Soviet Honored Coal Miner of the CCCP

[Christian Zulus]

Gentlemen,

yesterday I got that late version of the badge "Honored Coal Miner of the CCCP" at a dealer in Vienna for EUR 15,- (USD 20,-)

Enamel is perfect and the tools are painted black.

At the rv. is the Leningrad Mint Mark "LMD" in cyrillic.

Igor offers the early version of that badge: http://www.collectrussia.com/DISPITEM.HTM?ITEM=13632 for USD 80,-.

Sorry for the bad scans .

Best regards

Christian

[Hauptmann]

Hi Christian,

Here's one I have coming. My first miners award. Not sure if early or late. I tried to research here and on SAF although your post is the only one here and there was only one over there so not a ton of info.

Pics are the sellers (okudinova) and used with his kind permission. Thanks Vitaly!!!!

According to the one on SAF there were a bunch of copies about two years ago but they didn't have serial numbers and the screw posts were epoxied to the badge.

Serial number is 1595. Vitaly says these were established in 1962. He calls it the "Honored Miner". Over at SAF they say it's "Honorary Miner". Hoping more info starts to come out on these and other miner related awards. I like quite a few of them and love the enamels on this one.

Most seem to have somewhat of an image of part of the obverse that shows on the reverse, but mine doesn't. I've seen them both with and without the blacking on the obverse as well.

As always opinions are most welcome.

Dan :cheers:

Edited June 23, 2008 by Hauptman

[Paul R]

Very interesting piece!! Would the award of this badge come with an Order such as the Red Banner of Labor?

[Alfred]

another one

[Christian Zulus]

Very interesting piece!! Would the award of this badge come with an Order such as the Red Banner of Labor?

Dear Paul,

no, I guess such badges as "Honored Coal Miner" and many others can be compared with the "Excellence" Badges of the Red Army.

But you can be almost sure for 100 %, that if a coal miner gets a RBL, he already has his "Honored Coal Miner" on the jacket .

Best regards

Christian

[Christian Zulus]

3 different versions

Gentlemen,

it seems, that we have 3 different versions of the "Honored Coal Miner":

- Andreas has the oldest

- Dan the second oldest (both items are with s/n.)

- I myself have the youngest (without s/n.)

Mine looks really rather unawarded and fresh from the mint.

Anyone has further informations about that badge ?

Best regards

Christian

[Hauptmann]

Finally another new addition to my very small Soviet Miner collection. Vitaly calls it an Honorable Excellent Miner badge. So far I've not been able to find another on the web. He says it's brass and enamel and a nice hefty little badge. Looks very well constructed. Needless to say I can't wait to see it in person.

Dan

[Hauptmann]

Update: I did just find another one on collectrussia.com. Listed as Mining Engineer Institute (Graduation badge?) Circa 1950's - 1960's.

Dan

[Hauptmann]

Anyone else add anything to this part of their collection of late? Would love to see more examples. Does anyone have the type I recently posted? How about other types... badges, medals... I know there have got to be more?

Dan

[Hauptmann]

Found this on the web... will have to go through my stamp collection and see if I have one or possibly more examples of this. If not I'll have to hunt one down to add to my Soviet miner goodies.

Dan

[Hauptmann]

I found some video compilations on a ghost town on the island of Spitzbergen which was a Soviet mining town.

This one has some really cool signs, a monument and a set of three miner's Orders on a building... would love to have those in my collection!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1h_c66Ok_bw&feature=related

This one starts out with a really cool metal (?) sign... again another I'd love to have!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yilBOFM5rqk&feature=related

Dan

[Alfred]

I found some video compilations on a ghost town on the island of Spitzbergen which was a Soviet mining town.

This one has some really cool signs, a monument and a set of three miner's Orders on a building... would love to have those in my collection!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1h_c66Ok_bw&feature=related

This one starts out with a really cool metal (?) sign... again another I'd love to have!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yilBOFM5rqk&feature=related

Dan

Thanks Dan,

interesting video´s.

best regards

Andreas

[Greg Collins]

A couple badges from my collection that have not already been shown, as well as a couple of badges that probably should be shown elsewhere but that do tie in here. First, a badge from the Comsomol Mine in the Ukraine:

[Greg Collins]

Next, a 100 year commemorative badge from what appears to be Zabod Krasniyapyut, which I'm assuming is the name of a mine.

[Greg Collins]

These next two badges would probably be more at home in the DDR section , however the "S" in the name SDAG Wismut is "Soviet", and the Wismut uranium mining operation was a partnership between the Soviets and East Germans. Anyway, both are 2nd Class as evidenced by the silver plated hammers. The first badge is pre-1959... there is no seal in the flag's center... and it is screw-backed. Both badges were produced by Prawema.

[Greg Collins]

This second badge is the newer (after 1959) model of the same badge. Here we have smaller hammers, no nomenclature on the badge front, the "staatswappen" (seal) on the flag and a pin back.

The "wavy lines" in the finish have always given me some concern; could this be an indication of radioactive contamination?