Tbilisi Artillery School

[Chuck In Oregon]

When I first started collecting in Tbilisi in late 2001, I passed on badges that I would kill for today. The prices were downright cheap, but I was focused on orders and medals and I picked up badges only when there was nothing else to do, which was frequent enough. I assure you, I don't do that today. My friends know to keep an eye out for good badges as well as orders and medals and that's how I got this latest batch.

IME, although the prices for good badges are going up fast, nothing is increasing as fast as good documented order groups or scarce singles. Those prices are unbelievable. Not that I complain too much, because I sell, in part, to support my own collecting habit.

It took me a while, but I finally realized that collecting the older badges is a lot of fun as well as educational and it doesn't have to cost as much as collecting the better orders and medals. Besides, it's difficult to collect a theme just in orders and medals. OTOH, it is an interesting way to collect badges, say for medical, graduation, ministry, era, occupation and so forth. At least, that's the way I see it.

[dannybou]

Agreed, there are so many badges available that right now I haven't focused on a specific era/category. I try to pick up all I can (that I can afford that is). I'm finding though that WW2 and KGB/MVD are interesting me more than let's say labour or komsomol. Plus the Soviet badges are in a world of their own compared with the badges of other countries.