My Afghan stuff ...

[Dat Nguyen]

Ahhh ... Camp Bastion. I call it a very nice suburb next to Hell. That place is absolutely miserable. My utmost respect to the soldiers serving at that hot dusty hell hole.

During my last trip there, I offered good money for any Afghan medals and order ... I even offer $20 to buy any ribbon for the KhAD medal. None. Unless you were able to go to the shops in the city of Kabul, you will not find any medals/badges at the bazaar on the military bases. The vendors makes more money selling trinkets, rugs, gem stone (real and fake), cheap souvenir. They don't want to waste their time looking, buying Afghan medals and risk not making their money back. We, as collectors, are concern with the condition of the medal, does it have the proper ribbons and so forth. They really don't understand that and don't want to waste their time on us.

Now that the supply of medals has dried up, prices for the remaining stuff are crazy high. I have no clue how they come up with the asking prices. Well .. I can of do ... Most Afghan vendors don't understand the concept of a repeated buyer. You offer your items at a fair price, I will buy them, come back to buy more and bring my friends with me to drum up more business for you. Nope, the vendors want to make ridiculous profit on everything. Eventually some unsuspecting soldier will pay for that medal.

v/r
Dat

[medals73]

I got to know some of the Afghan dealers in Delhi, as they traveled down to sell and buy (and drink). When I was in Afghanistan (with the UN, not with any military) I was able to visit Chicken Street, chat with some of the dealers I knew, and trry to entice them to dig stuff out. After I left Kabul (heading out to the wild-wild east) I wasn't able to stay in touch (though Afghan friends did so on my behalf until they have had to leave Afghanistan due to working with the UN) and my freedom of movement in Jelalabad was much more restricted (as a price of $50,000 had been put on the heads -- literally -- of the UN monitors -- I bet some wish they could have collected on THAT?).

[Dat Nguyen]

Order of the Saur Revolutions, Order of the Red Banner, and Order of Friendships are with serial numbers.

v/r
Dat

[medals73]

Order of the Saur Revolutions, Order of the Red Banner, and Order of Friendships are with serial numbers.

v/r
Dat

Thanks much, this is what I'd have predicted. I've never seen a type 2 Order oif Gallantry (what you have) or an Order of Glory numbered.

[Dat Nguyen]

Thanks much, this is what I'd have predicted. I've never seen a type 2 Order oif Gallantry (what you have) or an Order of Glory numbered.

The epoxy enamel on the Order of Glory are so thin, I have seen many damaged ones.

A few years back, a vendor had a bag with at least 30 Order of the Star, 2nd Class, type 2 for sale. None had any hanger or ribbons. Someone cut off the top of the star so there are no ring on top. I figure that someone was about to melt down these stars for the metal content, cut off the hangers, then realized that it was silver plated ... not solid silver. Oh well.

[CtahhR]

you can find a similar situation with DPRK items. Deep cuts into the reverse or bits snipped off to check for metal content. No doubt a considerable number of people have been very disappointed when they found out they didn't have solid silver.

[medals73]

The epoxy enamel on the Order of Glory are so thin, I have seen many damaged ones.

Yes, despite being a fairly high award, the Glory is never well made and often very poorly made (especially when compared to something like the Saur Revolution, either type). And it is frequently damaged. Took me a long time to get an example in decent condition.

Many of the Afghan items I saw in New Delhi had been sent down for the scrap metal market, whether they were of silver or pot metal, and all sorts of things got wholesaled down for melting. And many were chopped into pieces, partially for testing the metal content and partially for ease in transport melting. The things found in Kabul were generally in better condition.

[Dat Nguyen]

OK folks ... Here are some sample of other non-medal "stuff" I managed to sent back over the years from Afghanistan. These items were produced by the Kabul State Arsenal (Kabul Royal Armoury) aka The Mashin Khana. They were in production from around 1890 till the mid 1920.

In this photo, a really hard to find Kukri with its scabbard and a contract Wilkinson Pattern 1903 bayonet for the SMLE rifle with Afghan makings on the tang.

Afghan produced Pattern 1888 12 inch blade to mount on the British Lee Metford rifle. The really really hard to find Pattern 1888 with a 16 inch blade ... the scabbard is even harder to find. The Afghan are the only one that made these bayonet with a 16 inch blade and is made to mount specifically on their .303 Martini Henry rifle.

Bigger stuff that goes bang.

Martini Henry Carbines for cavalry troops in .577/450 and .303

These rifles are very nicely made and as heavy as the long rifles.

More Martini Henry Rifles

- Long rifle in .577/450 ; most common since it was the infantry rifle. Some with side bayonet mount; otherwise a socket bayonet.

- Short Rifle in .303 ; was in production up to the 1920's. Uses a the Afghan 16inch Pattern 1888 bayonet.

- Short Rifle in .577/450 ; no provision for a bayonet. Rarest of the rifles. I have only seen 6.

A rifle is just a rifle. However, when you fixed a pointy bayonet on the end, it signal to the other guys that you mean business.

The long bayonet and the proper scabbard are worth more than the rifle.

[CtahhR]

"They don't like it up 'em"
Clive Dunn 1920-2012

[Ralph Pickard]

Felix - Seeing your collection of medals you posted in your photo got me thinking about the number of Afghan medals. Is there any other Afghan medals you don't have?

The entire collection. Is it enough for you or do you need more evidences ?