Badge "For Creative Success".

[deValcourt]

An eBay seller I've dealt with before (which doesn't make everything "kosher";)) has this exact badge/medal for sale in both his English and German language locations (exact same pictures) with auctions ending an hour apart. The description says "About 100 persons have been awarded." This was for the 1957 exhibition in Moscow and I've seen others from different years posted somewhere on the forum with hefty price tags.

My problem(s) with this is that if they are so rare, why does he have two of them for sale and then I suspect he'll have two more later. The same seller has had some of these from different years (1954, 1956) from what I can remember. The other thing to keep in mind is that they are coming from Estonia.

'Nuff said other than the big question: Does anyone have a clue as to whether these are even remotely real? They sure do look pretty.:D

Phillip

[Kirchgoens]

Beats me on the "100" theory (but I doubt it). I've got one of these tucked away somewhere. The photos are not that good, so it's tough to say. I do know that the one I've got is a beautiful badge, very, very nice quality, much better than what you'd expect.

[Nota Bene]

Looks genuine to me. I have seen/sold several of them.

Alexei

[Kirchgoens]

Here's what I see, having just found my digital images: these are (as you see from Phillip's "Estonian" version) republic-based, but otherwise identical. I have the Uzbek version from the '51 Moscow exhibition. It has a hand-engraved s/n in the 600+ range (thus probably eliminating the "100" theory), and also has an "MD" mint mark at the very bottom. The s/n is at the bottom above the mint mark and below the text. The suspension is gold-plated on both sides. It is a very nice badge. I don't have Photoshop on this machine to give you images right now. I have a vague memory that I might have posted them on the forum many moons ago?

I found the old posting.

[Keith]

These are commonly available in Estonia, price is usually 10-20 usd. At any point in time, there must be 5 or 10 of these for sale in Tallinn. They must have made thousands of these. This price is actually much too high compared to the availability - this badge must be listed in a Russian catalog somewhere.

Keith

[deValcourt]

Here's what I see, having just found my digital images: these are (as you see from Phillip's "Estonian" version) republic-based, but otherwise identical. I have the Uzbek version from the '51 Moscow exhibition. It has a hand-engraved s/n in the 600+ range (thus probably eliminating the "100" theory), and also has an "MD" mint mark at the very bottom. The s/n is at the bottom above the mint mark and below the text. The suspension is gold-plated on both sides. It is a very nice badge. I don't have Photoshop on this machine to give you images right now. I have a vague memory that I might have posted them on the forum many moons ago?

I knew I had seen it somewhere on this forum and I remember the differences now - a serial number and mint mark (neither of which is on the ones for sale).

These are commonly available in Estonia, price is usually 10-20 usd. At any point in time, there must be 5 or 10 of these for sale in Tallinn. They must have made thousands of these. This price is actually much too high compared to the availability - this badge must be listed in a Russian catalog somewhere.

Keith

The reason I remember this one is that I do see these for sale rather often and from this same seller. The years change a bit, but the same non-serial-numbered or mint-marked pieces.

Esteban - one went for $63~ and the other for $48~. I emailed the seller and we agreed on a less expensive route - not quite as low as what Keith is talking about, but reasonable for such good-looking pieces. Plus, they fit into my "arts, music and literature" side of my collection (usually MVD festival badges, ironically enough. But, I'm still looking for the KGB "laureate" medal:D).

Thank you all gentlemen.

Phillip

[ericlida]

I don't see any problems with the badge.
I believe it's original and rare badge.