Bulgaria- Disturbing Discovery

[Greg Collins]

Was on our favorite auction site... killing time... when I happened on what appeared to be a 2nd Class 100 Year MVR badge. It was not identified as that but, rather, as an MVR Graduation badge. Curious. I opened the page and noticed the price was $99, which freaked me out a bit and I would have normally closed-out but I noticed something in the image of the badge's reverse. I enlarged the image and found a stylized lion's head with "www.mint.bg" below.

I followed the link to find that the Bulgarian Mint is, apparently, privatized and in operation. They have a sampling of production, so I chose "insignia" and, low and behold, one of the offerings is an ultra-rare prototype MVR Medical Academy graduation badge! Now, I guess, NOT so rare! I've also come to learn that not all their products have their new "www" address and logo on the back.

To date, I've seen two examples- a couple of 100 Year MVR badges (one actually had a pin back with "dammit" clutch fastener rather than the wheel nut) and the Prototype MVR Medical badge on the market. What's next?!!!

[CtahhR]

The mint is an arm of the National Bank. There are a great number of new badges since the collapse of the PRB many of which are now obsolete. Most badges were redesigned for Bulgaria's entrance into NATO. There is a badge for IFOR Iraq 2001 (Pre NATO) and an Entry into NATO badge too not mentioning any academy and anniversary badges but these should be in the "NATO" section of the site. As time passes on more and more will enter the market and prices will deflate. At the moment I only have 8 or so post-PRB badges and a nice selection of medals and the set four orders "For Loyalty Under The Banner". Alike the post-Soviet Russian Federation awards many of these newer awards hark back to the imperial past.