JapanX

This type has very homogenous characteristics: material (aluminum or some aluminum alloy), catching ear of the medal, box and rosette style. Just take a look at another example which was recently sold at eBay and try to find differences

Obviously this one belongs to the post-war vintage… But when exactly was it issued?! Any ideas? Because personally I’ve never saw documented one …

Reverse

Obverse

Inside the box + rossete

The box

Just bought an interesting variation of special membership Red Cross medal. I think it will be interesting to look at it and to discuss it

It looks like plain reverse/two-screws reverse change occurred somewhere between May of 1981 and July of 1983. Closer and closer …

Document Awarded to Daidou Mikio. Dated May 29, 1981.

Reverse close up

Obverse close up

Reverse

Order and the box

We know that plain reverses (and four reverts reverses???) were replaced by two-screws reverses in the early 1980s. But we don’t know when exactly this change happened and was it abrupt change or old and new constructions of reverses co-existed for some time. The earlier time coordinate for two-screws reverse construction that we have (thanks to our colleague Pieter1012) is July of 1983. And here comes another documented order. Issued in 1981 this 4th class has plain reverse!

Hope you like his white and red ribbon mates Say bye-bye to this old and false “green ribbons for foreigners” rule … Nevertheless his lion is recumbent lion ...

Kritzkyi Alexander Vasilievich

And another Russian. This time he is hero of Russo-Japanese war, colonel Kritzkyi Alexander Vasilievich. Most likely this photo was made in 1900-1904.

Nope. At least not at contemporary photos or paintings ;)

New "big letter" style ... Looks even cooler than old "underlining" style Cheers mate, Nick

Back in Moscow they call me "fast keys Nick" Regards, Nick

Some of these pure-minded Persians have “two lions” cockades on their caps and others “standing lion” cockades. Go figure! But at least now we know for a fact that these two cockades were in use simultaneously…

Group

You’re gonna love this one mate Not your usual individual photo-portrait …

Reza Shah together with his faithful Cossack brigade officers. Beetween 1923 and 1925. Quite rare photo

And to top it off – one of the last cavaliers (the last one?) of Imperial Portrait 1st class. Reza Shah himself. He got his 1st class on October 28, 1923.