07-31-2008, 10:21 AM
This happens quite frequently with Bulgarian awards, many labour awards were handed out and the recipient was never expected to wear them. I have very few Bulgarian awards showing wear of any sort. I have a documented group of 15 medals and only 1 of them looks like it has ever seen daylight. If you were a civilian (and also very frequently if in a military role) the necessity to wear your awards was minimal. Unlike with Soviet awards Bulgarian (People's Republic) awards never saw action and the vast array of orders and medals and badges were issued for non-combat related actions. A reserve officer could have a chest full of medals without ever firing a weapon. With the variation of People's Orders Of Labour you have there which is probably from the last handful of years of the communist regime whoever was issued with the awards will never had a chance to wear them and they will have probably seen as much action in the hands of someone who had been awarded them as they would if they had remained in the warehouse. If it's not out of the question could I enquire when you purchased this set and how much of a bargain you got? They're something a little different but because of the alloy used they don't taste very good!:D
