Badge "Veteran Of The 2nd Shock Army".

[desantnik]

Originally Posted by Wis73

Was wondering if anyone can ID this medal/badge which I got together with a bunch of others bought off a veteran in the Baltics. 2nd SHOCK ARMY veteran is what it says, of course, but it looks like it is made of cheap metal. Is this thing real and if so, what do you call it? Do these have any real monetary value? Thanks for your looks at it, WIS

Yes, it is "real". This badge, or znachok in Russian, was awarded by the 2 Shock Army veteran organization. As to any "real monetary value" - like any collectible discussed in this forum, value corresponds to supply versus demand. These veteran badges typically sell for about $10-$20, sometimes more, sometimes less. As a collector, the thrill is actually in the hunt.