Valter

reverse... showing cardboard backing

Most of YU ribbon bars are sewn on with backing. Here are two more unusual ones: partial backing (a bar from UNEF member): averse

I agree with Luka - groupings - even with lower otrders, are not common. Most of the dealers/sellers broke up these groupings and sold items separately The same goes with documents. The only "common" combination is a cased ordermedal and the small certificate ("uverenje") which was usually stored in a case with order. Large order citations are quite rare, even for orders that were awarded in 6-digits. But it was quite common for one person to get several orders, especially senior military officers, as can be seen on ribbon bars.

Now I can see there's really a difference. But I still think your "suspicius" one looks good - crisp details, including the rim. There are known differences in thickness (even considerable ones) in some other yugoslav medals, i.e. bravery medal, labor medal. The merit medal was produced in much smaller numbers, so it's less likely to find many variations, but not impossible. I think my knowledge stops there, sorry ... :unsure:

Mi humble opinion is, the prices for high class orders went considerably high. These pieces can be found for less money, but are becomming very rare, so such prices are no surprise. But most of 3rd classes are still easy to find in ex-yugoslav countries, usually for lower prices, so nobody really wanted to jump on them.

I think they are both the same, the right one is just a bit more worn off, or maybe a different period. It still shows crisp lettering, good details (wheat, stalks of plants in woman's leap), but the ring is maybe repaired.

Regarding Wlodzimierz strange medal suspension - recently I found a (not very good) picture of an officer from 1948 with Bravery order with another strange, similar suspension. Just for another opinion. (picture published in Vojnozgodovinski zbornik (Journal for military history) no. 17, 2004, page 52) Regards, Valter

Gentlemen, "mistakes" like these and others you posted here are quite common with yugoslav orders. I got confirmed from recepients that they did award mismatched pairs (i.e. old type case, new typa awards, and vice versa). It was also not uncommon - for lower end orders - to award older types that were "in stock" and it was possible that awards with relatively low serial numbers were awarded the same year (but in another town//republic...) as orders with s/n higher then total number of those orders awarded. A bit of sloppines not unkonwn to Balkans... And even more mismatching pairs are "made" recently by collectors and dealers.

One remark about federal/federative status of Ilinden badge: this was considered as federal decoration, but due to the fact Ilinden uprising was held by Macedonians, it was awarded only (or mostly) to Macedonians. It has probably the same rank as partisan's commemorative badge 1941, but it's much rarer. And there were plenty of "federative" awards, instututed and awarded only by certain federal republics, i.e. red cross, police (militia), firefighter's, hunter's and many other tipes of decorations. And there were even more non-portable awards (plaques etc.) instituted on republical level, but also by local communities, veteran's associations, enterprises etc. Tons of phaleristic material which is mostly unpublished and only sparingly researched.

Hello all, this is probably my first post on GMIC, although I laready know a few members from other forums. First, Wlodzimierz'es medal is for sure on unofficial/home made suspension. Wheter it was changed by the recepient or by a dealer, is unclear. There are many variations of yugoslav orders/medals, but it's difficult to research them, as many sources are absent or unaccessible. The published statutes of decorations can be rather vague and several decorations were produced in large quantities with variantions due to official specimen. There's even more disorder concerning boxes/cases: the same variations of orders were put in different cases on random bases, including orders of the "new type" (those after 1963, which conatain 6 torches instead of 5 in older variations) were put into "old type" cases (those with 5 torches OR numbered grade of order instead of specific names, which came into use after 1963), and vice versa. The fact dealers and collectors often "couple" orders and boxes in a very liberal manner, only adds to confusion. Regards, Valter