Title "Meritorious Rationaliser Of The Estonian SSR".

[new world]

Rare badge from Estonian SSR - Honored Rationalizer/Inventor.
Note low serial number - numbered N 280.
Diameter of a medal - 26 mm.

[Tal Inbar]

What exactly is written on the medal?

[Tretov]

Eesti Noukogoude Sosialistemaaks Vabariig - For Distinction/Excellence in Rationalization.

My estonian friend explained the text like this:

"it mean like somebody worked a lot [in making things run smoother and easier in production] and he is got some medal
like you work, work, work, and get it". :)


/Patrik

[Keith]

The medal says Estonian SSR Honored Rationalizer. The award was initiated in 1960 and there were about 400-500 issued. There is a flood of these in Tallinn now, many with asking prices of less than $2. This is not the official award, the official "honored" badge of the ESSR is a small, well designed pin that just says ESSR on it. This small ESSR pin is the official award of all the honored titles of distinction in ESSR. There are also alot of the Estonian SSR Honored Builder unofficial awards that can be had for the same price in Tallinn. There is a similar badge, Estonian SSR Honored Inventor, which is identical to this rationalizer badge, but gold in color, which I have seen only once.
Based on conversations with collectors in Estonia, I suspect that these unofficial Honored badges were issued subsequently, perhaps by the ministry or union which had jurisdiction over that particular profession. How so many of these became available is a complete mystery to me, I would be surprised if fakers would make this to sell it for $2. Perhaps there was a reception for all Honored Rationalizers in Estonia to receive this unofficial award, and all the ones for the people who could not receive this award have been dumped in the public markets.

I have to correct what I wrote earlier....I found this today looking into the ESSR law:

36. Eesti NSV Ülemnõukogu Presiidiumi 1961. a. 25.
novembri otsus "Rinnamärkide "Eesti NSV teeneline leiutaja" ja
"Eesti NSV teeneline ratsionaliseerija" kirjelduse kinnitamise
kohta" (ENSV Ülemnõukogu Teataja 1961, 47, 159).

37. Eesti NSV Ülemnõukogu Presiidiumi 1961. a. 23.
detsembri otsus "Rinnamärgi "Eesti NSV teeneline ehitaja"
kirjelduse kinnitamise kohta" (ENSV Ülemnõukogu Teataja 1961,
51, 176; 1962, 13, 32).

These are acts establishing separate official badges for the three badges I mentioned, Honored Inventor, Rationalizer, and Builder. I also found this establishing a badge for honored Athlete:

40. Eesti NSV Ülemnõukogu Presiidiumi 1964. a. 25.
jaanuari otsus "Rinnamärgi "Eesti NSV teeneline sporditegelane"
kirjelduse kinnitamise kohta" (ENSV Ülemnõukogu Teataja 1964, 5,
28).

These are the only ones I saw, there was nothing on the other 43 titles of distinction for ESSR. I will research these more and find the full law when I go to the Estonian State Archive in June.

Keith

[Lauri]

Hi,
this rationalization medals is possible to get in Tallinn very large quantities. Price less then 1 usd. All are serial numbered.

[Tal Inbar]

Well, either the Estonians were VERY good at work in the Soviet times, or, those badges are being faked..........

T