coastie

Here go to this site http://msnbc.msn.com/id/7090178/

My wife thinks I just bought the models for the box art.

Interesting Degression A lot of things I would like to say but much have been said. So here is my two bits. Stogieman - Don't lose heart, there are people (like me) who appreciate your knowledge, the ones who don't - The Hell with them. These are the ones who cannot accept the fact they are ignorant and self centered. They also think that you are trying to screw them by telling them they have a fake and you are going to then try to buy it at a cheap price. Also those who are going to reside in the Eight level of Hell (according to Dante) the swindlers who bilk the unsuspecting by selling repros as original. I have learned so much and still know very little about what I collect. Forums such as this helped me find the information either by direct contact with authors and other collectors, directing me to source books and web sites and so on. If it hadn't been for the Internet I would have probably given up a long time ago. Now as for the PLM's It took me a while to do the math and come to the conclusion that there "ain't a whole lot out there to be had". People are of the impression that every Prussian/German officer got one during the Great War so like Iron Crosses one should be able to pick up one for a couple of grand. Of course there are the ones who think that PLM on ebay is an original and it's worth the gamble. Maybe, and this is a very broad assumption here, that people are willing to shell out a grand or two for a good repro because they know a real one is impossible, but what they don't know and this is the killer is that there are a whole lot of them out there to be had for a song. I got a 60's repro like the one featured in Prussian Blue and got it for a very cheap price. I am happy as a clam.

Thanks for the explanation of the membership medals. Until now I've vexed as to how they related to Masons and the military. Over the years I've picked up enough bits and bobs to fully outfit someone as a KT. I still have a sword belt, sash and I think a Chapeau somewhere.

That's what I thought and with the rules of Freemasonry where the Masonic Jewels are more valuable than the 'Star or Garter' a crown would be out of place

I have no idea if this is a Fifth Army commerative or what.

reverse

I found my little stash of unofficial medals first is the 5th Army liberation of Naples [attachmentid=18776]

I'd look at Bi-centennial commerative stuff, the artistic style of the portrait appears to be from the 1970's or later for that matter.

This is the Order of the Palmes Academiques (Academic Palm) of France, Knight grade awarded for academic services to Universities and the Sciences.

I know the Coast Guard always appreciated the hospitality of the Icelanders when they pulled into port from long Greenland patrols during the war and long afterwards. I'm sorry I never had the chance to visit there during my career everyone I ever talked to about Iceland enjoyed it and I believe there was a Loran station there at one time.

Hey Kgard I can see why you dropped what you were doing. It's hard to imagine that's how people felt until recently. But keep in mind that the Knights of Malta were different from the early Templars. The Templars were once the "defenders of the faith" until they got too powerful (and perhaps corrupt) for their own good and was destroyed by the Catholic Church. The Knight's of Saint John I believe is tied to the Knights of Malta their Order is similiar with a Black ribbon. The Knights Templar of today is just a showy fraternal organization with no political clout/power and has no link to the Catholic Church. Likewise the Knights of Malta today is just a fancy society that does charitable works and is not some secretive society bent on destroying any and all opposition to Catholicism. The Order of the Knights of Malta is actually a white Maltese cross not a blue one and depending which country there may be different symbols in the crotch of each arm examples: Flur de les, lions etc. The shape and style of my little 'Order" is like a Malta order the color is all wrong.

As a rule Catholics are forbidden by the Church to join but they are not excluded by the Masons to join. The Catholics here in the U.S. have the Knights of Columbus which is styled after the Masonic Blue lodge and Knights Templar I don't know if it is in other countries or not. A little off the subject but since Masons are the oldest Fraternity (continuous) most of todays Fraternal originizations borrow rituals from the masons, even I'm told that the Morman church it rituals borrow hwavily from Masons. It's founder Joesph Smith was a Mason and is was speculated that one of the reasons he was killed was because he had revealed some of the rituals of Masonry. The mystery of this 'Order' continues.

"Don't touch my moustache"

I hope, so it's too pretty to be just a trinket of some sort.

Thanks for the information! Is there a name to this? Also I'm looking for the name on the other certificate so I can find who this was given to. Arigato

They were referring to a repair to the left wing of the eagle.

Here is the version I'm used to.

Something isn't right here of all the pictures of early MOH's I've seen I have never seen this type of set up of three rings suspending the medal to the eagle/cannon it has been just one ring. Plus unless it's a really bad picture the detail of the "star" isn't all that great. Do we have here an early copy? I can forgive the ribbon being wrong and a possible replacement but I am just not sure of this one. If those of you who have "Call of Duty" and "A Shower of Stars" you will see what I mean.

WOW! Complete with die flaws Nice job, better than the earlier pictures I saw.

Kim IL Sung perhaps?

For the early un-official, society awards there is this book: "American Orders & Societies and their Decorations" orginally published by Bailey, Banks and Biddle, 1901 It's in reprint by the London stamp exchange ltd. Should be able to find it on line. ISBN 048130938

Missed that one

The book only shows a 22mm rosette. WHat I find curious is that the ribbon is not in the typical trifold for the Sacred Treasure Order.

Found the mint that does the coins, follow this link and you will see the other medals (sorry no Iron Cross) http://www.pobjoy.com/productsgroups.asp?l...4&group=1,2,355