I have not cleaned it. It came that way. It's been stored in it's case since I got it in the early 90's. I just rubbed it on my shirt prior to taking the pictures this morning.....I also like the "small " version of the Red Star Order, makes the other ones look overweight.;)
Paul, in answer to your question. The lowest serial number Red Star I have is 179,555. The highest number is 3,778,382.
I personally count 7 digits on this one, and I can't remember if I did finish that half empty vodka bottle before or after I had a look at your pictures ;)
Looks OK to me in all respects.
I know it is 7 digits, but I it looks like to be the thin variation Red Star with 6 digits (normally numbered under 470 000). Is it possible they engraved 7 digits on a Red Star that should normally have 6 digits???
Examples from 2 of my Red Stars :
#1 Order of the Red Star #733879
#2 Order of the Red Star #380504
I think you need to clarify your terminology here. When you say thin, do you mean the width of the star arm? In other terms, the variation where the arms are pointy.
Soviet,
Your Red Star is OK, there were no changes with the number. About "thick" or "thin" variation I have to say that there is no clear description of such variations. Of course some Red Stars have more pointed tips of star rays and their edge is close to 90 degrees to the surface. That is more correct for early numbers. Later Stars have had rounded tips of star rays and the edge that is more angled to the surface. But it is impossible to create a clear border between them. Some have more rounded tips, some have less... Angle between the edge and the surface is also variable. Sometimes among the high-numbered Stars you can find one that looks like early specimen with pointed tips of the rays. So it does not make any sense to apply this type of classification.
I think you need to clarify your terminology here. When you say thin, do you mean the width of the star arm? In other terms, the variation where the arms are pointy.
Oui c'est ce que je voulais dire.
Exactly!
Thank you Andrei for your explanation. I always thought that early 6 digits numbered Red Stars (I have benn told the one under 470.000) had thinner arms than the later ones. I didn't know later Red Stars also had thinner arms.
Ok it seems pretty usual to find those "thin Red Stars" with higher serial numbers. Could they have made these Red Stars earlier and then numbered them later on?
Of course it is possible. But in this case they would be organized as a group with close serial numbers. However, they spread between "thick" Stars without any particular pattern. So for me this question is still open. It could be because of the variations in technological process or something else.
I just do not use this thickness feature in classification because it is not constant.
