Bob

not mine

yeiks - at close to 4K USD the price was not "right" for a foreign awarded one for me

Can't wait to get mine! Wouldn't a seperate DPRK section be nice...

This is indeed the challenge - although based on photographs the quality looks quite good and it is interesting to note the lack of a serial number without any real damage (although there are ways around this I guess). The seller has a vast collection of Mongolian items and am also discussing some other interesting pieces. Fantasy piece or real, that's an interesting question. Will see if the price is right.

Anyone ever come up with new insight on the type 3? Have one offered for sale to me and am very tempted.

Doesn't look like a recession to me... RECENTLY SOLD pinback - USD 1.870, nr 1.918, Nota Bene - JANUARY 2007 - USD 1.880, nr 1.785, Nota Bene - JANUARY 2007 (boxed) - USD 1.950, nr 860, www.russianglory.com - MARCH 2007 - EURO 1.600 (roughly 2.100 USD), nr 1.183, www.huesken.com - MARCH 2007 - EURO 1.650 (roughly 2.200 USD), nr 1.514, www.huesken.com - JUNE 2007 - EURO 1.300 (roughly 1.700 USD), nr 1.246, private seller - SEPTEMBER 2007 - EURO 1.600 (roughly 2.200 USD - before fees!), nr 1.514, Andreas Thies October auction - OCTOBER 2007 - USD 1.850, nr 1.947, Nota Bene - NOVEMBER 2007 - USD 2.150, nr 1.837, www.collectrussia.com - NOVEMBER 2007 - USD 1.950, nr 1.437, Nota Bene - JANUARY 2008 - USD 2.000 (excl. 15% auction premium), nr 1,246, Dmitry Markov auction - JANUARY 2008 - USD 1.925, nr 902, eBay - FEBRUARY 2008 - USD 2.200, nr 1.617, somewhere in Russia - MARCH 2008 - USD 2.750, nr 1.635, www.collectrussia.com - MARCH 2008 screwback - USD 1.680, nr 644, Nota Bene - NOVEMBER 2006 - EUR 1.630 (roughly 2.150 USD), nr 585, Albert GMIC - MAY 2007 - USD 2.650, nr 644 (again!), Nota Bene - OCTOBER 2007 (boxed) - USD 2.900, nr 640, www.collectrussia.com - NOVEMBER 2007 - USD 2.500, nr 777, somewhere in Russia - DECEMBER 2007 - USD 3.250 (excl. 15% auction premium), nr 427, Dmitry Markov auction - JANUARY 2008 CURRENTLY FOR SALE pinback - USD 2.750, nr 860, Nota Bene - USD 3.200, nr 1.600, www.collectrussia.com screwback - USD 4.200, nr 227, Coinsell (on eBay)

Interestingly enough - the author has confirmed he's held type 1's in his hand with serial numbers in 700 and 800 range. Perhaps the rarity is then due to trading them in for newer types at some point.

Ed - empty your inbox

Mailing with the seller, and the award posted by me is supposedly now getting 20K+ USD offers from the major dealers.

Last time I checked there were 3-4 for sale on eBay. If that's a problem, I'd be happy to buy and ship. Alternatively, I'll just send the author an email if he'll sell direct - some questions to ask him anyway:) Let me know

Have just received my copy in the mail. Format slightly bigger than Herfurth's handy pocket size catalogue. Photographs are larger and quite good. From first quick glance, nothing new in here in terms of "never seen before medals"... however, it appears to raise some interesting questions as some new types are specified, periods are giving on awarding and also number of awarded + price indication. Some of this last data is puzzling, baffling, surprising and simply raises a lot of questions. Some examples: - is there really a Type 3 bronze gilded Hero of Labor award? - were there really 150 awarded Order of Red Banner of Military Valor 4th awardings? - were there really 1.000 type 1 polar stars awarded? Since the author appears to be in contact with Dr B, it would be interesting to hear whether the nr of awardings / dates are really confirmed from official sources.

Pickings are getting thin... RECENTLY SOLD pinback - USD 1.870, nr 1.918, Nota Bene - JANUARY 2007 - USD 1.880, nr 1.785, Nota Bene - JANUARY 2007 (boxed) - USD 1.950, nr 860, www.russianglory.com - MARCH 2007 - EURO 1.600 (roughly 2.100 USD), nr 1.183, www.huesken.com - MARCH 2007 - EURO 1.650 (roughly 2.200 USD), nr 1.514, www.huesken.com - JUNE 2007 - EURO 1.300 (roughly 1.700 USD), nr 1.246, private seller - SEPTEMBER 2007 - EURO 1.600 (roughly 2.200 USD - before fees!), nr 1.514, Andreas Thies October auction - OCTOBER 2007 - USD 1.850, nr 1.947, Nota Bene - NOVEMBER 2007 - USD 2.150, nr 1.837, www.collectrussia.com - NOVEMBER 2007 - USD 1.950, nr 1.437, Nota Bene - JANUARY 2008 - USD 2.000 (excl. 15% auction premium), nr 1,246, Dmitry Markov auction - JANUARY 2008 - USD 1.925, nr 902, eBay - FEBRUARY 2008 - USD 2.200, nr 1.617, somewhere in Russia - MARCH 2008 - USD 2.750, nr 1.635, www.collectrussia.com - MARCH 2008 screwback - USD 1.680, nr 644, Nota Bene - NOVEMBER 2006 - EUR 1.630 (roughly 2.150 USD), nr 585, Albert GMIC - MAY 2007 - USD 2.650, nr 644 (again!), Nota Bene - OCTOBER 2007 (boxed) - USD 2.900, nr 640, www.collectrussia.com - NOVEMBER 2007 - USD 2.500, nr 777, somewhere in Russia - DECEMBER 2007 - USD 3.250 (excl. 15% auction premium), nr 427, Dmitry Markov auction - JANUARY 2008 CURRENTLY FOR SALE pinback - USD 2.750, nr 860, Nota Bene screwback - USD 4.200, nr 227, Coinsell (on eBay)

