Bob

50% :jumping:

It "felt" good - incl. details for instance on front top near ring. It's the number at reverse that made me puzzle - but the "1" looks very close to one I've seen elsewhere Will post weights after the weekend I suspect that this medal requires careful review as some people say fakes, but it could also be an issue of multiple variations - I'm not convinced yet re fakes

Please elaborate - just got this one from the January Markov auction

to add to the confusion :speechless:

All these smart people surely can't be wrong! :cheers:

priced insanely, or just right for an insane market?

http://www.collectrussia.com/DISPITEM.HTM?ITEM=19082 :jumping:

a second class 4th grade one was sold by Kuenker in Germany last week for 2K Euro - I underbid :banger:

progress at last! I put some of Markov's business partners on copy of my emails to him. All of a sudden details materialized and my items were found. I've made payment and should now get my items any day... I hope

another new one

Here's something interesting... miniature Uganda medals!

another one

Here another interesting one... supposedly Albanian yet Soviet made ORDER FOR PARTISAN MARCH IN 1947

reverse

Here 3 soviet pins - all three with a strong Elbrus connection - 2 of them noting the burnt down Priut hut.

Visiting the bank where my babies are safefully stored. REalized, hey this is a good moment to take a pic of the family! Mobile phone pic so low quality First... my Mongolian Sukh Bataar's: 3 screwbacks, 4 pinbacks and then at the top the "thing" which isn't real Second... main thrust of my collection of hero awards from small socialist countries: - 2 Soyombo Hero of Labour from Mongolia (missing in pic, a 3rd "debated" soyombo) - 2 Albanian Hero Stars (both cased; 1 attributed) - 1 Albanian Hero of Socialist Labor (boxed with doc/name) - 1 Cuban Hero of Socialist Labor

Went to the bank to drop some things off and also measured 2 Soyombos e.g. 373: 39.0 gr excl. screw 3.87 diameter of screw thread 420: 36.6 gr excl. screw 2.80 diameter of screw thread I had forgotten to actually bring my 3rd Soyombo to the bank so will be measuring that one at home over the weekend. Just too many variations of Soyombo's to make one feel comfortable!

While I'm not a holder of a very big Bulgarian collection (2x Dimitrov), I second the request. Lot of interest in Bulgarian ODM which warrents a specific forum. Should also help to: - draw more visitors as it unfolds as THE place to go for Bulgarian ODM (similar to Mongolia, ALbania, Cuba sections) - unclutter the "other" sub-forum which has gotten inundated with Bulgarian threads:) By the way, I'd also be very much in favor of a DPRK forum!

I received no research just the confirmation that the order book was for anothe person than name in the booklet. While the awards seperately would still be researchable, I'd not have paid what I did had I know these were loose awards of course so first step is to return them to Berlin "dealer of dealers".

And what came out of research is not so good unfortunately. The order booklet was issued to somebody else. The group is a fake. Hats off to Nota Bene to refund me for research request. Group will now have to find its way back to Berlin. And I'm done for good with Soviet awards which appear to require a PhD in order to be somewhat safe from crap like this

Sorry then. I'm a purist - only complete groups. I'll have to pass on this group.

Great group for the real bargain hunters... only 498K usd... I wouldn't be tempted if it was flat 500K... but 498K... mmm let me think about it over the weekend

http://www.collectrussia.com/DISPITEM.HTM?ITEM=18886