A fairly new badge, this piece is made from a substantial jewelers' alloy, is screw backed and not numbered. The enamel is of the cold variety. The small "highlights" in the green area are caused by on-camera flash hitting raised portions (dust perhaps) of the green enamel, and are not so apparent under normal light. Not my favorite piece because of the workmanship and, frankly, "ho-hum" design, it still has a place in my collection for what it is.
"We are Marching for the Victory of Communist Labour" V.I. Ulyanov (Lenin)
Interesting to see the correct use of the cauduceus (the two crossed symbols at the bottom) as a representation of commerce. It is often incorrectly used in the medical sphere when they should use the "rod of Asclepius" which has a single snake and no wings. Apparently the confusion started in 1902 when a US Army medical unit had a badge designed by an officer who did not know what he was doing. Obviously the designer of the customs badge did!
In Britain we've never had the problem of the confused customs snakes. Until 2005 we used the Portcullis. Since then we just use the crown. Not very Communist I know but rather distinct. Who's to say you could change that crown over the Portcullis to a PMR Hammer and Sickle?
I have a bias towards Customs items being a descendant of the final Assistant Chief Preventative Officer (equivalent to Commander in the Navy or Lieutenant Colonel in the Army) of the Port of Goole (Goole is no longer a port of entry). I
do have interesting times with customs officers around the world.
I believe I have one of these Badges in a pile somewhere. The quality of PMR items (not made in the Russian Federation) is generally poor to sloppy, with ministerial awards (particularly Badges) being the poorest relatives in the award family.
