Ferdinand

Today I received a very extensive reply from our researcher. I asked for everything he could find. The research would take about two - three months. I can't wait...

I did a little testing with my scanner with a couple of OPW's and some sort of velvet as background:

And there's of course a difference between production date and issue date...

Thank you for your enthousiastic reply Doc. I have taken the first step and contacted the researcher. I can't wait for the results... Perhaps a mod can move this topic to the 'Research' Forum?

As research is a totally new world for me, I have a lot of questions. There is only one fellow who interfaces with the Archives? If I want to contact him, I can contact one of you for his name and contact details? Then the researcher knows what to do, he goes to the Archives and copies the Award Card en Citation for me? And I assume he wants something for his services too? Thanks, Auke

I LOVE that sticky Must have overlooked it. Research is a totally new (and expensive) world for me, but I will reconsider it. Here he is:

A small question - who can give me an approximate production date for a Red Banner serialled 223004? Thanks. Auke

I noticed that too. Here's another veteran, not a cavalier but a nice picture (sorry, a little bit off-topic). A 20th Anniversary of Victory Medal with a kolodka of the 70th Anniversary of the Armed Forces turned upside down, a Victory over Germany with a 30th Anniversary of Victory ribbon, his 1985 OPW 1 is on the left instead of right, and a 70th Anniversary of Armed Forces with a wrong ribbon.

I discovered another one on my PC, must have found it somewhere on the internet. May 2005 60th Anniversary of Victory commemorations. Auke

You're absolutely right Gerd, my mistake. Of course it's no Flatback I can see your points about showing S/N's. So, for the interested ones, close-ups of the two S/N's. (When were they produced?) 44030 296650

Yes, I noticed that many people over here just show their S/N's. However I don't want my awards to be traced down by others. That way there can't be a 'Sotheby's effect'. But I never paid that much attention to the case of hiding / showing S/N's, I'm just used to doing this. Perhaps a nice subject for a discussion...

Two new OPW 2's in my collection, for a very decent price: S/N 440XX, 'Starback', Krasnokamsk Mint, T2 V1.3. Who can tell me when this one was produced? S/N 2966XX, 'Flatback', Krasnokamsk Mint, T2 V6.1. Who can tell me when this one was produced?

http://www.authentications.info is at the bottom of the doc.

Just an addition: two late picture of Marshal of Air Forces Ivan Ivanovich Pstygo. All 8 Red Banners are visible as ribbons.

Excellent! Very informative! Looking forward to your book...

A little bit late, but... Great article!

That's exactly the reason why I posted this question. Many of us have got huge collections, but somehow these awards must have been shipped out of Russia / the Soviet Union. And Dave tells this has always been illegal, so I'm surprised you're answering 'no'. In a Dutch WWII Forum I'm currently having a discussion with a collector who only buys his awards from friends and collectors he really trusts. He doesn't want to buy illegal stuff. Also, he always erases his serial numbers when he posts his awards on the internet. I'm finding it difficult to form my own opinion.

I have been told that it's currently illegal to sell or buy Soviet awards in Russia or the Ukraine. It seems that this law was instituted in the 90's because veterans were being robbed of their medals. Is this true? If so, did anyone of you have any trouble with this law?

We discussed this one over at the other Soviet Forum... http://www.soviet-awards.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6492

Thanks Gerd. It's one of the last batch of OPW's before the 1985 version was instituted. Auke

Thanks. It makes me think of another small off-topic question: Why a badge for the 25th anniversary and a medal for the 55th? To me it seems that the 25th anniversary is much more important...

And how can you tell the difference between an Order of Glory, Victory over Germany and a 25th Anniversary Medal? Is it their place in the ribbon bar?

My OPW, a type 2 from 1969:

My first one, a Defence of Stalingrad... I have always been interested in the Battle of Stalingrad, and through this medal my interest for Soviet medals started...

You're right about that, however there was no Stalingrad Front at that time. The Stalingrad Front was disbanded 31-12-1942.