Not that bad of a price I think 2-3 years ago I held one in my hand in Berlin - priced at 9.000 Euro

Now the dust has settled after my vacation (things been a bit hectic - moving to Paris, etc.) I'll jump on phone as next course of action.

I can't begin to describe how fed up I'm getting with this. I won a few lots for items which I was looking for quite some time. None of them particularly pricey (no, I didn't buy a 30-40K item) but on one in particular I got a very good deal. After many emails, no response. In the end I emailed another partner in the auction and requested action. From this party I got an immediate response and subsequently he also put DM on copy to trigger some action. With that, I did finally get a response but since then after several emails from my side (I was on vacation in Syria) again no response whatsoever. Why does this have to be so difficult? I bid on some lots, was highest bidder on a few of them and would now just like to pay for them and receive them. But I got no invoice, no details whatsoever. Are my "cheap" lots not a priority? Or did I get too good of a deal on one or two of them? Am I the only one experiencing this?

Just got another one but with indication on reverse of the awarding to a volleyball team in '57 Raises all sorts of questions (not in the least: have to google on this volleyball team:))... official inscription or not? are uninscribed ones unawarded? etc. Answers presumably will be coming at glacial speed

Just in, another cased hero star. No documents unfortunately However, from reliable source it is attributed to a senior member of Hoxha's government who was purged (polite way of putting it). Awarded for certain activities in WWII. More details offline for those with a special interest in Albanian awards. The case is identical to the one shown before. Dimensions are roughly similar to the previous one but let me make a correction: max widtch star tip to star tip is not 17.4 but 27.4 mm. It is also a bit thicker. No weight, battery ran out.

a silver second class IKOM (unnumbered) was sold on eBay last week - first time I've seen one

I'm sure somebody will bite - just a matter of by when - SB's will continue to rise in price without a doubt in my mind.

When you're the only seller of a screwback easily tracable in the market, I guess the price goes up... RECENTLY SOLD pinback - USD 1.870, nr 1.918, Nota Bene - JANUARY 2007 - USD 1.880, nr 1.785, Nota Bene - JANUARY 2007 (boxed) - USD 1.950, nr 860, www.russianglory.com - MARCH 2007 - EURO 1.600 (roughly 2.100 USD), nr 1.183, www.huesken.com - MARCH 2007 - EURO 1.650 (roughly 2.200 USD), nr 1.514, www.huesken.com - JUNE 2007 - EURO 1.300 (roughly 1.700 USD), nr 1.246, private seller - SEPTEMBER 2007 - EURO 1.600 (roughly 2.200 USD - before fees!), nr 1.514, Andreas Thies October auction - OCTOBER 2007 - USD 1.850, nr 1.947, Nota Bene - NOVEMBER 2007 - USD 2.150, nr 1.837, www.collectrussia.com - NOVEMBER 2007 - USD 1.950, nr 1.437, Nota Bene - JANUARY 2008 - USD 2.000 (excl. 15% auction premium), nr 1,246, Dmitry Markov auction - JANUARY 2008 - USD 1.925, nr 902, eBay - FEBRUARY 2008 - USD 2.200, nr 1.617, somewhere in Russia - MARCH 2008 screwback - USD 1.680, nr 644, Nota Bene - NOVEMBER 2006 - EUR 1.630 (roughly 2.150 USD), nr 585, Albert GMIC - MAY 2007 - USD 2.650, nr 644 (again!), Nota Bene - OCTOBER 2007 (boxed) - USD 2.900, nr 640, www.collectrussia.com - NOVEMBER 2007 - USD 2.500, nr 777, somewhere in Russia - DECEMBER 2007 - USD 3.250 (excl. 15% auction premium), nr 427, Dmitry Markov auction - JANUARY 2008 CURRENTLY FOR SALE pinback - USD 2.450, nr 1.764, <a href="http://auction-su.com/-,itemname,160966,id,auctiondetails" target="_blank">http://auction-su.com/-,itemname,160966,id,auctiondetails</a> - USD 2.750, nr 1.635, www.collectrussia.com - USD 2.750, nr 860, Nota Bene screwback - USD 4.200, nr 227, Coinsell (on eBay)

a badge with an albanian/yugolsav connection http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=1073...mp;#entry246931

Thanks Christophe - it appears to make things even more inconclusive, but that's good in a way

here reverse price at which this is being offered is heft, but FAR FAR less than 30k+ in recent NY auction

Thanks Christophe... and here is what I have received (i've had to blank out the serial number for privacy reasons). I'm no expert on this award, but the area around the right of the sickle concerns me.