Ed_Haynes

Yet, when you see it in the pair with its "cousin" (with that same enamel repair on the "hero" that looks so much worse scanned than it does in reality!) . . .

And even the scan doesn't do it justice

I dare you, OoV, or anyone with a soul, to resist this:

Mark, It has been so long since I have seen one of these Spanish bars, that I'd have to see it or, better, ask an expert (once you know the REAL order). The best online source for Spanish medal information is, of course, Antonio Prieto Barrio's at http://www.coleccionesmilitares.com/medallas/index.htm (and, actually, he shows a somewhat similar bar on his page!). Ed

War booty and plunder?

A fascinating bar, though it seems to have been mounted (mounted-up?) by someone who thinks only the Spanish Civil War ever happened. Sure you guys know the first two items. The Order of St. Hermengild (#3) was created in 1814 as the preeminent order for military merit (it became, in essence, a long-service award for officers). The Medalla Militar de Maurruecos (Military Medal for Morocco), 1916 (the last item), carried clasps for Tetu?n, Larache, and Melilla. While I am, off the cuff, unsure on official Spanish award ranking, I'd assume this should be #3, #2, #4, #1 in proper order. Makes me worry about possible "group" mismounting by someone who had only heard of the civil war. Nice individual medals, though. No offense, but having this hidden as if it was a set of Third Reich awards meant it took me much longer to find this, as I rarely bother look in in this area.

An enamel and precioussssss metal overdose, for sure! The one without a number? It is numbered. The number was not posted. At the request of the source. Sorry.

The Sukbaatar may well the the sexiest order around. It is what "hooked" me onto Mongolian stuff. I hope the "new Mongolia" keeps it, even in its current ugly form.

Mine, ranging from the utterly sublime to the completely ridiculous. (Took a while to get them to behave on the scanner surface -- rather like the historical Sukhbaatar?) Weights (screw plate removed): 1- Screwback, #_ - 56.7 g 2- Screwback, #158 - 55.3 g 3- Screwback, #423 - 56.85 g 4- Pinback, #1726 - 58.7 g 5- Nasty brassy, no # - 61.2 g

Nice, they even look lovely in crowds.

Let me second this. But the problem now is that it seems to be out of print. Haven't seen a dealer listing it lately and I got one of the author's last remaining (unnumbered) copies (autographed ) this summer. There are no plans for a reprint or a second edition. And, I might add, after finding, buying, and reading Battushig, spend some time grazing the various threads here. Through the collective efforts exerted here, we have provided the best one-stop-shopping for post-Battushig information on Mongolian awards.

Badge of the Title of Merit (Battushig A 8) See: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=5056 (I think: the images haven't loaded fully YET!)

Sorry, but even with a cable modem, the download times from your image hoster are too slow to see much more than a sliver of wallpaper. I tremble for forum members on dial-up connections! Again I ask: why not add these images, normally, on the forum site?

A good question. I think it is quite possible that there may be a cheap post-Socialist variety out there. But it is just that we don't know of anyone who has seen one yet. When such a badge is spotted in Mongolia it will be interesting news. But when such a badge comes from a neighboring country to the south, a country which has come to challenge Latvia for the Faker's Non-Hero Star, I worry.

Good guess, OoV, but the asserted name doesn't "work" anywhere.

I would agree, I have recently seen some that did not sit well. CAUTION (not paranoia) is now very much in order, friends.

Yes, JC, EXACTLY. It is really, really interesting how a totally unknown badge stays unknown until, suddenly, several samples come forth. And NOT from any familiar source (and especially NOT from the Central Bank). If you wonder where that odd smell comes from, look to this badge. I wish I were wrong, but when you see it there is little doubt.

A fascinating group. If legit, quite a story. While way out of my field, I the absence of a clasp on the Canadian Vol Service would give me pause. And mounted in Canadian order of wearing . . . ??

I have doubts that any of the documents match the badges. When you see it, there is no doubt about that phoney fantasy Internal Security badge. Very coarse construction.

Wasn't that for WWI?

The second design oustanding fireman badge is uncommon (maybe even rare?) and the nicest in this batch.

Yes, that fantasy Internal Security badge is the same one that was making the rounds -- and being universallly laughed at -- when I was in Ulanbaatar this summer. It is the first outright fantasy-fake Mongolian item spotted; some fakes are out there, expecially Medal of Unselfishness and some fake foreign Soviet Lenin 100s (though these may be coming out of the former CCCP).

I am not sure what you are saying. Sorry (again).

Do the documents match? Are the documents good? The central badge is a special problem as it is universally dismissed as a fantasy badge. Sorry to bear bad news.

Nice ones. The Firefighter 3rd Grade is actually fairly uncommon. I don't have Bat's book at hand just now for the second and it has slipped through the holes in my memory. Thanks for sharing.