Bob

Next... 3 type 3 var 1 (silver)... from left to right: - 3283 - 3382 - 3740 Note: the middle one probably has an incorrect screw. Also of interest, the most right hand one has darker color air - another variation? The numbers: observed from 32 to 3740. This is J-02 in the book. Noteworthy is that in fact two variations of this variation 1 exist: - one with relief back - one flat back (much more expensive - higher silver content) I'm still looking for a flat back one, let me know if you have it for sale... or just want to post a pic here:)

Reverse

First up (on the left) Type 1 Var 1 - Uighur script (J-01). This on number 344. Last time I checked the well known numbers list, sighted were from 92 - 399. On the right is a Type 2 Var 2 Cyrillic (J-04). This ones a bit used but best I could find sofar. These go unnumbered. Apparently there are two variations - see B's book - this one I suspect being the lighter air colored one. Next post will show reverse.

Bold question: where did you buy these?

Not too many venues to purchase them, and getting ever higher. How permanent do you think this is? Supply doesn't seem to be lessening, it's more of an increase in demand it seems.

If it was... why take the trouble to sell so many shall we say 'rather common' and low priced medals? I have yet to come across an item which triggered me to think it was a purposeful fake but then again there is not much literature about this topic (unlike for instance the McDaniels book). The only 'fake' I've seen was the supposed wearers copy of a Sojombo on eBay a few weeks ago. Perhaps an equally interesting question... what if this supply of - let's assume - real items goes on and on and we were all wrong about the amount of items in circulation? Now there's a bad thought... It's a niche market... imagine if more people start to move from for instance Soviet to Mongolian awards? The way I see it... now is still the time to buy. I'm working hard to close the gaps in my collection... the affordable gaps that is.

Yours looks like type 4: numbered, silver plated I own one of these as well.

Here, this will help: - name of medal - my number (- = I do not own it (yet)) - lowest number observed - highest number observed - etc. Distinguished Herdsman of the MPR - 92 399 Type 1 Var 1 - Uighur script Distinguished Herdsman of the MPR - NA NA Type 2 Var 1 - Cyrillic Distinguished Herdsman of the MPR - 32 3,530 Type 3 Var 1 - Silver Distinguished Herdsman of the MPR 791 56 4,100 Type 3 Var 2 - Silver plated Distinguished Herdsman of the MPR NA NA NA Type 4 Var 1 - unnumbered (supposedly only 6 exist) I'm building all this kind of info into 1 excel sheet (using the Scandinavian expert input - forgot his name)

And reverse as well... There... spent enough time (but mostyl $$$!) on this for today:)

and for the 3 other medals...

And reverse...

And now for the orders... great gold plating.

unnumbered reverse

Distinguished herdsman front + (very nice) screw

and reverse...

State prize front

And here's the pic

- Medal of the State's Prize of the MPR (Marshal Choibalsan variant in original box - A6.1) - Distinguished Herdsman of the MPR (very rare unnumbered version - J03) - 4 orders of the red combat banner in beautiful condition (1: 2218 2:294 3: 129 4: 10) - Medal for unselfishness (nr 188 A40.2) - Medal of Friendship (nr 11852) - Medal Glory of the Virgin Lands (low number: 00031; A52.1) Will try to upload a picture in a minute. Bob

Does anybody have a good tip for an online shop (in Europe - preferably Germany) selling the typical tools of the trade: - plastic bags to safely store / ship medals - good magnifying glass - small blacklight Thanks, Bob

There are also some ugly Mongolian "hero of labour" on eBay... wearer copies as well I guess. New to me that they'd be 1st, 2nd and 3rd class. Maybe we have been offered the same set - for me the price is right and I'm fortunate enough to have the money readily available, if the quality turns out to be good of course. Will see in a week or so (along with some other items) - would be a nice addition to my collection.

Examples: http://cgi.ebay.com/MONGOLEI-Polarsternord...1QQcmdZViewItem http://cgi.ebay.com/MONGOLEI-Orden-fuer-Ve...1QQcmdZViewItem http://cgi.ebay.com/MONGOLEI-Orden-SukheBa...1QQcmdZViewItem My copy of Battishug's book is in the mail and should be getting it any day now. I'm in the process of purchasing a complete set of 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Mongolian Order of Red Combat Banner and obviously fake or not is the crucial issue. With the above examples, they are presented in a Herfurth code which is not in the Herfurth book.

Hi all, Mongolian orders / medals collecting is of course quite a niche area, does this also mean that fakes are currently still virtually unheard of? Especially for the more rare orders? Example: on eBay you can regularly find auctions for orders mentioned in Herfurth but a new "most recent" type... these are fakes or I'm just not up to date? Bob

Hello Ed - have you succeeded? I have... at least, that is my impression. I'd appreciate getting in touch with you to make sure I am dealing with the genuine Dr. B and am not being lead into a scam (since it involves a potential sale of orders / medals). Email: bobinmunich@hotmail.com