Pilot-Cosmonaut Of The People's Republic Of Bulgaria.

[new world]

Gentlemen,

This has been great discussion for a rare badge.

Just to shift the focus a bit - here's real beauty for your review and the rarest of the rare - Cosmonaut Badge from Communist Bulgaria.

Bulgaria is a small country and did not have as many cosmonauts as Soviet Union had.

This badge was awarded only 2 (two) times!!!!!!!!

More info on Bulgarian Cosmonaut badge:

Instituted: On 26th January 1979 by decree of the State Council of National Republic of Bulgaria.

Given to: Bulgarian citizens for cosmic flights.

Official name: Aviator - Astronaut of National Republic of Bulgaria.

Form: The badge of the title has round shape with sizes: 32 to 38 mm. It is made of gold and silver.

Averse: in a frame of five angular star are imaged the earth globe and a spaceship. Laurels wigs surround the star. Above is a strip with the inscription: "PILOT -ASTRONAUT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA".

Reverse: plain.

The badge of the title is worn over the left breast and it is carried on a metal bar decorated with the colors of the National flag and the Bulgarian crest.

Author: Raytcho Peev

Awarded: 2 astronauts - George Ivanov and Alexander Alexandrov.

Emission closed: 1990

[Taz]

Here is the description from one of my favourite Auction sites. :)

absolutely perfect condition. This is an extremely scarce Bulgarian communist / socialist honorary title decoration order / medal awarded to the 2 Bulgarian astronauts / cosmonauts – General Georgi Ivanov and Alexander Alexandrov. The order was instituted in 1979 as Hero Pilot Cosmonaut of Peoples Republic of Bulgaria and first to receive it was the 1st Bulgarian to make a successful space flight – at that time Major Engineer Georgi Ivanov aboard the USSR Soviet Russian rocket and spacecraft / spaceship Soyuz 33 in 1979 together with the Russian astronaut Rukavishnikov. The 2nd Bulgarian astronaut was Alexander Alexandrov who made a space flight in 1988 again in a joint Bulgarian-Russia mission. Both of these astronauts / cosmonauts received the Hero Pilot Cosmonaut order in two sets – one made in solid gold and platinum and one made in gold plated / gilted silver for everyday use. One of the gold and platinum piece is known to be in a museum and the other is still in possession of one of the Bulgarian astronauts. There were 5 orders minted by the Government that were intended for everyday wearing. As already pointed out above two of these were presented to the 2 cosmonauts, two remained in the State Minting House one of which was later given to a well known collector and expert and one was presented to the Chief designer of the cosmonaut order – Mr.Slavcho Peev who has died several years ago. We were asked to keep it confidential which one of these 5 pieces is now offered for sale at ...... due to privacy reasons, but the actual buyer will also receive this important detail… The order decoration itself is in absolutely mint condition and has the best possible detail, as well as it was ciseled finished where the letters at the obverse are. During 1993 there were also 25 or so REPLICA pieces minted in order to commemorate 15 year of the first Bulgarian space flight, but all of these piece are of not so good detail and make and also are marked with an ‘R’ struck at the obverse of each one of them. Nevertheless, even those are impossible to be found at the collector market today. THE PIECE offered at ..... is by far the REAL THING and is probably once in a lifetime opportunity for any collector to own this rarest of all communist era Bulgarian decoration. The piece also comes with a bonus color photo postcard of the 1st Bulgarian astronaut George Ivanov, as well as a 1999 Xmas greeting card personally signed and autographed by this same cosmonaut. One other interesting fact is that during 2004 Bulgaria celebrated 25 years of this first space flight of a Bulgarian astronaut. Absolutely scarce militaria / military aviation collector piece and THE RAREST of the Bulgarian orders, medals and decorations from this era.

Eddie.

[d-riemer]

Bulgaria is the only country with two cosmonauts in the Soviet space program:

1 Remek, Vladimir; Czechoslovakia, Soyuz 28, 2-Mar-78, 10-Mar-78
2 Hermaszewski, M.; Poland, Soyuz 30, 27-Jun-78, 4-Jul-78
3 Jaehn, Sigmund ; DDR, Soyuz 31, 26-Aug-78, 3-Sep-78
4 Ivanov, Georgy; Bulgaria, Soyuz 33, 10-Apr-79, 12-Apr-79
5 Farkas, Bertalan; Hungary, Soyuz 36, 26-May-80, 3-Jun-80
6 Tuan, Pham; Vietnam, Soyuz 37, 23-Jul-80, 31-Jul-80
7 Tamayo-Mendez, A.; Cuba, Soyuz 38, 18-Sep-80, 26-Sep-80
8 Gurragcha, J.; Mongolia, Soyuz 39, 22-Mar-81, 30-Mar-81
9 Prunariu, Dumitru; Romania, Soyuz 40, 14-May-81, 22-May-81
10 Chretien, Jean-Loup;France, Soyuz T-6, 24-Jun-82, 2-Jul-82
13a Chretien, Jean-Loup;France, Soyuz TM-7, 26-Nov-88, 29-Apr-89
11 Sharma, Rakesh; India, Soyuz T-11, 3-Apr-84, 11-Apr-84
12 Faris, Mohammed; Syria, Soyuz TM-3, 22-Jul-87, 30-Jul-87
13 Alexandrov, Alexander; Bulgaria, Soyuz TM-5, 7-Jun-88, 17-Jun-88
14 Akiyama, Toyohiro; Japan, Soyuz TM-11, 2-Dec-90, 10-Dec-90
15 Sharman, Helen; Great Britain, Soyuz TM-12, 18-May-91, 26-May-91

[CtahhR]

On the topic of Pilot-Cosmonauts, Here is a hand signed business card of Hero Of The People's Republic Of Bulgaria And Soviet Union Engineer-Colonel Georgi Ivanov, Pilot-Cosmonaut Of The People's Republic Of Bulgaria. Autographed on 4th February 1981 when he was the only Bulgarian Cosmonaut.

Notice how poorly the Bulgarian flag is rendered.