slava1stclass

Gents, It appears the well-known auction site has now pulled the "China" listing. It is no longer an active listing and it is not to be found in either the "Sold" or "Completed" categories. One may assume it was reported as being fraudulent which led to it being delisted. Regards, slava1stclass

Gents, There are now clearly some ongoing shenanigans with this set. Although ostensibly "sold" a few days ago for $788.79, it has now reappeared on the well-known auction site with a BIN price of $1,900.00 and a "Best Offer" option. I'd steer clear of this seller. Regards, slava1stclass

Gents, This set sold for $14,000.00. Regards, slava1stclass

Gents, The set sold for $788.79. Regards, slava1stclass

PaulR It is the Italian Partisan Division "Garibaldi" medal. Regards, slava1stclass

Gents, This set has reappeared on the well-know auction site. It is still located in Latvia. Opening bid was .99 U.S. cents. Current bid stands at $57.00. Regards, slava1stclass

Gents, While many people continue to "watch" this auction on the well-known site, none has yet pulled the trigger. Wisely so. Regards, slava1stclass

Gents, A very, very interesting development has emerged. Evidently, the above Full Cavalier set currently offered on the well-known auction site and located in China, is not what it is alleged to be. Why you may ask? Turns out the actual set is located in the former Soyuz. Images of the original set are attached. Note the China set's attempt to match the numbering style of the original Soyuz set. At first glance (and without detailed images - especially of the OGI), the China set appeared legit. The accompanying Full Cavalier booklet (which is legit) only bolstered this false impression. Buyer beware. Regards, slava1stclass.

Gents, It's that time of year once again. The New York Sale Auction XLVII is set for January 10, 2019. Included in this year's Russian Coins, Orders and Medals auction is one Full Cavalier set. The recipient was one of the very, very few Full Cavaliers to have earned that status while serving as a combat medic. He was a Guards sergeant major serving in a tank battalion subordinate to a Guards tank brigade when recommended and approved for his OGI. He was also awarded a BM and CSM during the war. Note, too, that his OGII is the so-called "border reverse" variant. Opening bid: $15,000.00. Regards, slava1stclass

Gents, A lot of positive buzz about this set on our sister Russian collector forums. Regards, slava1stclass

Gents, The Buy It Now price was lowered to $42,500.00 yesterday. Regards, slava1stclass

Gents, Just listed on the well-known auction site. A Category 1 Full Cavalier set issued to a Guards junior sergeant who served as a squad leader in an independent Guards sapper battalion when recommended for his OGI. The BIN price is set at $16,600.00. He was also awarded a BM during the war. Regards, slava1stclass

Gents, While a lot of people are "watching" this auction, no one has yet pulled the trigger. BIN price remains at $43,500.00. Regards, slava1stclass

Gents, This OGII to a Full Cavalier sold yesterday on the well-known auction site for $425.00. He was serving as a sniper when recommended and approved for it. As a junior sergeant, he would later serve as an assistant platoon leader in a rifle regiment's dismounted reconnaissance platoon when recommended and approved for his OGI. He was also awarded an OPWII and ORS. Regards, slava1stclass

Gents, And now, the rest of the story. The reason why his ORS, OGII, OGIII and BM are mint-issued duplicates, is due to the fact his originals were confiscated at the time of his arrest for a criminal offense in the former Soyuz. In 1971, after having served his sentence and probation, his Full Cavalier status and awards were restored/returned. While his OGI was sent to the awards department of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet in Moscow at the time of his original conviction, his other awards were not. They were likely lost at the location where he was convicted. Although his OGI was easily recovered from its storage place in Moscow in 1971, his other awards had to be reissued. As a side note, based on the research I conducted for my book, there was a handful of other Full Cavaliers who were similarly stripped of their status and all decorations owing to their criminal convictions. Like this Full Cavalier they, too, succeeded in their requests to have their status and decorations restored once completing their sentences - a not all too common occurrence. Regards, slava1stclass

Gents, Currently available in the former Soyuz. The seller has yet to identify the asking price. His ORS (included with the group, but not depicted here) OGII, OGIII and BM are all mint-issued official duplicates. He was a sergeant with duties as a forward observer squad leader in a mortar regiment when recommended for his OGI for action 12 miles northeast of Berlin in mid-April 1945. Regards, slava1stclass

Gents, An OGII awarded to a Full Cavalier that is currently available in the former Soyuz. The minimum opening bid is set at $610.00. He was a corporal with duties as a sapper/reconnaissance scout assigned to an independent sapper battalion in a rifle division when recommended and approved for the second of his two OGII awards in late 1944. That erroneous second OGII award was amended to an OGI some 40 years later - in 1984. He was also awarded two ORS and a BM during the war. Regards, slava1stclass

Gents, This group has just been listed on the well-known auction site with a Buy It Now price of $43,500.00. While the U.S. stock market took a severe beating this week, documented Full Cavalier sets continue to skyrocket (at least in terms of asking price!). Check it out. Regards, slava1stclass

Gents, Currently available in the former Soyuz. Asking price: $30,500.00. The set includes a duplicate/replacement award booklet which the Russian Federation issued on June 2, 1994. It's the first time I've seen such a booklet with a Full Cavalier set. He was a sergeant major and recon squad leader in a rifle battalion when recommended for his OGI. Regards, slava1stclass

Gents, It sold for $224.50. Regards, slava1stclass

David, Welcome to the forum. In the future, please post questions of this nature in the Russia: Imperial sub-forum. Thank you! Regards, slava1stclass

Gents, This official-issue duplicate is currently available on the well-known U.S. auction site. The opening bid was set at 99 U.S. cents. By serial number, this is the first of two OGIIIs awarded to this Full Cavalier. He was also awarded an OGII and OGI thereby receiving four distinct Order of Glory awards during the war. As detailed in my book, while clearly not the norm, he was far from the only Full Cavalier to have been erroneously awarded the Order of Glory more than three times. He was a senior sergeant and 120mm mortar crew chief in a rifle regiment when recommended for his OGI. Regards, slava1stclass

Gents, Currently at auction in the former Soyuz. The opening bid is $6,884.00. Unfortunately, as is often encountered on OGIs, note the large gouge on the reverse side's lower left arm's outside edge. These crude knife cuts were made to confirm the order was truly gold. The recipient was a Guards private and signaller assigned to a mortar company in a Guards mountain rifle regiment/division. As noted in my book, Full Cavaliers who came from the ranks of mountain rifle units were very uncommon. Regards, slava1stclass

Gents, The group sold for $16,501.00. Regards, slava1stclass

Gents, Currently at auction in the former Soyuz. Opening bid for the group is $9,960.00 - very reasonable considering all that is included. The Full Cavalier in question was erroneously issued two OGIIs during the war. The second erroneous OGII award was upgraded to the OGI seen here almost 25 years later. He was a sergeant major and squad leader in a dismounted reconnaissance platoon assigned to a rifle regiment when recommended for his final OG. As an enlisted man, it was no small feat to have been awarded six distinct combat orders. Regards, slava1stclass