Ed_Haynes

I can't say for certain about this one, but being a friend of the "ruling" family and demonstrating that friendship financially usually would help.

There's more than a little bit of fantasy in the air here. Another one of these "pretender" states that exists with great historical certainty in the mind of the "head of the dynasty", but in the minds of no one else.

Interesting psychology and sociology, minimal phaleristics or history.

Just a wild guess to the guards badge. Is it possible, that the soviets made his 3rd Army honorably a Guards Army and pinned him the badge on his jacket?

Good one, Gerd. I vaguely remember that this theory had also been advanced in of of those JOMSA articles on Patton's awards, maybe with some evidence. It would then raise the interesting (though soon made moot by the politics of the "Cold War") as to whether all soldiers of the 3rd Army could wear guards' badges or just their commander?

Need to dig through my back issues of the JOMSA. At present, their organization is limited.

Naming for the 2nd Afghan War Medal is probably the most variable of any Victorian gong. I am convinced (concerning myself only with medals to Indians) that there is some underlying pattern, but I am clueless what it might be. I do know that the large number of medals required broke the habitual pattern of outsourcing medasls from the Calcutta Mint to a single firm for naming, and a bundle of additional contracts had to be issued and that regiments were encouraged to name things themselves. What lovely chaos!

Yes, a group like the one Jackly posted is pretty, but as it is most likely entirely unnamed it will have 0% research potential and will carry have a nagging doubt as to whether it is legitimate or fraudulently assembled.

Go for a nice WWI MC group (actually cheaper than a similar WWII group!). And go to a professional dealer.

Far, FAR from anything I know much about, but it looks pre-WWII to me, probably WWI (if I had to GUESS).

I would shell out the extra little bit for an MC with Trio...

The research pleasure you get will far outweigh the price difference between the group anf the unnamed single.

best

Chris

Same here, Chris. Same here.

While enjoying the weight and beauty of a newly arrived SB in my hand, I realized that these were not with Russian mintmarks... for some reason, that surprises me. Why would the Polar Stars have them yet these not?

Perhaps I shouldn't be surprised. Too many mysteries... with Mongolia being such a small country by population you'd hope that there'd be an easier path to getting answers.

Oh well, patience is a virtue right:)

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.

Hallo Ed

I presumed posting links will help Richard because he stated he was mainly in TR and knowing that he probaly / possibly buys direct from Germany

Errr.......Its not against GMIC policy is it if so I can remove.

Kevin in Deva

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?

Hi all,

I hadn't noticed before but know that I have I kind of wonder what he did for the Navy Distinguished Service Medal. Does anyone know?

Dan

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

To me it looks like the French M?daille comm?morative Fran?aise. I am not sure if US military are authorized to wear Iraqi medals at all.

M?daille comm?morative Fran?aise:

(credit: France-phaleristique)

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!

I am interested in how he was awarded the Coast Guard's Silver Lifesaving medal!

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?

Thanks Ed!

Also, is there any word on the average Joe getting an Iraqi medal of any type(like the soldiers did in Vietnam and Desert Storm)?

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

What is that ribbon bar next to his National Defense Service Medal?

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