When did you start collecting Soviet Awards?

[Jack]

I have only started collecting Soviet militaria this year. Residing 'down under' unfortunately doesn't present me with a lot of opportunity other than what I can find on the internet. (There is a reasonable amount of opportunity for Japanese items however)

My first pieces were a 1970. 100th Anniversary of Lenin's Birthday and a 30th Anniversary of Victory in WWII.

I'm interested in pretty much anything to do with Russian history, especially things pertaining to Soviet Russia, and it looks like I've found the right place to indulge it.

Jack

[HuliganRS]

Jack,

Welcome! You did find the best place.

Rusty.

[Dante688i]

Jack,

Hello and Welcome.

I hope you enjoy the time you spend here on the forum and I hope it furthers your interest in and enjoyment of the hobby!

- Sean

[Riley1965]

I began collecting Soviet ODMs in late 2002. My first purchase was a documented set of the Order of the Red Star and an Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd Class.

[Dave]

Just reading through this thread and was surprised that I hadn't already posted...

I started collecting with my first trip to Russia in 1992. I can remember buying an entire table full of medals (mostly Defense/Capture and jubilee) for a whopping $20 in a street market in Moscow. When I was working on my own in Moscow in 1996, I used to place my "order" with a contact that I had and the next week he'd come back with everything I wanted in a plastic bag... Normally this ranged about 5 Red Banners, a few Glory 3rds, some Patriotic War 2nds and the like. After all, they were pretty cool medals for $15/$8/$10 each (respectively)!

Fun stuff!

Dave

[order of glory]

My start was slow starting. I was buying some low end medals at the open air flea market in Tbilisi (starting in 1997) to give away as gifts. They did not mean anything to me. I could not read the medals and was not internet active.

In 2000 I took a New Testament Greek course at my local Bible College. As I learned the Greek alphabet the thought of the soviet medals came to mind. Although not identical, I had enough knowledge to read some of the Russian words. I also joined OMSA in 2000 because of my own US military medals. While attending the OMSA convention I was hooked on Soviet medals.

I later became internet active and the world of Soviet medals and orders was at my finger tips.

LRE

[Manu Dalton]

I had start in 1998 or 1999 I don't remember. The first piece was a red star cap badge pin that I saw in a antique shop here in Québec....I had paid something like 1$ for it.

I simply find it cool to had a piece I had saw in my history books! And that's the first piece of a huge military collection!!! Now I had soviet, Imperial German, Nazi, Canadian, French and Japanese item.....a little bit of everything!

[paddywhack]

i started collecting in 1999 when i also started collecting german awards but as the german stuff started to rise in price and the fakes started getting better i said screw it and started picking up alot of russian stuff at a fraction of the the cost of german stuff plus the quality was so good i now collect both!!! very much all good!!

[roy]

I've started collecting in my senior year in high school in 1992. At that time, I collected medals, badges, and militaria from East Germany, and thought that I would expand my collection to Soviet militaria. If I am not mistaken, my very first Soviet pieces was 1 pair of Soviet army private's shoulderboards, 1 Guards badge, and a common jubilee medal. My first order was a 1985 issue Order of the Great Patriotic War 2nd class.

[PaulR]

I started collecting Soviet Orders and Medals in 1992. They were afforadable for a new E3 in the military. I was even able to get some nice pieces then. The more I collected, the more I was hooked.

I then married and the spare cash went away until 2000(after my divorce). I then started to focus on other things. The interest in Soviet medals and orders only recently started again. I am just glad that I did not sell off my stuff... as I had been tempted to do in the past.