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Liam,
Pricing is a subjective exercise (Man, I sound like I'm teaching Mktg101 again  )
Seriously, in the field of Soviet OMDs, you need to look around at what is offered, how often, in what quantities, etc. Most people on this forum have years of experience, hence have been following more or less closely the price evolution of our addiction for that long.
All I can tell you is that until recently, the market for Soviet OMDs was completely disconnected from the real world. There has been a rather severe price adjustment taking place over the past 6~8 months. If you look at the site of "a certain dealer in NJ", who like it or not tends to be one of the main references in this field (albeit at the very stratospheric end of the scale), you'll see that on average, he has lowered his prices on average by about 50 to 60%, and that is all over the range from the very rare to the very common.
E! is another gauge, although, like all auctions, aberrations happen.
I have noticed that, quite understandably, some sellers are trying to ask for "pre-crisis" prices, sometimes because they did spend that much to acquire the item. Unfortunately, unless you are dealing with a mega rarity, this won't be very practical. If you intend to actively purchase Soviet OMDs, my advice is to shop around, take your time, look for item condition - full price is only for pristine examples, others go at a discount, compare prices.
I believe that you should use your common sense in deciding if a medal or an order is worth what the seller asks for. For example, how can an order issued about 500,000 times, 75% of which being given for long service, be worth $600~$700? IMHO, there is simply no logic nor reason for it. Remember, what is rare will always remain rare, but what is common is highly unlikely to ever become rare (although there has been multiple attempts to demonstrate the contrary, including a thread on this forum relating to the T3 OPW... :laff).
Do not hesitate to ask the members, they can most likely provide you with the information you need. Oh, and one last word of caution: BEWARE OF FAKES, the Soviet OMD field is replete with them :mad:
Marc
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Yes, I couldn't agree more.
Also, if you want to have a rough estimate of the value of a certain award, you can go to eBay, click on 'Advanced Search' on the right on the main page, select 'Completed listings' at the check box below and type the name of the award you want to know the value of. It's pretty useful for getting a ballpark value of a common award.
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Auke Wrote:Also, if you want to have a rough estimate of the value of a certain award, you can go to eBay, click on 'Advanced Search' on the right on the main page, select 'Completed listings' at the check box below and type the name of the award you want to know the value of. It's pretty useful for getting a ballpark value of a common award. I agree with that as well. Completed auctions are a good barometer of recent pricing. I generally throw out the top two and bottom two prices and then make some sort of a general average.
And what Marc said is very informative.
"patina imparts character" - PJS
A wise man said: 'you should not pay a premium for what you want beyond your comfort level, and always ensure there is a mutually agreeable return policy.'
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I agree with Marc.
To add, I've purchased things from different dealers and from auctions for both ends of the spectrum. In my haste when I first started buying more rare things, I bought on impulse instead of doing my research first. I have also gotten some items for steals from different arenas. Your best bet, in my opinion, is to compare everything before you buy. An educated buyer is the most dangerous and the best. The best gauge is to look at completed auctions, "buy it now" prices (referring to both sites/dealers and auctions), and the rarity index on the front of this forum. Often times it can lead to seeing a trend, such as an R1 going for far more than they are worth all across the board (thus fewer are available right this minute).
I've learned a lot from my few short months collecting, especially since I've overpaid for a solid month when I first started, haha.
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To your original question, no, there are no reliable published price guides for Soviet orders, medals, paperwork, badges, etc.
Liam Wrote:Just wondered how knowledgeable sellers and buyers determine prices.
lol... after typing and erasing for 10 minutes I've decided this question is unanswerable. Not really... but it would take a long time to answer well. If it could be.
In short there is no yardstick, no guide. Lots of opinions. No rules. It is almost purely a case of “what it’s worth to you.” And “how bad the seller needs the money.”
The most common pitfalls to watch out for are:
1) Disparate knowledge. You’ll pay more than you have to if the seller knows more than you do. (Marc’s comments on rarity for example.)
2) Fakes. There are a lot of them out there.
3) Quality. What is quality, to you, and how do you recognize it? Unless you define this first you’ll buy stuff you wouldn’t if you’d thought about it more. For example, some folks want war medals, some want shiny medals, some want medals awarded to guys who flew airplanes, some only want them to “secret agents”. The list is endless. What exactly are you going for in collecting?
One warning: buying for resale should only be done after you're at the point where you're no longer asking the question "how do knowledgeable sellers and buyers determine prices.”
Liam Wrote:Some stuff on EBay looks ridiculous and on different websites prices vary wildly even accounting for authenticity and quality.
Welcome to Thunderdome.
Steiner: "Why do you want it so badly? It's just a worthless piece of metal. Look."
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Prices are guided by all the factors mentioned previously. Believe it or not most Soviet award prices are guided by the New Jersey dealer, and that's world wide. This is for various reasons. In truth, take about 20%-30% off the price and you are about there for realistic price.
In the end YOU dictate the price. If you really want something then what the price is doen't become relevant. If several people want the same thing thats where the prices vary.
The world financial climate has also effected prices around the world with significant drops on some items. Though one day you can get a good deal but the next the price is triple what you would have payed yesterday.
I also think that now the world of research on awards has opened and become readily available, has also effected the prices on numbered pieces. this is a discussion all by itself though 
Basically my advice is do your homework before buying, ask if you don't know and enjoy the experience.
Brendan 
"If we come to a minefield, our infantry attacks exactly as it were not there."
Marshall Geogi Zhukov to General Eisenhower, 1945
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ANZAC Wrote:In truth, take about 20%-30% off the price and you are about there for realistic price.
I´d say a little more than those percentages. But that´s just me.
There's nothing in the streets
Looks any different to me
And the slogans are replaced, by-the-bye
And the parting on the left
Are now parting on the right
And the beards have all grown longer overnight
The Who, Won't get fooled again
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A bit off topic but I'm quite happy to see newer members here adding well informed opinions.
We were all in the same situation as Liam at one point. If one's addiction is strong enough the hours spent surfing forums like this, the different eBays, the few good dealers that are left and asking questions can yield some serious satisfaction.
And back on point I might add that the 'Avers' publications can be helpful as far as pricing goes. The later ones may be more accurate but still need to be taken with multiple salt grains as desireability and collectablity, and therefore prices, can change almost overnight.
"patina imparts character" - PJS
A wise man said: 'you should not pay a premium for what you want beyond your comfort level, and always ensure there is a mutually agreeable return policy.'
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ANZAC Wrote:...Believe it or not most Soviet award prices are guided by the New Jersey dealer, and that's world wide...
Can someone let me know via pm this New Jersey delaer...?
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