06-01-2011, 12:15 AM
Like I always say - If you have ANY nagging doubts yourself then stay clear; it's not worth the grief. I know there have been various items on here that have been approved as real by those in the know that I personally wouldn't fork out cash for, as I just wouldn't be able to live with the item. If in doubt leave it out. If I had any nagging thoughts about any of these items displayed here I wouldn't have forked out the cash, others may have nagging thoughts about them and stay clear, it's all part of the fickle sport of collecting.
The quality of most of the DPRK awards has changed dramatically since the 1950's, sometimes quality improves mainly it declines. The orders in particular have been "lightened". "Gold" orders are plate, "Silver" orders ceased having any silver at all in them by 1960, some non-Soviet screwback orders are not even silver but alloy, rarely very early pinbacks have some silver in though. The Orders have been getting lighter and lighter as the wealth of the nation has declined, Orders which were once solid, heavy, silver badges are now light, chromed copper alloy mirror-back pins. I will be getting some digital scales soon and be weighing each variation which will certainly show the "lightening of DPRK awards". Some of the kolodkas are now so thin you can easily manipulate them and some of the medals blow around on a breeze. The DPRK does not have the luxury of resources the Soviet Union did and this is very much reflected in many of their awards. If you are accustomed to Soviet awards of the GPW and you find a recent DPRK Order in your hands you will be surprised, if you are accustomed to late communist period Albanian awards you won't be surprised at all.
The quality of most of the DPRK awards has changed dramatically since the 1950's, sometimes quality improves mainly it declines. The orders in particular have been "lightened". "Gold" orders are plate, "Silver" orders ceased having any silver at all in them by 1960, some non-Soviet screwback orders are not even silver but alloy, rarely very early pinbacks have some silver in though. The Orders have been getting lighter and lighter as the wealth of the nation has declined, Orders which were once solid, heavy, silver badges are now light, chromed copper alloy mirror-back pins. I will be getting some digital scales soon and be weighing each variation which will certainly show the "lightening of DPRK awards". Some of the kolodkas are now so thin you can easily manipulate them and some of the medals blow around on a breeze. The DPRK does not have the luxury of resources the Soviet Union did and this is very much reflected in many of their awards. If you are accustomed to Soviet awards of the GPW and you find a recent DPRK Order in your hands you will be surprised, if you are accustomed to late communist period Albanian awards you won't be surprised at all.
