China People's Republic China: Korean War Awards

[Guest Rick Research]

For one that is not cataloged, even by the PLA Museum Collection, see

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=2337

This 1951 award, apparently called something like "The Anti-American/Support Korea Medal" is among the most common to be found, and yet apparently had some sort of status as a decoration, from the prominent position it was given in wear. The metal is a smooth gold nontarnishing metal, with good quality red enamel.

Fakes of this medal, cast in "chicken-manure aged" copper are often found on fantasy plastic shower curtain type material "ribbons," and so far none have been observed with enamel.

[Guest Rick Research]

Various Provinces were still issuing their own awards-- this is a 1951 Medal for "Volunteers" from Liao Xi. Although this medal is sometimes found on the "generic" ribbon used on the Sino-Soviet Friendship Medal et cetera, it is actually narrower and the stripes are white, not yellow.

Closeup of the inscription, since there is apparently some question about how the Province is transcribed nowadays... and indeed, where it was back then, since boundaries have apparently changed since:

The medal is a mixture of red, orange, green, and blue enamel, a porous and splotchy white enamel for the sea around Korea, and white paint in the North Korean flag.

[Guest Rick Research]

Like many of the local awards for Korean War volunteers, it was serial numbered. This is number 3706. I have seen these into low five figures.

Unfortunately I have never seen any award documents for one.

There are NO English language references covering People's Republic of China awards. This recent 2001 book is typical of Chinese-only books, not even giving the title in English along with accompanying highly dubious "translations" and completely omitting all ribbons. ? the unknown author, unknown title:

The other main source available to anyone interested in awards from this period is 1996's "Illustrated Collection of Badges in the Chinese People's Revolutionary Military Museum" (aka The PLA Museum Catalog for short), which beyond eccentric sizing (smaller badges shown much larger than bigger ones on the same page), the PLA Catalog seems to have more accurate dates. The Unknown 2001, for instance, states the Sino-Soviet Friendship Medal dates from (sic!) 1960.

All quite frustrating, since the militaria retail market is FLOODED, absolutely INUNDATED with fraudulent and fantasy PRC (often mixing Kuomintang elements!!!!) items-- effectively poisoning the collector market before there IS any collector market!