bifter

I thought it may be a sweetheart brooch; that said, it is the ustasha badge that comes with it that is really my thing.

Hi there fellow collectors!

An associate of mine has her fathers L.R.D.G. badge & is wanting to know the monetary value, as she is currently in financial purgatory. The badge (I apologise for not having photographs!) is a very nice 'brooch pin' type as found on World War One British wound badges. It is also of the same quality, but in brass rather than silver. I believe the badge to genuine as I do have previous experience with British items ( although I have been collecting mainly 3rd Reich & Communist Bloc Items for the past 33 years), & she is a lady of good repute & the daughter of a British Officer. Her Pa served alongside Tito's Partisans. I wish he were alive to tell me the tales.

I do not want to make an offer on the badge without advice as to what kind of offer to make.

Your advice would be most appreciated. Thank you & with Faith!

I am not technically very able; i will ask somone to help with the process of the photo; it is definately a 1st class red star with RPSSH. When I bought it I was a tad taken aback , as my 2nd & 3rd classes were both RPSH. All came from the same dealer.

As usual, I am somewhat behind the rest of you as I have only just discovered this thread! The text states that no  'RPSSH' Red Star 1st classes have been observed! I am sure there will be many observed by now, but just to add a bit to this thread my Red Star 1st is an 'RPSSH' version. I bought it about 6 years ago (2012).

I recently bought a Wilkinson flintlock from around 1780's era! Cost £700, but is a brass, iron  & walnut beauty. '15mm' balls & has been well looked after. I always have loved the 'romantic' brutality of antique weaponry. Each one a work of art!

I also found a battered but very ornate '17mm' ball Italian flintlock with Roman numerls '1720' along the lock. It was still loaded.  I would not want to be shot with one of these. They were  very 'dirty' weapons!

Those british awards are very much a special win!!!!!! Who did they go to??

I like to consider myself as a 'serious' viet collector (a big collection!!!!! rather than them just being a sideline to other countries); i notice you have 2 'resolution for victory' & a 'fortress of the fatherland' order. I f you see any more of these' & you wish to sell them on for a wee profit' i will make it worth your while. Despite my 'dealer' being in Hanoi, these awards are rather scarce!!!!!

Tim,

Thanks for the additional pics. Reinforces my opinion, - a genuine, but (very) worn original.

I like this one. it seems good, even without holding it. You guys have already given all the good points so i need not do so again!!!!

I just been sucscribing to the Atlas Editions Battleship Collection & they are VERY well worth collecting. This U -boat looks like a typical model from thier range of models. I hope they come to the U.K.

No info; but will be curious to see what is posted. The cannon is intriguing. And now I know what country the medal I've seen at the flea market is from; looks just like this except for the cannon design. The one I've seen I think has a soldier in the center.

Hi!

This medal is usually found on a small rectangular suspension, i cannot say what it is for though. I have only ever seen them on small suspensions.

Here is a simple hint, the men on scewbacks has to look childish, with 'square' head , on yours he is a 'grown-up' one.

Could this be a genuine flatback that has been 'twisted' into a screwback by having its loop removed & a screwpost added? I have a nice flatback with its screwpost removed & a loop soldered on!

Am i correct to assume removing screwposts & adding ribbon loops was the norm, & removing loops & adding screwposts wwas more to do with trying to get more money by fooling the unsuspecting collector?

**

Hi!

It is a copy of the medal for the liberation of northern China, during the civil war. The origional is on a ribbon, rather than being a badge.

And reverse:

Hello!

Mine is numbered 08! These badges are one of my favourites.

Hi Seb16trs!!!

I am guessing that the Vietnamese Gold Star is a rare one; but no one else seems to be talking to us!!!!! I know that they were not made of gold, or at least most of them were not that were issued to the Vietnamese themselves!!!! Maybe a few foreigners were given gold ones?

The current issue ones from 2007 (as seen on the 'Medal Hound' website) are 24K plate. I really am kicking myself for not buying one of the 2007 ones last year, when i had the chance. It was $200, & i was busy collecting Albanian at the time. I cannot find one anywhere now!!!

At the moment i am searching high & low for a 'Ho Chi Minh Order', a Cambodian 'Labour Order' & a Laotian 'Victory Order' - just thought i would mention that, in case you happen to have or know of any available!!!!! For seemingly cheap & 'lesser quality' manafactured awards, they are damn hard to come by!!! I have even offered high prices, to no avail!!! I offered $80 for the latter 2 each, & $300 for the Ho Chi Minh!!!

Either they are all rare, or no-one wants to let thiers go!!

Hi!

