Aurelius

Easier just to post them.lol That's what I do. Having said this, Schmitt's book Echoes has been super helpful with research and worth every penny if you are into the research part of the hobby.

This is a textbook case of crooks on Ebay and other sites that I described. It is a simple how they do this. They simply don't pay. The crook selling it had 17 of his buddies (likely multiple accounts for each of them) bid. The "winning" bidder just doesn't pay and at worse, gets a non payment strike on his Ebay record. Common practice over there. Yes Mr. Reck, it does suck. Click on the bids-private listing. Bidder's names are not shown. Losers-all of em. Notice no mention of being authentic or original.

Mr. Reck, the number could be off of an award booklet or award card for another citation for the same guy or maybe the author smoked some good stuff that day and the number came to him. speculation though. Ya man, Igor was right. Do the pilot first. A 45 pilot write up would be great.

179K=45 163K could be for long service or perhaps Leningrad cool. 182826 is in Echoes of War as 17th Air Army in 22.2. 45. methinks a pilot.

All good. Nice ones.

Ya know, I doubt that those bids are "real". I've previously been told by reliable sources that it is common practice over there to get your family, friends, cat, canary etc. to bid on your items to generate interest. Mind you, nothing surprises me. I see a over 300K RB on Ebay being marked down from 3K to a "bargain" of just under 2K.

Thanks for posting it Nick. What do you all think about the price?

This sure is an interesting award and history. Thank you for sharing. So they gave him a duplicate. Not sure on the price though-seems kinda high. Regardless, a very interesting read.

Niiiiiice NKVD award and rare. Thank you for sharing!

Outstanding! Congrats Igor! Glad that you had a good time. I agree with Aukeov, they are 9s.

Looks very old also.

These are spectacular and ultra rare. Thanks for sharing. I tried finding Sisler in podvignaroda but no success. Wonder what archives he would be in?

Yo Tom, this is a cool write up with the moo cows and grain. Nice one buddy! "Capable of keeping secrets".lol Or else if not capable get shot after visit from SMERSHY.lol

It looks like a real nice award. Lieutenant, 25th or 35th motorized rifle brigade?. Da pic is puny so I can't see it well. worth getting Auke to translate it. Unusual of sorts because it isn't the common "comrade Boris smoked 5 hitlerites" type. Worth getting translated. Pls do post and share this story with us.

Brother, drink half a bottle of Jack Daniels beforehand and all awards there will look like HSUs at bargain prices. Igor, I wish you the very best luck at the show and hope you hit the mother lode with acquiring Soviet awards. However, typically Canadian shows suck for acquiring Soviet stuff. You may not even find the above. Dealers who get Soviet items tend to over price them cause "there's good money on Russian stuff." I'll be cheering for you though.

Nice one-rare and ultra cool-recon. Not sure on the badge. There is a 1985 OPW2 on Podvignaroda with his name. Could be his.

Real cool finds Ericsky! Very nicely crafted badges.

Wow, man, that sure looks super. Great job on it Tom. It does honor also to the vet by having his story shared and not just lost in the archives. I'm very happy that it went to a good home.

Nice find Auke! Also, great advice on Kursk awards in general. That being, rarely do such awards mention Kursk itself. Always best to check the maps and location.

A very nice rare find!!!!!! Congrats! Could be KGB or Bulgarian Security Services?

Magnificent! What a wonderful award and write up! Congrats Tom. You must be real happy. Ya, lately Aukey has been a lucky Leprechaun in sending research.

Sorry buddy, I don't have it anymore. It was only a phrase indicating that he was in a NKVD Correctional Labor Camp in the late 30s.

Igor, a very good point. Paul, agreed, that high numbered RB is causing you grief. As such pls send it to me as it will someday be a gem. I guarantee that I will have no grief. I asked around and the word on that RB is it is either classified whether KGB or for cold war actions. NIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICE! Ericsky Ericovich Ericov, yes, it has happened to me and many others many many times. Could be too much vodka by one searcher or that Marysha hit him too hard with a broom that am. Regardless, it is very nice to get some research in. Pls extend my best to Marshall Catov, valiant tankist.

Well done lad and Molly. For sure an excited researcher. Can't wait to see the results on your RS. I hope it is a super long write up.

Yo Paul, Ya, I heard they pay for the docs and not necessarily big bucks. Some have been offered on Ebay in the past. They have been scanning all the docs for a few years now for Podvignaroda. But if docs have been stolen/sold before that (or even now as the scanning process continues), we are screwed. I keep hearing "it is KGB, it is KGB" but all non researchables are KGB. We talk here about getting awards for someone well known but what if these are getting lifted also. In Schmitt's Echoes book there are awards noted for Supreme Soviet (sounds like a Russian pizza) but has anyone of you ever received one? Where have the docs gone if our numbers have been tried in that range and nothing found? Auke et al?