Order Of Skënderbeu.

[Gerd]

Order of Skanderbeg 2nd class

[Lapa]

It looks like a cheap badge! Quite a difference from Soviet manufactured orders.

Marc

[Gerd]

Absolutely, its not very well made. Like with every other communist award the soviet made Skanderbergs are much nicer than this local procuction.

Gerd

[DutchBoy]

Some more details on this order I just found:

"Urdhëri i Skënderbeut"

Instituted 1945-1956.

Named after the Albanian prince Georg Kastriota Skanderbeg, who in the mid 1400s led an uprising against the Turks and drove them out of Albania.

The order can be awarded to higher officers for remarkable contributions to the struggle for liberation against the invading Italians and Germans during World War 2.

The order has 3 classes, with the star for each class worn on the right side of the breast.

1st class: 5 pointed red-enameled star, in gold, with a silver central medallion showing Skanderbeg in profile. The laurel wreath around the central medallion is in gold.

2nd class: same as above, but is of silver with gold wreath.

3rd class: 5 pointed star without enamel, wreath of silver, and the outer part of the order between the star points is smooth (no rays) as in the other two classes.

The ribbon is red, with 1, 2, or 3 blue vertical stripes depending on the class of the order.

source: "Europaeiske Ordner i Farver" 1966.

[medals73]

Order of Skanderberg / Urdhëri i Skënderbeut, 3rd class, type 1, var. 2

Established 13 October 1945.

Made by Präwena.

[medals73]

Order of Skanderberg / Urdhëri i Skënderbeut, 2nd class, type 2, var. 4

Made in Tirana.

[Tomahawk]

Hi guys,
I´ve seen some of this orders in Ebay with nice prices, has Albanian orders fakes?
What can be a good price for them?
Thanks!

[CtahhR]

There are fakes of Albanian items but they are very few and far between. The local production of awards were so poor that in comparison to the externally produced items they can look to be fakes (Albania and DPRK produced awards can be exceptionally poor quality).

"How much?" is a rather complicated question when dealing with 3 classes and many different production runs. As a guide anything "pin back" under $30 and most 3rd classes (including the documented screwback example above) go for under $10-15. Screwback, documented 1st Classes are something else all together.

[Tomahawk]

Thanks for the answer CtahhR!
My doubt was because I saw this order from 10$ the second class (only order) to 140$ the third class (only order). Also Order of Freedom/Liberty for 40$ so I was full of doubts.
And also, what you said, the quality looks like bad made, but it´s good to know this information.
Thanks a lot!

[Bob]

Awarded to Hamit Tahir Bilali on 18th July 1960 "For conscientious and tireless labour during 15 years service to the armed forces of the People's Republic Of Albania"

Further research shows Hamit Bilali as #180 in the list of partisans in the Battalion "Çamëria". The unit liberated the town of Libohovë.

Many Albanian awards are now completely researchable too.

Please expand on that last comment.

Research as in google a name if you have somebody's document... or research as in:
- access to archives
- link numbered 3rd class skanderbegs to individuals
- etc