Bob

Here already some info... but not a complete overview nor a pic: http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/aasaddambio.htm - Rafidain Order, First Class ( Military type ). - Rafidain Order ( Civilian type ). - Revolution Order first Class - Order of the People.

Haven't found an awards overview yet, but did you know Saddam was also a great novelist? "Zabibah and the King (زبيبة والملك , or Zabibah wal-Malik), written in 2000, is a novel that the CIA believes was written by Saddam Hussein, probably with the help of some ghostwriters.[1] The plot is a love story about a powerful ruler of medieval Iraq and a beautiful commoner girl named Zabiba. Zabiba's husband is a cruel and unloving man who rapes her. The book is set in 7th or 8th century Tikrit, Hussein's home town." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saddam_Hussein%27s_novels

Looking hard on the internet for an overview of Saddam's awards (curious if he might have any Soviet ones for instance... Order of Friendship for instance:)). ANyway, if somebody already has a link / pic please post!

Most people 20 and up speak Russian as they had to learn it in school. If on a shoestring budget, I'd consider ruling out Turkmenistan as it's rather expensive to just get in the country (big visa hassle) and public transport is essentially non-existent.

And just to show that the country side can be nice as well - near the border town of Kazbegi (i.e. near the Russian / Chechnyan border)

From the Stalin museum, a tabletop copy of the Lenin mausoleum... I never realised that it at one point also had the name of Stalin on it

Here an example of a seller at the "Dry Bridge Market" in Tbilisi

Here from the Stalin museum one of the few copies of Stalin's death masks

Good for you - travelling is great. If you are interested in getting the "Soviet" experience I'd have to be honest to mention though that: - Turkmenistan has wiped virtually every reference to USSR out of society... museums show history up to early 20th century... then 80-90 years nothing and suddenly history continues with independent Turkmenistan... also in daily life no hammer/sickles anywhere anymore... although it is a unique country in the sense that it is one of the few (with North Korea) where they still have the model of idolization of the great leader... visit sooner rather than later I suggest - Caucasus... fascinating as well, certainly more "travel friendly" in the sense of good hotels, food, transportation, etc. but will give you much less of an "exotic" feel than Central Asia Depends on what you are looking for really. I'd go for the -stan countries if your into the Soviet thing.

Hi Jim, Georgia is a very friendly country I have to say... people are very hospitable, food I though was very good, certainly the drinks were... and interesting sites (although winter may not be the ideal time to travel). Of course, I have a bit of a preference for spending my vacations in (formerly) communist countries or current dictatorships or other such countries (was in Turkmenistan for 3 weeks last year... just in time to still be there while it's covered with posters, statues with Turkmenbashi). In Georgia I rented a jeep (not very expensive) and travelled all over (except for some of the potentially dangerous area) - Tbilisi, Gori (where Stalin museum is), Batumi on the coast, the wine district Khakhetie in the East, Borjomi (great mineral water, great baths / massages!), etc. For other people who like such countries (as well as Soviet awards), I can actually highly recommend travelling to Belarus: - Brest Fortress is an AMAZING place to visit... the fortress itself, the surrounding park with great socialist realisti statues... and the museum was jampacked with Soviet awards:) - In Minsk there is a wonderful Museum of the Great Patriotic War (again, filled with medals) - and of course bliny and other good stuff:) I'll have a check if I have some old digital pics of Belarus to post. Wasn't into medals then yet, so not much pics, but Belarus is definately a place I'd recommend to all on this forum.

Why don't you just send all your documented groups to me and I'll look into it?

Confirmation now from 2 seperate sources: - 1 having heard of it - 1 having actually physically seen it in somebody's collection (wish that collector could join this forum...) Isn't it amazing... a field of collecting where the challenge still is to first of all figure out what awards even exist!

This thread made me grin for some reason

Are you referring to number of people awarded a second / third / fourth RCB or number of people awarded an RCP with a 2 /3 / 4 at bottom? Also, I've seen above numbers mentioned several times but what's the source?

Makes you wonder why Mongolia even had the 2-3-4 indicated Red Combat Banner's since they "never" seemed to actually been awarded. Here again, he has 2 RCB's of which one is a very recent model... I would have expected that the 2-3-4's would have been in stock so why not give such one instead of just a different new issue?

I suspect some new life may have been put into this order by the Mongolian government... shiny metal, typical "new award type" enamel... and nr 211334!

Some additions: - inventor medal but 239 - honorary worker of state prosecution 0241 - 50 years of industrial combinat... number 2! - the honorary badge .... 266 As mentioned, I'm going to do a thorouh review of my entire Mongolia collection over the weekend - will seeif more comes out of that.

Yes, there were medals... small impression And all this, before heading to the Stalin museum... More on Stalin museum in Gori (home of Stalin) next time - too late here now

But before heading to the Stalin museum... a pleasant surprise, a nice little military museum tucked away in a corner (so happy to get a visitor that no entrance was asked and photography was free everywhere). To give an impression.

Yep - Stalin still standing tall... of course, with his own "Stalin Avenue" who can blame him!

and something to remember 3 Georgian with who played a role in defeating facism

and apparently a Georgian who boarded the wrong flight and found himself in Afghanistan... although, if blankn booklets are on the market, I guess you can also get Alexander Lebed's for sale somewhere...

And here's an interesting variation that you don't see very often... 2132344 is my guess of the number

another item bought in Georgia... OGPW... bit of a wild swing of the sickle... but took the risk of payin 10 USD anyway... for the high number... unless it's a fake, I'd consider researching this "common" award as well out of curiosity for when / where it was awarded (no doc for this one) number: 951880

second pic - more meaningful