JohanH

It’s a shooting badge for artillery. Established in 1944. The swedish name is Artilleriets skyttemärke i guld/silver. Your badge is made by Sporrong & co of hallmarked silver with yearstamp V8 = 1947

Hello Janne! Yes, the breast star is a beauty. Here is a picture of the stamps. It´s a bit difficult to photograph them and get a clear picture. It´s marked C7 = 1956 PM sent about the grand cross...

Here is my collection of winter war medals from Finland. Talvisota muistomitali or TsMM. First picture shows all medals with the 15 existing clasps awarded to Finnish personnel. Second picture shows my collection of TsMM awarded to foreigners with four different clasps. On has it´s original bag included. Then there is the bronze and silver medal, one of the silver medals is a real hallmarked one and the other is a official copy made to a museum in Finland. The museum medal might be for sale or trade if anyone is interested. Now I only need a gold one to complete my collection. But since only 7 awarded to heads of state, it´s impossible to obtain. The silver one is awarded 42 times and extremely hard to find and very expensive once you find one for sale.

My latest addition to my collection. A VR1 cross from 1941! Awarded 242 times. Unfortunately repaired enamel on the back. But the front is great.

That is some very interesting information Christer. Do you have any pictures of any of them? I have some photographs that came with the bar with one that probably shows the doctor himself. The liberty cross is one of the best examples i have ever seen. It´s close to mint condition. Much more beautiful in real life than on the pictures.

Thank you for this information. I did not know that the germans sent bicycle infantry to fight in Finland. But on the other hand I have not researched so much about the germans in Finland. But it´s a nice medalgroup.

Thank you Christer! Yes, you are correct. I bought them from Holmasto. The crosses and medals without year is really difficult to obtain for several reasons. Few awarded and often the awardee want to keep their cross/medal. I suppose that´s why there are so few available on the market. I agree with you, if I was awarded something I would not sell it for a few hundred euros. But maybe the Afghanistan awarded soldiers don´t want to be reminded of the war down there? These medals I bought from Holmasto is the civil merit medals. So i don´t believe they have any connection to Afghanistan. But the VM1 i showed earlier was awarded just a few years ago to a Afghanistan soldier.

Actually, on the 1918 medals the red cross is a separate part that is soldered on to a "normal" medal. It wasn´t until 1939 they made special dies with the red cross integrated in the medal. The 1918 medals with red cross seem to be almost impossible to find for sale. I have only seen one VM2 for sale since I started collecting.

The latest purchase to my collection! A VM1 KA type 1 without year on back and a VM2 KA type 1 without year on back. VM1 is awarded only 77 times and VM2 239 times according to Jani Tianens book, but those numbers can be a little old.

Thanks Christophe! Here is my latest purchase! A medalbar awarded to a Swedish doctor. VR3 1941 with red cross, TsMM in iron for foreigners and contiunation war medal.

Wow! Thanks for sharing! What a collection of medals! Amazing! It must be worth several thousands euro. The signed books is also very nice! It´s a bit hard to find stuff signed by Mannerheim. I have been looking for a autograph of him for some time. But no luck.

Great! I´m looking forward to see it. Medalgroups and medals with a history is very interesting. Especially if they have letters from the greatest finn ever. Mannerheim. Who is actually a distant relative to me.

That is very interesting! May I see some pictures of the medals and stuff you have? If you don´t want to post it here you can PM me. And of course, if you want to sell anything. Just let me know...

This beautiful medalbar just arrived today. Awarded to a Swedish doctor. But unfortunately I don´t have his name. Just a few photos. A libertycross 3rd class with red cross, winterwar medal for foreigners and "Fortsättningskrigets" medal in Swedish. The cross and medals are in mint condition.

I also have this prototype medal from the designer of the medal, Aarno Karimo. It exists 15 different clasps on the Finnish medals. Just let me know if ýou want pictures. I have them all.

Here is the pictures. The winter war medal (TsMM) exists in four different versions for foreigners. Iron - Awarded about 10 000 times Bronze - Awarded 1961 times Silver - Awarded 42 times Gold - Awarded 7 times Your grandmother should have been awarded a iron medal. Bronze and silver was given to people who helped Finland with recruiting, propaganda and stuff like that. And people who helped with fundraising. Gold was only awarded to heads of state and similar. They are impossible to obtain for a collector. Silver is very difficult to find. The difference between the medals awarded to foreigners and the ones awarded to Finns is the reverse. And also the size, the foreign one´s is a bit larger. Finnish medals have the text "Kunnia Isänmaa" which translates to "Honor Fatherland" Please see pictures. The medal exists with different clasps and swords if the awardee have been under enemy fire. This medal is with the original award bag. Bronze medal. The ring on the ribbon is a owner made thing. Not original. And a silver one. Unfortunately this is only an official museum copy. Made for a finnish museum. But I have a real hallmarked medal on the way. One of the 42 awarded....

I will post a pic as soon I get home.

Interesting! I don’t know how many of these crosses that was awarded to non-finns. Do you have her other medals too? There should atleast be a winter war medal for foreigners. If you wonder anything else, just let me know and i’ll try to help.

Hello Ulrica! Beautiful 3rd class libertycross! Was your grandmother from Finland or was she a volunteer? These liberty crosses with red cross in the center was awarded to doctors, nurses and for medical merits during the winter war of 1939. An original award certificate makes the lot worth more money since the few awarded (48) pieces.

Hello! Does anyone of you have any information about a Jäger Karl Wüllner who served in Finland during the liberty war? I have medalgroup with documents and would like to find out more about him. According to one of the papers he served in "Radf. Komp. 54" and another documents say "Jäger d. 3. Garde. Kav. Brig." Karl was Born in Oberbeck 17/2 1897. b

Hehe, thank you Hans! It´s getting more and more difficult (and more and more expensive) to get the ones I need to complete my collection... ___________________________________________________________________ Here is a really rare widow-cross from 1939 but made as a 1941 cross with engraved year. I have never before seen this variation.

Thanks for your reply Hans! I have heard of that list but I did not know he has passed away. That´s a real shame if the list is gone forever...

Nice ones! What other crosses do you have?

Thank you stormrider! I have only collected the last there years or so. But I am fortunate enough to have good connections. I have no Idea who manufactured the grand crosses. If its german made or by A Tillander. The earliest Liberty crosses are made in german i think. The grand cross is not in my collection. They are way to expensive for me. I only have the medalj in the pictures. And some duplicates for trade/sale.

Liberty crosses without swords and with blue enamel is civilian crosses. Crosses with red cross is always awarded without swords. There are two exceptions that I know of. One VR2 1939 and one VR3 or VR4 (I don’t remember) without year that was awarded recently by mistake. It was supposed to be without swords but they didnt correct it for some reason.