Badge "Industrial Exemplary Worker".

[CtahhR]

Here is the Democratic People's Republic Of Korea Industrial Exemplary Worker Badge (조선민주주의인민공화국 산업모범일꾼). This is numbered No. 1205 with the old Soviet type "No". Unfortunately this badge has also lost its plate and is also from the US Marine group.

[CtahhR]

Here is the 3rd Type Badge, pinback, unnumbered and poorly painted. This badge's paint hasn't faired very well during its underground period.

[EricFG]

Nice stuff. Can that first one be cleaned up any? I'm not a big fan of polishing medals but it looks like it's got a lot of just general grime on it which might not be doing it any good.
I recently got a couple microfibre towels to clean my TV with (with distilled water) and I tried one on my DLM and it cleaned it up nice without removing all the patina.
Worth a shot?

[CtahhR]

I gave it a wipe just after taking those pictures. It doesn't look perfect but it looks far less like it may have been in an industrial accident.

This particular thread was probably the best place to pick out the cleanliness of the items as I have two Type 2s that have been living underground for a long time and don't seem to be "cleanable".

Most DPRK items I get are a real mess when I get them. Some get a quick wipe with a towel, some get a soak in the bath and then a good wipe with a towel, some need soaking and the scrubbing brush (not on painted items though) and some real need "the works". Some items I have received have been the completely wrong shape due to numerous types of things stuck to them but after a few weeks of soaking and scrubbing and "love" they can look good enough to go back on a uniform. It is best to give ALL DPRK items (apart from documents) a good wash when you get your hands on them because you may not know where they have been although I have a good idea and it's not the sort of places in which afterwards you want to be touching them and then putting your fingers anywhere near food or loved ones. Don't go soaking them in bleach or something along that line though because due to the poor construction of most of the items it can be very easy to corrode the plating and "enamel" right off and be leave only the copper base.

[CtahhR]

Here is another Type 1 numbering in the 1700-1750 range. I left the screwplate on to show how small and meagre it is. One deep breath and it could be gone!

[CtahhR]

Here is a Type 2. As you can see it has not had much fun being underground. I have two such Badges numbering 7800-7850 and 9250-9300 and this is the former. Unlike the first type which is very much a 2D Badge this one bulges out somewhat in the centre of the front.

[CtahhR]

A third Type. Numbering must have started at 0 again with this Type. This example is numbered <50 within the hollow.

[CtahhR]

Here is another completely different screwback Type.

[CtahhR]

Here is a considerably heavier Type - constructed from brass rather than copper.

[CtahhR]

Going back, closer to the beginning - #36.