Medal "Defender Of Free Russia".

[scook17]

Before Yeltsin came to power, there was siege of the Russian parliament building in Moscow, or the 'white house' as I' heard it called.

A number of those who defended the building were awarded a medal for 'Defence of free Russia'. As far as I know there were only issued in silver, and are serial numbered.

However, I've seen them available in bronze, without a serial number. An example is attached. Were these also issued in bronze, perhaps a lower class, or is this a fake?

Kind Regards,
Shane Cook.

[Tal Inbar]

Well, according to some experts only the silver color is genuine and the bronze is a fake.
There were no classes to the medals, and original cost $90-110. I saw the gold color offered for $30.00.

Please take a look at:

http://www.netdialogue.com/yy/Russia...FreeRussia.htm

[Nota Bene]

Hi,

The bronze is not a fake, but an unfinished mint product before Ni-plating. Apparently a bunch of them were stollen from the mint.

Interestingly, according to the Statute signed by Yeltsin in 1992, the medal was supposed to me made of tombac, but I have never seen one yet. Even medals with very low serial numbers are made of Ni-plated brass.

[Art]

Alexei,

Tombac is just another term for German-Silver or White Metal or Pot Metal correct?

Volodin/Merlai says tombac is 3-10% zinc and the remainder copper.

Art

[Nota Bene]

Art,

True. Sometimes the so called half-tombacs (alloy of Cu with 10-20% Zn) are also called tombac.

Alexei

[Nota Bene]

Taz,

I think it's probably OK. It has to be numbered on the reverse, but I have also seen one without a number.

Alexei

[Taz]

Alexei,

Thanks for your opinion, the details do look sharp.The thing that was worrying me most was the missing award number but maybe it hadn,t been issued, or do you know any other reason?

Eddie

[Nota Bene]

Eddie,

I think it's most likely unissued.

Alexei

[j h beers]

The example of this medal that I have is gold in color. Some reference books show silver, some gold. Does anybody know what the proper color of the metal is supposed to be?

For the record, I've seen a number of these over the years at many different shows (in both gold and silver) but none of them have had a serial number...

JHB

[Taz]

Hi JHB,
http://www.netdialogue.com/yy/Russia...FreeRussia.htm
under this link there are a few pics, and the bottom Two are of a Gold coloured medal, It however says that they are un-documented and could be Fakes. So I think Original Medals are Silver but I,m not 100% sure.
As regards to the serial number, in one of my Catalogs from a few years back one was being sold with an award number, that is why I asked if this was generally the case. By the look of things though a lot of Medals are in circulation without numbers.
Eddie