, can these two things coexist? More press today on Google's (ex) CEO:
Eric Schmidt Is Going to North Korea - Brian Fung - The Atlantic

I never cease to giggle at how surprised everyone seems to be about everything around the DPR of Korea. It's not as if it's Somalialand or something either... There's 10 nation in the world which are "space nations" and the DPRK is one of them, that's quite modern. They have always been open on the business-sector, but it's difficult when every western country has set up US-made boycotts etc.
Ever heard of the KCC by the way?

[meyerse]

This thread still talks about how ''cheap'' these awards are but offers no way to obtain them. Is this some large secret? I'd be happy to buy some in volume too just to look them over if cheap enough, but alas, I don't see anywhere to make this happen. ANybody want to share some pointers even if by PM?

[Lapa]

Meyerse,

Don't hold your breadth over this one, you'll long have choked to death before our "enlightened leader" shares any crumb of his top-secret knowledge :rolleyes:

Marc

[CtahhR]

It is a mainly "back of shop" affair. Look towards the Chinese located close to the Korean Border and make inquiries. Many dealers do not wish to have any association with DPRK items but that does not mean they don't have stockpiles. With time, effort and a lot of "feeling the situation" sources will be found. Buying in bulk is the best way to find the best deals but also be prepared to have to buy items "unseen". As with any other commodity supply and suppliers vary and dealers come and go. There was (and to a considerably lesser extent is) a number of speculators that were sitting on sacks of DPRK awards waiting for the prices to follow the trend set by Soviet awards. DPRK awards are a totally different situation. Not only are they still been produced and awarded but these is also a vast amount of misinformation, no way of researching them and a complete lack of quality in the vast majority of them.

My main piece of advise is DO NOT buy through "westerner" middle men as you will have to pay outrageous prices. Often the price of postage of a single item outweighs the value of the item many times over. Dozens if not hundreds of fresh items hit the market every week on top of items being turned about by "westerners" looking for a profit so nearly all the Orders and Medals are always on offer.

Personally when it comes to the cost of postage versus value of awards I only buy in lots of 30+ awards (unless it is something particularly rare) otherwise it really wouldn't be worth bothering.
There are currently over 1400 DPRK items in the collection and so far only 4 items have cost three figures.

Look east and you will find, often in bulk.

[meyerse]

So the answer is no, I take it?

[CtahhR]

Originally Posted by meyerse

ANybody want to share some pointers

Did I not share enough "pointers"?

I am pointing to China. I don't think anyone here needs a map. I am also not the only person in the world purchasing DPRK items. Some folks posting all the "likes" obviously know best (and where all the $50 OGIIIs are)

My primary source took me 9 months of effort and communication to obtain. Anyone else willing to put the same effort in can do so as they wish - they will find that the pay off is worth the effort. If however someone does not wish to put the time and effort in they can throw money at the issue as there are many westerners offering the items with a seriously inflated price tag. Other sources I have had are now dry so there is no point in speaking of them. The forum also has a policy of no commercial links.

I can also add that there are fake DPRK items out there and most "collectors" who are eager to purchase DPRK items soon go off the boil when the items enter their hands. The quality is comparable to Soviet items but only in the form of "this is nothing like the quality of Soviet awards".

[meyerse]

This is a response (while with a bit of a different message than earlier comments) that I can understand.

1) the prices reported reflect a lifetime of experience an 9 months of concerted effort in supplier sourcing (so apply to few poeple)
2) the cultivation of these sources ( through personal effort) will not be shared.

The conclusion is that for someone new(ish) in award collecting and with curiosity of DPRK awards, I should expect to pay (several?) multiples of these prices. Fair enough.......

[CtahhR]

I would advise that anyone ease themselves in slowly. If you have not had any previous "in hand" experience of DPRK awards you may be in for a surprise. Don't buy from "westerner" sources as the price is often extremely inflated. Some dealers have had the same stock in at the same prices for years and they will be unable to sell them at the prices they want unless there is hyperinflation.

Always remember that there are millions of DPRK awards out there and a very finite number of collectors (serious or otherwise). A dollar has vastly superior purchasing power when it comes to DPRK items than USSR.

When I was fresh to purchasing DPRK items (like awards of other nations) I was unsure of the market and where the best deals were but very quickly after a few purchases (and even more "just looking") I knew where to aim my attention. As with any "commodity" there are good dealers and bad dealers. My experience screams at me not to buy from "westerners" and to utilise communication as much as possible. If you ask enough people you will sooner or later get the answer you require. I suggest asking Chinese dealers (in any sort of collectables) located close to the Korean border. As I have said before they are often not in the shop window but they will be there, out of sight.

Also, if someone like me can find a solid, (somewhat) consistent and cheap source anyone can. If some of the disbelieving users that repeatedly post "but I can't find a source" or similar used that same effort looking for a source they would have surely found one - there are many.

If at first you don't succeed....

[meyerse]

Originally Posted by CtahhR

Also, if someone like me can find a solid, (somewhat) consistent and cheap source anyone can. If some of the disbelieving users that repeatedly post "but I can't find a source" or similar used that same effort looking for a source they would have surely found one - there are many.

If at first you don't succeed....

I shall test this hypothesis. I've allocated a budget and some time to see how far a average man on the street (who doesn't travel to China or speak Chinese) can get, all in the name of science of course.

I'll report back on my findings....