Ed_Haynes

But they are highly, highly, HIGHLY faked, worse than Third Reich stuff.

Oh . . . . Oh . . . that is a hard one! I have been collecting and studying mostly South Asian medals for far, far too close to 35 years to make me entirely confortable. Joined the OMSA (illegally young as Jack Lele liked to taunt me) as member #1299 and only recently bit the worthy bullet and became a life member (#78). I became an OMRS member later on (#5414). Also a proud member of the IMHS (we don't have numbers). I am an academic historian (with specialization in Modern South Asian History), I have been striving in recent years to conjoin my academic interests and my "hobby" interests. Main interests (more or less in order): 1- Post-1947 Indian medals. See: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=2450 2- Indian Title Badges. Not here, actually, see: http://sagongs.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=265. 3- Pre-1947 gallantry and campaign awards (to Indians only) - especially like IOMs and IDSMs but the market is making these out of reach. There is also a "type collection" sub-motif here that will not die, despite my best efforts. See: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=2331 and http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=2400. 4- Medals to Indian States' Forces and medals of the Indian "Princely" States. Getting pretty expensive these days. Not here (yet), though I may inflict some upon you . 5- Other medals of the independent states of South Asia. Special interest in PDR Afghanistan ("Soviet-era") and Pakistan. Scattered about. 6- Labor medals of the "Socialist" world. See my latest baby, http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=2746. 7- Medals of the Arab world (the 22 Arab League member states). Not here, much, yet. Yes, there are some "fringe" areas in there, and I also like other shiny things that strike my fancy. (My "Magpie Stage" -- as the late lamented Alan Wolfe called it -- still persists in remnant form.) I maintain the yahoo group ( http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SAGongs/ ) and a sibling forum ( http://sagongs.ipbhost.com/ ) on South Asian medals. Until it was trashed in a post-11 September striking out at anything with remotely "Arab" content, I had maintained the "International Electronic Phaleristic Encyclopedia". An aeon or so ago, I had also started the MEDALS-L mailing list. Will add more as I can. Ed Back to topic, now, OK? Please!

Medal ?Sukhrat? / Медаль ?Сухрат? Date and details of establishment of a medal are unknown. Apparently, the medal is awarded for labor merit. Медаль ?Сухрат? Дата и подробности учреждения медали неизвестны. Судя по всему, медаль вручается за трудовые заслуги. This #130352.

See also: http://www.omsa.org/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=630 http://www.netdialogue.com/yy/Europe/Yugos...a/SFRY/SFRY.htm

Medal for Labor / Medalja rada

Order of Labor, 2nd class / Order rada, 2nd class Order was founded on 1 May, 1945, in three degrees. It was awarded to citizens, associations, and military units for uccesses inlabor. 2nd degree (with the gold garland): Material: Silver-plated and gold-plated bronze. 36,338 awards through 31 December, 1985. Ribbon: Dark-blue moire with two 4 mm by the red strips in the center. This pinback specimen from the late 1960s, from the Belgrad mint (marked "ZIN KOVNICA" on the pin). ". . . awarded to individuals, organisations of associated labour, other organisations and military units of SFRY that achieve special results in economy and for special work important for progress of the country in other social activities".

See also: http://www.omsa.org/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=584 http://www.medals.org.uk/romania/socialist...omania-text.htm http://www.netdialogue.com/yy/Europe/Romania/SRR/SRR.htm

Can we please post here what we have, to lay down the "documentation trail".

Medal of Labor, 1965-89 variety, "RSR" / Medalia Muncii, 1965-89 variety, "RSR"

Medal of Labor, 1948-65 variety, "RPR" / Medalia Muncii, 1948-65 variety, "RPR"

Order of Labor, 3rd class, 1965-89 variety, "RSR" / Odinul Muncii, 3rd class, 1965-89 variety, "RSR"

Order of Labor, 3rd class, 1948-65 variety, "RPR" / Ordinul Muncii, 3rd class, 1948-65 variety, "RPR"

Paul: I hope you don't mind us adding onto your fine thread. (I always feel uncomfortable doing this.) But we know so little about most Warsaw Pact etc. awards that we need to pool our individual ignorance to produce collective knowledge. (Igor, by the way, seems to sell those things which he can sell, even Nazi stuff.) Order of Labor, 1st class, 1965-89 variety, "RSR" / Odinul Muncii, 1st class, 1965-89 variety, "RSR" Founded by the decree of No. 16 of 1948 to three degrees. This "RSR" variety awarded 1965-89. (What follows is reflecting my interest in labor awards of the "socialist world".)

That's right, Jeff got in first on us both. What else is new. I'd guess along with with your guesses. The low levels of Sacred Tresure were pretty much long service good-guy awards, as I understand them. Your scenario for the group works for me. A nice group, though so many prefer men in uniform over nice civilian groups.

Dave beat me to it. A nice group, as I assume it to be.

Thanks Eric, especially as it coincides with the theory I am evolving. I can understand your reluctance to post information from another forum, especially if it is one forum I can think of, where the manager thinks he owns everything posted there. A shame information cannot flow freely, though always with proper attribution. Guess there is still an niche for old-fashioned publications

Hi Paul, Among the best places to start -- Russian or no Russian -- is Yuri Yashnev's: http://www.netdialogue.com/yy/Europe/Romania/SRR/SRR.htm Or, for ribbons, Lukasz Gaszewski's: http://www.medals.lava.pl/ro/ro2.htm Megan Robertson's site has, unfortunately, not much yet: http://www.medals.org.uk/romania/romania.htm (Someone -- ??? -- needs to feed it.) Ed

Thanks, Rick. "We learn as we go" -- how true, how wise. Ed

What can be known, what can be told? Very happy, but very confused.

And, finally, seventh.

Sixth.

While (perhaps) anticlimactic, the remaining pages in the booklet. The fifth spread.

Detail of the fun (and sad) stuff. The first three awards -- all the same thing -- are, of course missing. What?! Do I read this right as 1936, 1948, and 1955 awards of the same thing. Then the 17 Nov 1951 award of the Red Banner of Labor #621. Then the 24 Oct 1957 award of his first Sukhbaatar # 158. Then something else, unnumbered, in 1960. Finally the Sukhbaatar (28 Nov 1962) that came with the Soyombo, #423. What is missing . . . ???

The fourth page spread, and the interesting stuff.

Spread three. Hope the light blue printing is legible? I can try again if needed.