Gold Star "Hero Of Socialist Labour".

[new world]

One of the dealers has this amazing HSL group for sale.

I'll let him do the talking:

"Gold Star "Hammer and Sickle" of a Hero of Socialist Labor, #9501, with complete documentation (all three "Hero's" award documents), issued in 1961 for contribution to the world’s first manned space flight.
Awarded to Nikolay Markichev by 17 June 1961 decree of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. The Hammer and Sickle Medal is in excellent condition, with complete original suspension and original screw plate.

Documents: order booklet; Hero's ID ("small certificate"), fine quality booklet bound in leather, with photo of the recipient; large certificate for the Title of Hero in hard presentation folder and original issue case, containing a citation from the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. Both the "small" and the "large" certificate are hand-signed by Leonid Brezhnev, then Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet. Few years later he was to became the Soviet leader after unseating Khruschev in a bloodless coup.

Brezhnev's autograph in black Indian ink is slightly smeared in the "small" document but is completely intact in the "large" certificate. The order booklet shows only two decorations: the Hero Star and the Order of Lenin that was issued with it (the Lenin is missing).

All three documents are in excellent condition. They were issued on 19 June 1961, merely two days after the Title of Hero of Socialist Labor was bestowed upon Markichev by the Supreme Soviet. The text of the citation in both Hero’s certificates is as follows, "For outstanding achievements in creating new designs of rocket technology and facilitating the successful flight of a Soviet person into space".

Nikolay Markichev was apparently one of the leading engineers or scientists that made Gagarin's flight possible. This extraordinary group represents a landmark achievement in the conquest of space and one of the most memorable events in modern history. "

A person that made Gagarin's flight possible!!!

Large HSL Gramota:

The entire group:

[new world]

Another example of pinback version of HSL Star - SN 20830:

This pinback HSL Star was awarded in 1986 and is part of awesome Chernobyl Nuclear disaster liquidator.

Here's seller's description:

"Complete Group of 7 decorations and 7 documents for Chernobyl Clean-Up including LATEST TYPE PINBACK Gold Star “Hammer and Sickle” not shown in McDaniel’s “Comprehensive Guide”. Comes with 2 original issue cases and 4 McDaniel authentication certificates.
Decorations: Gold Medal "Hammer and Sickle" of a Hero of Socialist Labor, Type 2 Variation 4 with pin back suspension, #20830, in the original issue box, December 24, 1986 issue; Order of Lenin, Type 6 Var. 3, #459687 issued with the star; Order of Badge of Honor, #351827, 1962 issue; Medal for Valiant Labor, unnumbered, 1956; Labor Veteran’s Medal; Medal for Reclaiming the Virgin Lands, Lenin’s Centenary Medal (labor issue).

The Gold Star and the Order of Lenin are in mint condition – both are rated at incredible 10 out of 10 by Paul McDaniel. The other awards are in excellent condition.

Documents: hard-covered large certificate for the Title of Hero of Socialist Labor in the original issue box (both the document and the box differ from more common earlier issues); December 1986 order booklet containing entries for the “Hammer and Sickle” Star and the Lenin; order booklet for the 1962 Badge of Honor; hard-covered certificate for the Valiant Labor Medal containing a nice photo of the recipient in his younger years; award documents for the other three medals.

Included are four McDaniel authentication certificates: for the “Hammer and Sickle” Medal, Order of Lenin, large document for the Hero Title and the 1986 order booklet.

Awarded to Aleksandr Usanov, who was deputy Minister of “Medium” Machine-Building at the time of the Chernobyl catastrophe. His area of responsibilities was construction of nuclear sites, most likely for both civilian and military purposes. Usanov was among the very first of the Moscow nuclear management to fly to the site of the disaster. He arrived there on May 1, 1986 after supervising the previously scheduled launch of the Ingalinskaya Nuclear Station in Lithuania. By then the radiation level reached at the devastated Chernobyl Station reached 17 thousand Roentgens per hour, an instantly lethal dose for all living creatures. Usanov became the chief of the ad-hoc central headquarters for “eliminating the breakdown” (a rather euphemistic term coined in Moscow to conceal the scope of the disaster). For his heroic work Usanov was made Hero of Socialist Labor on 24 December 1986.

His Hero of Socialist Labor citation very much resembles the Hero of Soviet Union citations for military heroism. It reads, for “valor, selfless action, and heroic labor shown during the elimination of the breakdown at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station and liquidation of its consequences”. "

HSL Gramota for Chernobyl Liquidator:

A seller/dealer in Russia claims to have rather unique HSL group for sale:

- 2 Hero Socialist Labor medals (2nd HSL has II on the reverse and is on pin-back suspension)
- 6 Lenin orders
- Red Banner Labor
- October Revolution
- 2 Badge of Honor orders
- medals
- 5 Deputee of Supreve Soviet of USSR badges

By the sellers description, family decided to keep award documents - hence Xerox copies will be provided.

Interesting enough, dealer is trying to sell this group without pictures, just by verbal description.

Nevertheless, 2 HSL group raised interest and some potential buyers offering good $$$ for the group - $8000-9000.

Since all of this activity happens on a certain Russian forum, I am not sure if the offers are real ones. Also, questions remain if the group actually exists.

What makes me concerned - is the lack of scans for this group.

William

[Stepanovich]

I'm posting a couple of pics of my HSL. #15,699 weighs 14.75 grams. Awarded in 1971
Steve

[Nota Bene]

Here's #15675.

Alexei

[Bill Garvy]

Order Book (small), #022029, for the Order & Title Hero of Socialist Labor dated August 11th, 1966 issued to Vasiliy Yakovlevich Slyusarev, on August 5th, 1966, “For special merits in the implementation of the Seven-Year Plan and the achievement of high production figures.”

[Bill Garvy]

Documents group of Yuri Vasil’yevich Trube, Order Book (small), #021940, for the Order & Title Hero of Socialist Labor, with photograph dated April 21st, 1967, “For the successes achieved in increasing production and harvesting of grain in 1966” (За достигнутые успехи в увеличении производства и заготовок зерна в 1966 году), April 19th, 1967

[Bill Garvy]

Order Book (large) for the Order & Title Hero of Socialist Labor dated April 21st, 1967, “For the successes achieved in increasing production and harvesting of grain in 1966” (За достигнутые успехи в увеличении производства и заготовок зерна в 1966 году), April 19th, 1967

[Al-muell]

Free transportation coupons booklet for the HSL Grigoriy Amvrosijevich Tkachenko:
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A2...B2%D0%B8%D1%87
He got the Gold Hammer & Sickle in 1958.

[Al-muell]

He was also active during the GPW:
http://podvignaroda.ru/?#id=14243717...vDetailManCard

[Militaryman1000]

Hello, Would like opinions on this Socialist Labor Order. I have never seen one of these and know next to nothing about them. It would be great to own one of these though as I like the design
Thanks
John