hc8604

The way I could tell it was a pre 1949 award was because of the ribbon quality. And I don't think I have seen any Taiwan versions of this award. Happy New Year!:D

oh wow.. I wouldn't have expect this to be faked. This is a pre1949 award, it will be hard to find any of these whether these have high numbers or not.

Oh, thanks to my mother got the medal. It is a medal for passing a test or some type of civil service exam. I think this may help.. http://www.coinhome.us/viewthread.php?tid=31323

Early Order of Renaissance and Honor had the same ribbons for all classes. It was not until later while the government was on Taiwan, the ribbon were differentiated between each class. It looks like a ministry type of award.. I saw this medal for sale on ebay about two months ago. Seller couldn't identify it, but still went for a good price. I found the auction, same medal...

What is the serial number for the other one?

I think the amount of fakes entering the market is mostly due to the profit potential, like the fake American coins from China (and counterfeit other items). So far on eBay the fake medals are never listed as fakes. The seller don't say anything and let the bidders decide whether they are real or fake. Same with coins and paper money I have seen too, never any mention of fakes. Although a lot of coins are pictured with "COPY" on them but I hear that some bidders receive them without it! Although not related, but in a sense with what I am trying to say, some types of knives and toy guns are banned in China. I see some Chinese bidders buy WWII Chinese daggers off eBay and they probably have to know people to get these daggers into China. Toy guns (airsoft) are being destroyed in China and are illegal to be manufacturerd, but a high majority sold of these in the US are made in China! So, it can be easy to get things done in China if you know the right people (and have the right money). If any items go to China, it will create a scarcity. There will be collectors, but there will be less items to collect.

It depends on the fonts... I am not sure if there was a correct way to write it. It like the "a" some people write it like "a" or with a cirle and a little curve on the right side or a like a "t" with a simple cross, or with a curve at the end. I know there a few examples in Chinese where there are some minor differences in characters (not comparing traditional vs. simplfied)

Hi Alex, 1. 三等 (san deng) means third level or class. 2. Name of the medal, but in the old fancy style Chinese (which is not easy to read sometimes). 3. I think maybe the manufacturer stamp? I have the same stamp on my Cloud and Banner order.

Am I missing something here...? The colors correspond to the third class. There is a third class stamp on the reverse. I don't get it. 6th class has all white enamel on the one of layers. The third class has white, red, white enamel on the layer. I don't know which classes has neck, breast, or sash awards. Unless it is a horrible mistake then I am confused. Do you have the images, I don't know what ANS means. oh I see, I remember the names Morton, Eden from somewhere and it was the auctioneers, but I couldn't get the images to show for the Apr. 26th auction.

Alex, much more higher, 3rd class (三等). The only ones that carried one star are the 3rd, 6th, and 9th class.

You know what, I never saw the letter design made an AVG.... interesting! Thanks, I appreciate the help!

Very interesting victory pin. "Chinese-American Cooperation, fighting for victory" Says "Given by the Chinese 5th army" on the reverse. Serial numbered too. No information on it so far. At least 44 others exist out there.. Looks like nickel plated copper.

for 103, quite expensive for a medal awarded in the 60s or 70s

Let me re-word the whole thing, before it gets messy. ***The seller sold several other "warlord" period medals sometime ago. If you want to do an optional search for his past auctions you can see them. He had the silver, which he just sold, and gold colored medal, which he sold awhile back (according to the boxes, it is the literal translation). I think it is cool that he owned (I assume) both rarely seen medals. I wonder if he owns the other two lower classes that he mentioned on this particular series.*** I didn't mean to state which medal is which. I just wanted to point out that he had the gold and silver in his possession.

lol, you are killing me here. Seriously, I explained my post and you still want to argue (plus I don't get your argument, it is very vague; my quote was above, why repost)??? I can do the same thing!!

wait.......................................... before you misunderstand. Where did I say that I identified the medals as which? Let me see... my quote "He had the Gold colored medal and Silver Colored medal (as from literal translation on the boxes)." I was refering to both medals. Never did I say that I identified which medal to which in the picture you posted and the links I later provided (of course if you are going to make a big deal out of this, I wouldn't have, and your welcome). but whatever as how you understood it.

I know, I can read the box.

Alright, here are the other auctions listed a while back... http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160458324785 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160458322885 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160461649983 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160458325015 Nice collection he is selling... I wonder if they are his personnal or from a museum (must be the economy...).

1.Yes, they are now numbering fakes. 2. Well, there are exceptions on quality. There are really good ones, and some that looked rushed and with bad enamel job (image a kid coloring outside of the lines). The fakes have enamel in the lines and not messy. I believe that the fakes are well made, but are completely wrong.

Actually the same seller had several other warlord medals for sale on ebay several weeks ago. Do a search on his past auctions and they may be there or you can find it through his feedback. He had the Gold colored medal and Silver Colored medal (as from literal translation on the boxes).

I agree they are fakes. Good thing you asked before you bought.

Seems to be the same person... watch out. http://tampa.craigslist.org/pnl/clt/1891774442.html

Look at the seller's bidding history and past auctions through the feedback link. He has bought and sold a lot of these medals in the past. There were a few times he would buy the dadao swords and sell them with a few pictures of some tourists (says it was an actual family who owned it), a good story.. He once listed a hat (before he started doing medals) and stated it was from the AVG. Well, it was dated 1987 and comes from the Taiwan Army. I told him this and he removed it from ebay and sold it to me for cheap. His story goes that he found it in a chest from an AVG member...

If you still have it, if you can post the reverse of this badge. I don't think I have seen this type before. I have always thought the submarine badge was different, maybe it is just a variation. To me it looks like post-1960s. Maybe this should be moved since this is not a Communist item.

It says Type 58. 58 is not the year, but it can probably be the year the grenade type was adapted.