Ed_Haynes

The expert is always right . . . sorry.

Our friendly New Jersey Dealer now no longer lists Battushig's book. You know what that means? Your copy just became a collectible in its own right!

Jeff can do these in his sleep. Maybe I should wait for him . . . ??

This one looks like a US Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal (with star indicating extra clasp) to me. Maybe?

USA, Civil Air Patrol. Will need to hunt for precise identification.

Welcome Zorigo!

Sain bainuu!!

OK, I'll bite:

1- Why is this specific date of such (or even any) importance?

2- How were we expected to know this?

Not sure where the guessing on car names and precise dates is heading? Does this increase or decrease the interest in and relevance of this thread?

It is, of course . . . an interesting . . . THING! Very interesting.

The status of the bronze coronation medal is vague. Only the silver was ever official, though the bronzes existed. It is unclear why. What is even less officicial are the silvered bronze medals, probably an interim solution to the late supply of medals from London. The real (silver) medals were struck on the same plancet as the QE2 coronation (leftovers?). If anyone wants more information and images, I can provide.

While this may well be fake, what in the world does the seller's gender have to do with the matter??????

I would agree to the first comment but he was much more than this, he was a ruthless fanatic, a dangerous politician, and was one of the real architects and believers in National Socialism. His nihilistic viewpoint fell in line with Hitler?s idea of total war and supported the total destruction of the German State, not to mention the destruction of the Jewish race. A man with much blood on his hands, included his own children. Much, much more than a master spin doctor....in my humble opinion.

Correct, Nick. To dismiss him glibly as a "spin doctor" comes close to a dangerous misunderstanding of history.

But, however much fun this is, much of it is

Back on theme . . . I was struck that while Wardak wears his royalist awards, the second officer shown still wears his PDRA awards. An interesting mix.

Opinions on Wardak vary, and it is important not to confuse him with other Wardaks, many of whom were fine officers. When, during the Afghan-Soviet War, people spoke of "Gucci guerrillas", those Westernized Peshawar-based mujahideen leaders who seemed more comfortable being interviewed by journalists in the Dean's Hotel than in leading fighters in the field, Abdul Rahim Wardak was pretty much whom they had in mind. Of course, the always nattily-dressed political leader of NIFA, Pir Sayyed Ahmed Gailani, who is also the head of Qadariya sufiism and who routinely traveled between Peshawar and the exiled king's villa near Rome, actually did wear Gucci.

And many of them never got far out of the luxurious southern suburbs of New Delhi.

Also, just a nit, but there's no "h" in Massoud. There are various transliterations, with Mas'ud being closest to the spelling (مسعود), but Massoud himself, educated at a French lycee in Kabul, used the more Frenchified transliteration. Anmong other Afghans, a more Anglicized version like Masood is often seen.

Not a nit, thanks Dave. Fingers got disconnected from mind. Oops.

Thanks for other observations and info.

From all I heard there, calling Wardak "flamboyant" is an understatement.

We care, Eric, we care.

But we're mad too!

We're all mad here!!!!!!!!!

One more . . . for the time being.

More . . . and more to come.

More . . .

Some new (updated) images. All in one place.

Starting with single, uncased, undocumented items.

We do do a good job here, don't we?!

Er??l mendiin t?l??!!

Nice eye-candy, Paul. Thanks!

Thanks!

Hi Ed

I'm sorry I never thought of that ethical part of that question. Mea culpa. However I saved them awful fast incase it get's deleted Thank you

I don't THINK any such problem exists on this forum (unlike others), but I always feel a bit ethically queasy doing these public recommendations. All I'll say is that these are the guys I use. Period. Why I deal with them and not others reflects my interests and what they stock. Other fine UK dealers never bother with medals to Indians so I don't bother with them.

Dealers? Not sure this is kosher (shuddh? halal?) but these are the ones I use the most (in alphabetical order):

Philip Burman - http://www.military-medals.co.uk/grandlist.htm

Chris Dixon - http://www.dixonsmedals.co.uk/

Frontier Medals - http://www.frontiermedals.com/

Liverpool Medal Company - http://www.liverpoolmedals.com/

There are others. I am not bothering with the "mainly-auction" places like DNW or Spink.

If inappropriate for the forum, this can surely be deleted.

The serial numbers are even harder to photograph and the images will be even worse (sorry). It may be time to drag out the old SLR? Or borrow my wife's microscope??

Left - "higher" - 63, very shallow

Right - "lower" - 161, really close to the flagpole, but you may have to take my word on this

Sorry.