05-12-2002, 07:02 AM
Dear Tal
I have found that the best way to store the Soviet awards is to put them into cases. I have found a Jewellers supply store that sells black cases of various sizes with a padded insert. They put their necklaces onto these. I can then attach the screwback items onto the insert board and also have space underneath for the documents and research. The best part is that I can close the box and store it nicely. The material they use in the box and its insert is specially designed that it will not affect silver and gold. This is very important because certain materials will eat away at the medals. I have also found that you must be careful with the plastic envelopes because the cheap ones also react with the medals. You will not notice it now but in a few years you will find a speckled effect on the medals and its impossible to reverse this. I have attached 2 pictures of a small group.
I have a question. Should you clean the medals before you display them. With my British collection I clean the medals, replace the ribbons and in many cases remount them nicely. Reason is that no soldier ever went on parade with dirty medals and old ribbons. He would be charged. What is the "rule" with soviet medals? Surely they were expected to have clean shiny medals with new ribbons.
Coin collectors look for toned specimens but medal collecting is not the same. We collect the stories behind the medals as well. I will only.
Whats the opinion of the fellow forum members.
Regards from the land of sun and barbecues.
I wanted to add something about cleaning the medals. Until recently I cleaned all my soviet groups and replaced ribbons where I had some extra. Now I notice that everyone is talking about toning so I have stopped cleaning them. I only replace the ribbons and remount them on bars. As regards my British collection I still clean them all up and remount unless I get a group that I believe should stay as is. I have attached a scan of such a group that I got recently (sorry for digressing off soviet items) only because I think it captures the character of the group. This is a very old Boer war gallantry group. Otherwise I would be cleaning and remounting.
Many dealers emphasise the toning and patina.
What should we be doing... cleaning and remounting???
Regards from a confused person
I have found that the best way to store the Soviet awards is to put them into cases. I have found a Jewellers supply store that sells black cases of various sizes with a padded insert. They put their necklaces onto these. I can then attach the screwback items onto the insert board and also have space underneath for the documents and research. The best part is that I can close the box and store it nicely. The material they use in the box and its insert is specially designed that it will not affect silver and gold. This is very important because certain materials will eat away at the medals. I have also found that you must be careful with the plastic envelopes because the cheap ones also react with the medals. You will not notice it now but in a few years you will find a speckled effect on the medals and its impossible to reverse this. I have attached 2 pictures of a small group.
I have a question. Should you clean the medals before you display them. With my British collection I clean the medals, replace the ribbons and in many cases remount them nicely. Reason is that no soldier ever went on parade with dirty medals and old ribbons. He would be charged. What is the "rule" with soviet medals? Surely they were expected to have clean shiny medals with new ribbons.
Coin collectors look for toned specimens but medal collecting is not the same. We collect the stories behind the medals as well. I will only.
Whats the opinion of the fellow forum members.
Regards from the land of sun and barbecues.
I wanted to add something about cleaning the medals. Until recently I cleaned all my soviet groups and replaced ribbons where I had some extra. Now I notice that everyone is talking about toning so I have stopped cleaning them. I only replace the ribbons and remount them on bars. As regards my British collection I still clean them all up and remount unless I get a group that I believe should stay as is. I have attached a scan of such a group that I got recently (sorry for digressing off soviet items) only because I think it captures the character of the group. This is a very old Boer war gallantry group. Otherwise I would be cleaning and remounting.
Many dealers emphasise the toning and patina.
What should we be doing... cleaning and remounting???
Regards from a confused person
