Carol I

Maybe this book can help. The sample page below mentions that there were two types of badges, but not when each was introduced (click on the image for a larger version).

The first thing that came to mind (and still comes after the new keyword) is "the boys from the Cheka", but Felix Dzerzhinsky had a goatee which the men in the photo do not have.

I see... so this order is not that untouchable. I also find the design very nice, but not being my main interest I will probably wait until a nice opportunity pops up.

Thanks, Yankee. Having a simple metal design, I could imagine that this order is very appealing to fakers. And this is why I decided to ask about the range of fair prices for these badges...

Here are some "better" images. Well, at least larger...

Sorry, I was not clear enough and I mixed value and price... What would a fair price be if the badge is genuine? And if it turns out to be a high quality copy/fake?

Thank you. Although I have no experience with German orders, I also suspect there is also something strange with the ribbon. But what would be its value as a "copy" if it turns out to be one?

I have asked for better pictures, but for now the two images above and the one below is all I have.

Could you tell me your opinion on this badge? Value?

Congratulations Christian. She was indeed Alexandra Kollontai. Apparently Mrs. Kollontai was the first woman ambassador in the world. During WWII she was posted in Sweden and in that position she held talks with the Romanian government representatives regarding an early armistice that was supposed to take Romania out of the war.

Well, if the situation is that desperate... The girl in the photo below was born in a wealthy family and hence had the all premises for a privileged life. Her father, a general in the army, weary of the "undesirable elements in public schools", decided that she would be educated at home. Fate had it that the girl's tutors were "undesirable elements" that gave her more education than her father expected. An independent nature, later in life she broke many conventions and ultimately became very active in politics. While a supporter of the ideology, she was also a fervent critic of the regime, which led to her being sent into an unusual exile which made her very special and also saved her life. 1. Who is the girl? 2. Name a few of the conventions she broke in life. 3. What was the nature of her exile and what made her special?

Thanks, Jim. It was not as an easy question as it seemed. The only hint (at least for me) were the masks they were wearing and which were very much used during the intervention at Chernobyl. No one questioned the way you constructed the question or your right to validate the answer, so there are no problems (and I do not think I speak only for myself). I am rather busy in the comming days, so if the waiting seems too long someone else should ask the next question.

I might have found them. Helicopter crew perished on 02.10.1986, over unit 4 of the Chernobyl NPP: - VOROBYOV Volodymyr Kostyantynovych (21.03.1956 - 02.10.1986) - YUNHKIND Oleksandr Yevhenovych (15.04.1958 - 02.10.1986) - KHRYSTYCH Leonid Ivanovych (28.02.1953 - 02.10.1986) - HANZHUK Mykola Oleksandrovych (26.06.1960 - 02.10.1986) The really sad thing is that most of the liquidators did not know the risks they were facing (whether from lack of knowledge or mis-information).

I do not mind, Jim. Whoever names them can ask the next question. P.S. Did they eventually find out what was the cause of the crash? Was it pilot error?

Thank you, guys. Well, then I will have to face the prospect of devising a question...

One more try Jim. They were the crew of a helicopter working on liquidating the effects of the Chernobyl disaster. Afghanistan and Chernobyl. The photo was taken while they worked at Chernobyl. They were working on spreading fixation solution on the reactor remains. While above the reactor, the blades of the main rotor became entangled on a cable and the helicopter crashed on the reactor. The names and the photo appear in this YouTube video, but I cannot make them out... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICOu7KksgUA

Helicopter pilots? Chernobyl and probably Afghanistan. Chernobyl disaster Liquidating the fire and probably fixating the radioactive dust. Wjhat happened next? Probably acute radiation sickness.

The thing is that the name on the monument might not indicate its location. Instead it could be the name of a place (or a person) that the monument commemorates. So the monument could very well be (have been) in G?rlitz... if someone knows the place, they could say whether it is really so or not.

All the last three letters of the name on the manument appear to be normal-width, small letters (no "i", no "l") - see the image enhancement below.

Does it look like an "191..." on the side of the monument? The word beneath the cross appears to be "Groberz"...

Thanks Rick. I had no idea whether the bar was newly assembled from genuine German items with the maker a bit 'creative' with the Romanian award or whether the bar was genuine and the owner matched the ribbon of a missing badge with the Romanian one. Thanks again.

"This" is now on eBay?

To the left there is the Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Romania on a wrong ribbon. The correct ribbon is probably the one below (if I guessed the faded colours right).

Here is an image of Austrian hallmarks posted by Rick Research in another thread. Hopefully it will help identifying the marks on your badge.

Another Romanian cosmonaut badge (from eBay). It bears the inscription Primul cosmonaut roman (The First Romanian Cosmonaut) and the year 1981 hence it makes a direct reference to Prunariu, but I have no idea whether it is an official issue, some sort of a pin or a fantasy badge.