Stogieman

Soviet-Bulgarian Union of Ore Copper/Silver/Gold Mining facilities GORUBSO MADAN. I wonder if the 1950-55 date is a simple anniversary, or an actual "5-Year Plan" situation. Ulsterman, what does your book say? Thanks, Rick

I think his pictures are just fuzzy enough to allow some uninitiated person to think it's real. I think the swords do not look like anything I have seen before on a PCO

I just cannot come up with anything he might make that was worth destroying these bars. What the heck is wrong with this guy??

And the reverse of the screw-back version. No numbers

Here's an earlier version of this badge with a screw-back attachment system. Quality is very nice on these!

Reverse of the badge that came with the set:

Up close on the badge:

Inside showing date & name. A nice photo of (presumably) the recipient was tucked inside!

Nice plastic-type booklet dated 1971. Badge is enameled, but pin-back.

The close ups are too fuzzy to really tell. Has what appears to be a correct Wagner mark on the bottom, but I can't see a silver content mark.... bronze gilt at the commander's level?

Commanders Cross with swords am ring.... but is it real, or is it altered? You decide.

This bar was offered for sale. Not from the usual suspects. The precedence of the ribbons is wrong as the long service should precede the campaign medal up to 1934 per my evil twin. Here's what I see: a bar that was made in 1897-1900 (Centennial Medal in last place). received Hessian War Aid Medal in 1914 and simply wrapped and folded over existing Centennial so as not to re-do entire bar. Now, check the reverse. Someone has very carefully made and applied an additional metal piece with three (3) hooks over the original bar's two hooks so that it will now not only accomodate the last medal, but they will now be somewhat appropriately spaced out. Note that the applied piece was carefully drilled so it would slip over the top of the old pair of hooks!!! Now, given the current state of the market and the flood of frankenstein garbage into the marketplace and the improper precedence I allowed myself to get talked out of placing a bid. Also, I did think the Paris spange was funny, but the photos were not the best as you can see. So tell, me.... what do you see? A frugal and innovative enlisted man who could not (or chose not to) afford a new set of medals.... or a faker who has gone beyond any extreme of deception I have seen as of yet for a bar that just isn't worth the time and effort that had to be expended to create this as a fake? The things we have to worry about......

Well, well, well.... here's a rare one you don't see often enough. Photo courtesy of Helmut Weitze.

After what happened in New Zealand I expect many more museums to silently alter their displays.

Reverse of the pair:

Almost forgot, I know Ferg1 is having some computer issues at the moment. I can only add a pair of Prussian Air Gunner Badges. One issue, one in silver.

Ferg1, I believe he means bottom row, left hand badge. There are some distinct differences on this one from the other two in your first image. There is a seller in the US offering almost perfect copies of Prussian Air Gunner Badges. He thinks he's very clever. He offers only 4-5 a year thinking we will not notice. he also sells very high quality copies of other rare items of military badges and insignia. Both US & German.

Wow, very cool and much thanks Chris!! There's not a lot of pre-1945 paper floating around with illustrations of these. Period photos usually have images way too small for diagnostic purposes. Many thanks!!

Thanks much for everyone's help! Has anyone ever seen different variations on these early badges? Anyone have examples of the later style mentioned by Ulsterman?

I cannot imagine why someone would do this?

Mike, are these silver, or gilded? Any content marks? They look cast??

Reverse. Again a mirror-back badge with no numbers.

Hi Marc, thanks. My translation skills with cyrrilic are non-existant. What does this one say? Excellent Artillery? Perhaps they are badges for achieving in the different military arts?

The quality of these early, mirror-back badges is just stunning. Anyone know when/how long they were awarded? Here's the reverse of the infantry badge:

My understanding is these were awrded for excelling in the concentration area. So far, I have seen Infantry & Artillery. Were there others?