Ed_Haynes

Same here, Chris. Same here.

No, Bob. An interesting point, though. I have always assumed (with some evidence, to be presented later) that they were manufactured in a Friendly Northern Country, the absence of the familiar МОНЕТНЫЙ ДВОР (or some such) is noteworthy. Part of the delightful deviance of the Polar Star is the presence or absence of a maker's mark, and that (too) may tell us something?

Glad to help, Rich. Please feel free to ask as the great MC quest continues.

No, mate, I too hope links are OK. If not, we'll both get spanked. Richard has, as far as I am concerned, now gotten the only links he needs for his excursion away from The Dark Side!

Right, Kevin. If we are posting URLs, I'd add just one more, Phil Burman, the A-#1-100%-reliable dealer (to my experience): http://www.military-medals.co.uk/index.html And, then, for high-end stuff, DNW: http://www.dnw.co.uk/dnw/medals/medalshome.htm

Thanks for the updates, Bob. While they're now an OBSCENE amount of money, given the quality and small numbers awarded, I think they're still a good deal, even though a lot of them were long service awards. I hope to have some information on potential research options in a few weeks. Shall advise. Also thinking about a SB exhibit at this year's OMSA.

Look forward to seeing it, Bob.

I think the NATO is actually the NATO Meritorious Service Medal, but your point about the potential French ribbon in last place stands.

Thanks, Dave. I hoped you'd pop in here. The Patton Museum has no record of the serial number on his K1?

He was Patton. Wasn't that enough, given the mythology?

Yes, Lukasz, that was exactly my thought, but I can't imagine how he would have been authorised to wear that one. Maybe the Iraqi "government" just bought some surplus French ribbon? I know some Afghan awards are going to US folks, so why not Iraq too. Authorization to wear in the US is a pretty easy hurdle to jump (unlike, say, the UK).

Nice group Gerd . . .

Once saw a lovely family group of seven gold and about 12 silvers. Outer Banks of North Carolina. But this is

Dixon is a fair place to start, there are others too. PM if you want URLs. Any named MC has been self-named and there is, therefore, there's ample scope for faking (compare to a named EK1). Decide whether you want: -- a group = bigger money, but legit (but still, I think, underpriced for WWI awards) -- research possible only for WWII (usually) -- WWI, WWII, or ??? -- a very nice Iraq MC group just sold, GBP 30K+ -- if WWII-era, the MCs are dated officially - what period do you want (will impacty prices) Welcome to a new addiction!

While we may think of it today as a "Coast Guard" award, it has been historically a general lifesaving award, not in any sense restricted to the Coast Guard. As I recall, he saved some chap from drowning. There have been several LONG articles on his awards in the JOMSA over the years.

They were allies, after all. Perhaps the post-war right-wing myth about Patton isn't completely accurate?

None that I have heard. Suspect the Iraqi "government" has more major issues to worry about?

US State Department Superior Honor Award

His official army biography -- http://usacac.army.mil/cac/commander.asp - speaks of something called (?!) the Gold Award of the Iraqi Order of the Date Palm. Presumably that is the last thing he wears?? See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Petraeus

US General David Petraeus has appeared in official snaps wearing a mystery (Iraqi?) ribbon. He has just taken over as commander of the multinational force in Iraq.

Since its Ukranian "cousin", got bumped, I thought I'd (shamelessly) bump this one too.

And this. Let me know if you need more?

Wow. Had this.

Will need to fetch it home for scanning, I think. Let me look and, if needed, get back to you on this.

Inside . . . . . . Chosin Inmin Konghwa Kuk Noryok Yongung Ch'ingho / Labor Hero of the Democratic Peoples' Republic of Korea. Thanks, Tang Si and Doc for helping this in its journey to live with me!