Badge "Excellent Soviet Army".

[SVT-40]

Two other badges. The one on the right is dated "68" at the top on the reverse. Kind of interesting to see the pin back and screw back together.

[EricFG]

And here it is, a full 25 days in the mail from Sofia Blugaria. :mad:
This is the proficient army soldier badge.
Worth the wait though as it completes the early excellent soldier series. :)

I'm beginning to like these type badges a lot so perhaps I will start collecting variations? Man, this addiction is compelling. ;)

[Commissar]

Very nice! :)
It even looks nice and old timey.

I've only got one excellent soldier badge and it is fairly modern.
I'm all paranoid about getting these older ones because I hear they are often faked.

[EricFG]

Yeah, the 80s versions of these are crappy; light alloy and paint.
These in particular aren't being faked that I know of. I think you might be confusing ОТЛИЧНИК badges with ОТЛИЧНЫЙ badges. Of the former there are only three: Army, Navy and Air Farce and are post-war. Of the later there are many many variaties like excellent mortarman, excellent tanker, excllent driver, excllent baker and so on. Those are the rarer ones, more expensive and can be found faked.

[deValcourt]

I didn't know about all the differences until recently. I had an 80s version of the Army shield below. I picked up the one like yours from Sofia at a Gun Show last weekend. I got that and a Ударнику with an original (I think) screw plate (pictured in next post). Oh, and an MVD 20-year long service medal all for $10 - he asked $15. There he was with all his Nazi :censored around his booth and I just asked him if he had any Soviet items because a CCCP naval patch caught my eye. He got out a small box buried under a heap of junk and produced mostly tourist badges and one medal.

Phillip

(Yeah, I know about the photos...but I was in a hurry)

The backs of both for further contrast.

[KDVR]

IMO the needle system of this badge was replaced by the screw system. Has someone a complete on of this type to show? I think it is an old, very nice enameled, badge. Does someone know the year when this type was issued? 1950ies? Thank you ;-)

[Alfred]

I think it was bestowed in 1957.

regards
Andreas

[EricFG]

Here's mine. I thought I had a screwback but no.
Yours, I'd guess, is a home-made repair with an unmarked screwplate.

[CtahhR]

Here is an earlier, heavier copper example.

[CtahhR]

A later, lighter aluminium example.