Kim Il-Sung Order.

[GabrielMk3]

So you're the one paying US $365.09 as if the price was an amount of sand grains, haha!
Congratulations with the Order of Kim Il Sung (I've now banned you from the DPRK - lol no) !

It's always good to see that some fine items ends up on the Forum.
But as CtahhR says, there's too many OKISs out there, so it lowers the value of the award. It's only gold plated copper, so the only value is the high rank it has.

CtahhR,

A "thumbs up" for posting your duals!

[CtahhR]

Here is a Type 2 numbered 150-199.

As can be seen the Order is constructed from solid copper with a steel pin.

This particular Order has spent a considerable period "underground" and acid has eaten nearly everything but the copper.

I believe the jeweller may be giving this a complete rejuvenation as all damage that has occurred to it after the dead of its original owner.

The problem that causes the weak pin attachment is due to the main portion of the Order being plated before the "hood" for the pin attachment, which is the re-plated. A fatal production mistake.

If this had been a Soviet produced screwback it would be one of the finest awards in existence.

Founded 20th March 1972.

[medals73]

Anyone have a type 1? I suspect I know that answer.

Have any been known to have come onto the market?

[CtahhR]

I have known at least 2 come onto the open market. I have very much the feeling that the Chinese collectors usually keep this one for themselves.

As for the reason why the design was changed so early in its life we can only speculate but it certainly looks less like and Order "Lenin" it the 2nd Type.

[medals73]

I am told that there was/is one on display in the "Anti-American War in Korea" gallery at the military museum in Beijing, but that gallery was closed when I was last there. I suspect that the the history needed refurbishment.

[CtahhR]

Most likely a refurbished history. The PRC now openly admits that the DPRK attacked the ROK and not the other way round.

It must be noted that many of these earlier Orders were awarded to Institutes, Facilities and even individual tools. These awards to non-mortal things are less likely to no longer have use of them.

According to the "official" numbers there are now probably just as many Type 2s as Type 1s. The highest observed numbers of Type 1 is about 100 more than the highest Type 2 so far but Type 2s are continuing to be awarded.

Updated;

The Type 2s are no longer awarded so they may in fact be the rarer of the first two types.

Here is another in the 200's range.

The green is from the copper body and notice the gold plated pin.

[CtahhR]

With all the glory of the "Three Kings", Three Kims.