Tim B

Hi Paul, Based on the slot-brooch, I would say WWII or Korea era, I think? Here's a recent p/u from eBay; a hoard was recently found and they have the plain white indivdual boxes to 100/box. Tim

Hi Mike, You should be able to request a copy of your father's service record and from there you should be able to discern the details of where/when he was awarded all his awards. You might even have a copy of the citations or award recommendation write-up (details used to substantiate the award recommendation) in that packet as well. I really need to do this for my dad as well, though don't expect anything other than the usual awards for WWII. Tim

Well, I agree that there are some awards out there that seem pretty ridiculous and sometimes think it's all a matter of trying to recognize each and every little accomplishment or event and serve little purpose other than building up someone's "fruit salad" bar. I thought that was the reason behind general type awards such as National Defense Service Medal and expeditionary medals to begin with, but ... Still, you can't really call major budget items into this issue, as it's really a matter of producing a better end product than a strike of little quality. It is simply a matter of producing a better master die and from there, a set of production dies to use, nothing more. The costs in that alone would be negligible as you are already putting the costs of producing "an item" anyway. Can't compare apples to oranges, and budgets are set differently throughout government contracts for various items. At one time I routinely managed multi-million dollar service/repair contracts and later, budgets that were only a tenth of that. All depends on who's pocket it comes out of. Tim

Very nice, congrats! I'm still looking for a nice Silver Star with the slotted-brooch myself. Tim

Thanks again Lambert! Thanks for adding the PIC's as well. I'm sure others down the road will appreciate the additions to the thread. Tim

Thanks Paul! I have never seen this ribbon or medal displayed on any bars, so I thought perhaps it was a regimental award. However, I don't see any regimental numbers being called out specifically. Certainly striking with the Indonesian Islands being shown and the small Japanese flag on the island of Java (bottom). I know the 16th IJA had control of this region from early 1942 to the war's end, so perhaps attributed to them? Tim :beer:

Lambert, Thank you for the very detailed response! So, am I correct to say this one posted is a "Type 1"? Tim

Hi guys, Doc, I can understand your point completely and you are correct of course. But, I just don't see why they can't put a little effort into producing a better quality product, it's not really that hard. If you look at our coinage, the designs and efforts over the last couple of decades have really went down as well, though the US Mint can/does still produce some really beautiful designs on the commemorative coins. So, IMO, it's just a matter of someone saying, we want to put out a better product. Designers, artists, sculptors all compete to get their work actually accepted for the approved design, so it's not really a lack of effort when it comes to input. It all comes down to what that someone approves in the end. They need to step up their game, that's all. Tim

Kev, You could be correct, it might have been an old sale item shown on emedals. They do not currently have it displayed but, someone else could have bought it and is now offering it for sale. I do see other items that I saved PICs of over the last couple of years now listed by this guy, but I forgot where I saved the original PIC's from "back then". Without a reverse PIC, I wouldn't even consider this bar but thought I remember seeing it somewhere before. Thanks again, Tim

Hi Geoff, No, she has her own website with links to her ebay sales. Here's her link: http://www.medalsofwar.com/index.php Tim

Hi Dieter! I did check Rich's site but couldn't find this one shown. Pretty extensive and I may have missed it, but ?? I also went back through the 15 pages here and couldn't find any old threads on this medal. I could have sworn we seen/discussed this medal before though. I'll wait to see what others have to add. Tim

Thanks Jeff! Tim

Hi Kev! Yes, I thought I seen this one somewhere before and looking at some other "offers" have seen a few more that were being sold elsewhere in the past. Maybe it was emedals that had the original listings. I need to look deeper now to make sure this seller actually has these items on hand. His selection of German WWII badges is laughable, as most are outright obvious fakes! On the 6th class Rising Sun, I would have figured either an NCO or enlisted man. I also think. based on the style of the medaillion and rays, it would be circa WWII at the earliest if not later pattern award. Clearly not an earlier style ('30's pattern) Rising Sun. Thank you!! Tim

Thanks guys! Jeff, I don't see any stamps in the upper cross arm on this example, so do you think this one might have actually been unissued? I have an opportunity to go for this one, as well as a rather nice Portuguese War Cross, but probably not both. I have been after the Portuguese version for sometime now but, just how scarce are these Brazilian pieces? Thanks again gentlemen! Tim

Hi Brian, Yes, hoping as well! You just don't see these that often but got thinking last night that I have seen one of these Indonesian Invasion Medals sometime back but couldn't find anything in my files. Here's another interesting thread I am asking about as well: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=47488&pid=438024&st=0&#entry438024 Tim :cheers:

Hi, Yes, very interesting! What bewilders me though is the 6th class Rising Sun. If awarded to Japanese, I think a colonel would have rated at least a 4th class at a minimum and a general even higher. Though not to say foreigners received these using the same guidelines or criteria applied to the Japanese award system. I honestly don't know. My thoughts were someone assigned in some dignitary position or foreign service type duty. Either way, by the rest of the bar, someone that had been around and seen their fair share! Tim ** I wanted to add that I notice the Romanian WW1 War Cross doesn't show any bars on the ribbon, so ???

Found it. Hanging from a wrong ribbon. Tim :cheers:

Hello, That's what I initially thought when I saw the ribbon however, the medal is not correct. I suspect a different, perhaps unofficial, medal is actually hung off the bravery ribbon normally seen on the Czech War Cross. Appears to have a sprig of linden leaves in the shape of a "V" above the medallion. Tim

You can still see the Portuguese influence in the design, even to include the spelling of Brasil (Brazil). Here's the Portuguese WW1 War Cross: Tim

Looks nice to me! Typical Deumer hinge/catch; maker's mark looks correct, and the cross tips have those bent "been there" tips. I think you got another winner! Congrats! Tim

Now, if they only had Silver Stars!! :P

Thought maybe I would just tack this on here to show what else is coming out of the woodwork these days. About $15. each! Can't argue that!! Tim

Here's a very unique bar that has a wide variety of foreign medals (German Iron Cross 2nd Class), (Japanese Order of the Rising Sun 6th Class) and what appears to be a unknown Czech medal on the end. Thoughts? Tim

I have my eye on something and never knew these even existed. Anyone have information relating to these and how many may have been awarded? Thanks in advance! Tim

Here's something different. I've seen unofficial medals for other countries before but, wasn't aware Japan had any, other than the Great Asia War Medal. Are there other examples? Tim