Soviet Badge in Commemoration ofthe Yuri Gagarin’s Space Flight, 1961 issue.
This is GUARANTEED 100% ORIGINAL badge fromthe early 60s- not one of the myriad of commercial / souvenir pins produced inthe later years. Nor is this a copy – this is a GENUINE badge that wasmanufactured in the USSR immediately after the world’s first manned spaceflight.
The badge is EXTREMELYwell-made. It is in Steel with Bronze finish and high quality “Hot Baked”Enamels.
Measures 23 mm in height (formthe tip of the rocket to the bottom of the red scroll) x 14 mm in width. Theobverse features portrait of Yuri Gagarin, flying rocket, date 1961 andinscription СССР (“USSR”). Note that Gagarin is depicted wearing a regularWW2 style Air Force flight helmet in leather, not the space helmet that he istypically seen wearing in the later portraits. The reverse of the badge hasearly style logo ЩЗ(“ShchZ”) of the Shcherbinskiy Factory.
Note that unlike modern copies,this badge is attracted to a magnet because its base material is steel. Thismetal was often used for manufacturing WW2 era Soviet badges to save the farmore expensive and strategically important bronze. Some factories, includingthe Shcherbinskiy Factory continuedoccasionally using this technology into the early 60s. Because this method islong obsolete, it is very difficult if not downright impossible - and certainlynot cost effective - to reproduce brass plated steel badges of such highquality in modern conditions.
The badge is in SUPERBcondition. Its details are perfect andbronze finish completely intact. The enamel is perfect, without repairs, chipsor significant wear. The pin attachment is fully functional.
This historic Soviet badge canbe an excellent addition to a collection of early Space Flight Memorabilia!
