When did you start collecting Soviet Awards?

[Tretov]

I am completely confused. Alexei, how can you JUST NOW have joined the collecting community? Isn't a dealer a collector who resells things he collects?

Not necessarily, IMHO... for example, a car dealer does not necessary collect cars just because he sells them.

[ekclete]

I am completely confused. Alexei, how can you JUST NOW have joined the collecting community? Isn't a dealer a collector who resells things he collects?

I know several dealers who do not collect nor ever collected. Their interest has nothing to do with history or collecting rather just buying low and selling high most anything they can. Thanks Clete

[jefflgarrison]

Not necessarily, IMHO... for example, a car dealer does not necessary collect cars just because he sells them.

A used car dealer does.

[Nota Bene]

In my past life as a dealer I've never collected them, but when I was liquidating my stock I have put aside a bunch of medals for myself, which lead to collecting

Alexei

[Eryk]

...but when I was liquidating my stock...

Being a forum devoted to things Soviet perhaps "when I was selling off my stock" would be a more appropriate phrase.



(It's a joke! A joke! :thumbsup)

Welcome to the ranks, Alexei. Your past participation bears great responsibility for me being in this hobby at all, meant in the best possible way. The huge selection of modestly priced pieces on your sales site, your unfailing responsiveness, your constant integrity, the ease with which you conducted business, your excellent advice and willingness to say "I don't know" when you don't... it goes on and on.

As for getting started, looking through my receipts it was actually in the year 2000. I bought a single group, then didn't buy anything else for years. Wasn't into collecting per se, just history. Ah well, hindsight is 20/20. And this isn't a speculative venture for me anyway The reciept also shows who I bought it from - of course it's Alexei!

[Christophe]

I have noticed in an other thread not dedicated to this, that new members begin to tell stories about their first steps in the world of collecting Soviet awards. Please, do it here....

Some months I have not updated this poll...

But, many new Members have recently joined us : we are now more than 2000 Members.

For those who have not already voted, please do !! Today, 138 votes (certainly a good score, but could always be better )... Please, VOTE !! And tell your stories !!!!! :thumbsup :thumbsup

Cheers.

Ch.

[ECD3]

Well, since this was bumped today.....I'll post here. I started collecting in January of this year (2009). I was cleaning my grandmother's basement, and found an old book titled "Destroyers" and it looked like there were pictures in the book, so I decided to open it (I like pictures, especially of cool WWII things). I looked through it, but felt something stuck on the first page. I went to the front and there was an inscription to my grandfather as well as a Pacific Campaign medal for WWII. My grandfather served on a destroyer in the pacific during the war. Well, unsure of what it was and what it was worth, I looked it up via search engines, which led me to some famous sites. I never knew there was a collecting ring for awards, nevermind soviet ones. I searched on some auction sites and soon purchased my first soviet award. I have always loved history and actually specialized in soviet politics in college. I own maybe every WWII video game ever, and I have a ton of soviet items from over the years.

So my first award was a Victory over Germany with document. I love collecting things, so I became addicted to the research and shopping that becomes involved. I actually collect alcohol bottles from all over the world, and have done so for years. Anyway, I soon bought more and more campaign medals and then graduated, thanks to Anzac/Brendan, to serial numbered awards. My collection has grown quite a bit over these short few months, but I am hoping to get some more high end stuff as I make some money, haha.

Yeah that's it...:chuckle

[CtahhR]

I've always collected Medals, Britain's violent history ensures the nation is covered with them. Soviet stamps were more my concern when things started flooding westwards after the collapse. I've always enjoyed the stories of the "Russian Front" and grew up with many folks who had fled during the Civil War knocking about but I didn't really get into collecting Soviet awards until January 2007. Even then many Medals and even OPW'85s were available for under £10. I used this forum and website as a guide and got stuck in. I got a few hundred in the first few months before changing my focus more towards Bulgaria. I signed up here to view all the great images but was limited in ability to relay items in the collection due to lack of photographic equipment. This lead to some saying things along the lines of "all bark" but I think that tune has changed since. The number of Soviet awards in the collection is now over 800 but in areas I have given a little more focus - Bulgaria and DPRK the number has swelled to over 2000 and 1500 respectively with considerably more non-award "bits" too.

The number of awards in the collection from all around the world is now over 6800 with new additions every day.

The focus now is less on picking up metal bits but actually opening up the stories behind the awards. I certainly always try to obtain the related documents and then try to obtain the back story. It is really amazing now that Bulgarian awards are researchable.

The best part of the hobby is being able to present all the obscure items and the stories behind them here. Expect considerably more new items showing up.

[CtahhR]

I know many people have wandering into and out of collecting Soviet awards due to the prices but with the prices of most of the array of awards plummeting it's a really good time to be collecting. Documented Medals For Bravery for $10 really do it for me. Almost 1992 prices! With the cheaper research now it really is an interesting time. I previously went over a year without picking up a Red Star but now they're under $50 each again I just can't get enough. One week a month or so ago I picked up over 25 researchable awards/groups with the dealer continuing to offer me more and more items. For now it seems like there is an endless stream of cheap awards flowing westwards. I'm more than happy to give them all a good home too. One price example is as follows;

Medal "For The Defence Of The Caucuses" (Shovel) with Document
Medal "For The Liberation Of Warsaw" (Ring) with Document
Medal "For Victory Over Germany" (Ring) with Document
Medal "For Victory Over Japan" (Shovel) with Document
5 Commemoratives (1948, 1965, 1968, 1975, 1978) with Documents
$60 Delivered - and this is a group to a veteran of the Naval Air Force, Naval Infantry, Railway Troops and MVD (So should tick everyone's boxes when it comes to preferred service).

This is a dealer's price so he'll be making his profit on that too.

Good things come to those who wait.

The number of awards from the last post can also be adjusted upwards by 800.

I've also been given some very valuable information on Mongolian awards recently. I'm not giving the game away but expect a giant glut of them on the market soon (Thousands not hundreds) with the prices dropping to reflect the supply. Could be screwback Polar Stars for $30 again time.

[Nexorcist]

In my past life as a dealer I've never collected them, but when I was liquidating my stock I have put aside a bunch of medals for myself, which lead to collecting

Alexei

Welcome to the other side Alexei, it's more fun here.

PS: I belive I purchased my very first medal from you, just about 10 years ago :-)