Megan

Yes, indeed fascinating. I've learned something new as well! Thank you.

The sammler.ru thread you reference doesn't have a good face on view of the reverse AND the number has been partially obscured by the owner. Is it the same badge as the one presented above?

It certainly does exist... there are some on my website, and they appear in other places too. The maritime version is much rarer than the civilian and military (crossed swords) one. Apologies for not replying in Chinese, I'm afraid I'm not good at writing it...

If you like Austro-Hungarian Orders, Decorations, and Medals, you should go to https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/booksbyauthor/537591 and get hold of Richard Lussier's extremely comprehensive work, available in PDF or EPUB formats for free... absolutely magnificent. The level of detail may answer some of your questions, but it should be a useful addition to your library anyway.

The crossed anchors version of the Order of Leopold is the least common one, but it does exist! What would you like to know about it? Here's a commander of the second type (1951-date):

Probably, seeing as Andreas Theis are amongst the auction houses kind enough to give me the run of their catalogues. On the big computer, though, I'll have a look in a bit.

Hmm. Seems I need to revisit my Egypt section sometime soon. So many medals, so little time 🤓

Splendid! Thank you, No One. Loi 104 of 1961 was updated a couple of years later, the newer version can be found at https://web.archive.org/web/20140313042536/http://www.sante.gov.ml/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=124&Itemid=87

I proofread, if you'd like. No charge.

Finally got round to writing a review! It's at https://medals.org.uk/reviews/review016.htm but I shall go put a copy in the appropriate place on here (and elsewhere...).

Excellent hunting, Antonio. I shall have to blow the dust off my Arabic to make the most of these 🤓

Dear No-One... I couldn't possibly say (I'll leave him to comment if he wishes) 🤓 I do find mistakes, indeed the very catalogue that started this thread has one in the first item listed. BOTH medals are Argentinian. But who doesnt make mistakes? I know I do. That's the nice thing about writing websites, you can go and correct them when you or someone else spots one!

Oooh, yes please. Even low-grade images at least give an idea of what to look for and I always am on the lookout for regulations. French no problem 🤓

Fascinating - well spotted and excellent detective work. Now to find out what the medals look like, dates, and terms of award... and add them to my website!

I've been collecting those for years... trick is, to keep checking the Morton & Eden site and during the run-up to the auction you can click on a link to the auction aggregator site Invaluable to see images of ALL items not just the ones in the printed/PDF catalogues. They're still there later if you know your way around Invaluable but M&E ditch the direct link after the auction's done. With many thanks to Morton & Eden, especially Paul, who are kind enough to allow me to use their images on my website and, over and above, send me the catalogues as well

The only difference is size, but to muddy things, different manufacturers made them with minor variations in size! The Grand Cross star is around 80mm in diameter. The Grand Commander star is around 65mm.

It is indeed Belgian, one of the vast plethora of unofficial society-type awards they go in for... called Médaille "PRO HUMANITATE"... also found as a neck badge: Don't know much more than that, alas.

Nice - a Fatherland's Order of Merit (Vaterländischer Verdienstorden), is that the bronze class? And the Decoration for Merit for Reserve Service (Ehrenzeichen für Verdienste in der Reservistenarbeit) Class 2, or Silver.

Not much to be found but it appears he served as a public prosecutor in Kalamata in the 1960s, during which time he made a stand against corruption and electoral fraud, and refused to back down under poltical pressure, stating that the truth doesn't change. He later served as Deputy Prosecutor in the Supreme Court. Later he was associated with President Christos Sargetakis in the 1980s and was Secretary General of the Presidency of the Republic (as stated in your award document for the Luxembourg Order of the Oak Crown). During Sargetakis' presidency, however, he was accused of collaborating with the junta of colonels in the banishment of democrats from Greece, but this appears to be more of a smear campaign than a serious allegation of wrongdoing. On 12 November 1990, he received the Grand Cross of the Order of Henry the Navigator, Portugal, being described as a "former diplomat". Someone of the same name, not sure if it's your man, was acting/interim Mayor of Heraklion 1949-1950. A gentleman of that name is buried in Athens First Cemetery, died 2 April 2001, birthdate unknown. And that's all I've found, but my Greek got a good work-out 🤓

Unfortunately, the Belarus Customs website appears not to be working... or at least the connection keeps timing out. The official Belarus tourist website says that travellers may take goods worth at most €500 and weighing at most 25kg with them into the country before incurring customs charges (not that I'm suggesting you hand-deliver, but it may be an indication of what may be sent...). The Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that goods imported into Belarus from third countries are subject to the rules of the Common Customs Tariff of the Eurasian Economic Union. The email of the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Belarus is mrt@customs.gov.by - maybe they can advise you if it would be permissible to send the award to the recipient's family through the post.

Tasty.... nice set,

Hmm... it may list them, but how do you actually get to read them?

Wow! Pretty amazing that it has survived. I am not surprised that you want to hang on to it! Quite an important part of Legion history. Have you discovered why he got demoted to sergeant? Must be some story behind that.

Good looking thing, thank you for sharing. And an interesting story about the early development of this medal.

That is handsome. Thank you for sharing! Instituted on 27 June 1871 and awarded for caring for wounded soldiers during the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71). Whilst primarily awarded to women, men were also eligible.