I would just like to ask what the going rate for an old version of the Gold Star is at the moment? Or at least an estimate; the old type that is , not the new type!

I purchase from fellow collectors when I can, dealers are always the last resort. Paypal is a must these days for Internet purchases, you have protection with paypal when using their service. Beware of sending bank transfers to unknown people, there is allot of scams going on at the moment. And once your money arrives in their account you can not get it back if the deal goes wrong! Cheers, Kai

Recently, i have been buying a lot from fellow G.M.I.C.members. I have great hope that most of us are true gentlemen, & will not fail to please. I am saddened by the news regarding 'Warlord"; as a child, my mother used to take his books out of the library for me to swot over. I now own most of them too. I grew up seeing him as a kind of figure to aspire to. I suppose we all do things to let others down at some point in our lives!

Well, it is dangerous to unexperienced collector who didn't see an original or doesn't have a clue about "quality"... I guess we're now where Third reichs collectors were 20 or so years ago with low-quality cast fakes... But the fakers will improve, no doubt!

me wants bad! me must get! what me pay?

Sorry, chaps! The beauty of the real one got me dribblin'; I would really love to get hold of one of those but I suppose they will be a tad pricey. Although, I have started upping my price ceiling recently. I would never pay over #150 for anything, due to me being on a low income. Last week i payed #250 for a Soviet Hero of Motherhood. Not sure why i did it; I just HAD to buy, immediately, the Hero of Motherhood!!!! It was just there lookiing at me & asked me politly in a seductive Russian accent to get her in my life! Is there any chance of one of these 1st type Military Merit medals being within my price range?

Did you get those from a dealer based in Hanoi? If so; he is a very good dealer & takes good care of his customers. He gets some amazing stock in as well. He had some unissued examples of the Ho Chi Minh Order, Independance Order & the current issue Gold Star.

Here is one from Yugoslavia.

Do not forget Cuba, Vietnam, Laos & Cambodia! And then Angola, Mozambique, Burkina Faso etc........... I have only one from the U.S.S.R.! I would love to have them all!! Oh! I also have the past 3 years from the U.K.! I am very envious of your wee treasures there; any official party documents really get me tingling. I do not know where to get them from though.

I have bought a lot on e-bay via postal order & cheque; some e-bay dealers are okay; but a lot are low down villains! I have had cheap copies sent to me when the photos shown were of good origionals! I have had postal orders cashed, & not received the goods; only to be told that "your parcel must be lost in the system!!!!! Get in touch with the post office!!!!!! I sent it insured!!!!!" But no evidence of insured postage ever shows up!! I try to avoid e-bay unless i know the dealer through experience. Last time, i payed for insured postage for a 50 pounds medal & it arrived via normal post! I shall not buy from that monkey again.

Hello everyone!

For many years i have searched & trawled through catalogues & webpages, but never have i, ever, been fortunate enough to come across an available October Revolution Order in the U.K.!!! All i have ever managed to get is a low quality (but WITH hot enamel!!!!) copy! As i do not have a suitable bank account for PayPal, i have to rely on debit card or postal orders or cheques; this means that i am unable to buy from outside the U.K..

If there is anyone out there with a shop like Collect Russia here in the U.K., where are you?

Can anyone help me find one?

Hi all!

I have a quick question!

Recently i managed to obtain, after a 3 year search, a 1st class Romanian 'Defense of the Motherland'. It cost a wee 75 pounds (sorry! my laptop does not seem to have a U.K. 'pound' symbol!!!)

Would this be a 'good' price? I have seen the 3rd class going for $250 U.S., so i am assuming i got a bargain!?

Also, in the past i have been offered a Romanian 'Hero of Labour' for 75 pounds; like a stupid, stupid fool i declined!!!!! But is this a general price for the 'gilt-brass' versions, or did i let go of a once in a life time offer?

Nearly forgot... my 20th OGPW:

Serial number: 3246929

Dan

Hi!

If you are still in need of a 'Hero of Motherhood', there is a splendid example on offer right now at Liverpool Medals.

It be a cool £225! I think this a good price really; they also have a document for the same Order, but not this particular example being offered though.

more

I think those two look fine! The second one is one of the transitional varieties; I do not think there are many of those about!

Hi!!

It is good to see another fan of The 'Nam's militaria!!! I have been in love with it since I saw a picture on a magazine of an N.V.A. trooper wearing a 'soldiers combat order' way back when I was very young. I just loved the medal & wondered whre I could get one.

Some of the higher & more recent Orders such as the Ho Chi Minh & the Idependance Orders & the 2007(?) version of the Gold Star seem to fetch quite high amounts of cash.