The Best Border Guard Badge.

[medals73]

The Best Border Guard

Far more complex that Battushig shows (he only shows 6 varieties). :p

Type 1.1. - numbered, Low = 8/High = 945 (shown)
Type 1.2. - unnumbered

This is Battushig's E01.

Also the document from 1949.

[medals73]

Battushig's E02 is (currently believed) the second variety (Type 2). It is believed to date from the 1950s and is said to be numbered, though no specimens have been reliably reported to give any sort of range.

I'd show one if I could, but I can't. Help?!

[medals73]

Type 3 (B E03) is also seen in two varieties:

Type 3.1. - numbered - Low = ??/High = 1054
Type 3.2. - unnumbered

[medals73]

A variety not shown in Battushig, of heavy construction and of obvious Soviet manufacture seems (?) be be the next badge chronologically (at least the Border Guards museum in Ulanbaatar thinks do, I don't know why).

Type 4.

[medals73]

Battushig's E04 seems to come next chronologically, though it is of very low quality.

Type 5.1. - screwback
Type 5.2. - pinback

Note the "enameled" mountains in the background.

[medals73]

The Battushig E05 is a bit of an ambiguous type. All observed specimens share the broad (squashed) lettering, the off-center screwpost, and the stippled reverse.

Type 6.

The silver-gold distinction seems to be no more than a function of wear and the conditions of storage (how much tobacco/dung/coal smoke). In some cases the gold color is present and in other cases it is not. This is also the case (acutually, even more true) for the following variety.

[medals73]

It is an understatement to say that Type 7 (Battushig E06) is complex. The variability is great.

At present, a working classification is:

Type 7.1. - screwback
Type 7.1.1. - screwback, numbered - Low = B-5/High = B-1266
Type 7.1.2. - screwback, unnumbered

Type 7.2. - pinback
Type 7.2.1. - pinback, numbered - Low = ??/High = ??
Type 7.2.2. - pinback, unnumbered

There is also (to make things worse) a difference as to whether the border post is two-colored (red and blue) in the stripes or has only red stripes. (Or have the blue just gone "missing in action"?)

As a specimen, a Type 7.1.1.

[medals73]

Later (Type 5 throughType 7) documents are at present difficult to match up to badge types, but here are some specimens.

From 1975, 1987 (note, please, that this shows a "B" serial number - Type 7.1.1?), and 1998.