Bob

Hi Rick, talk about an eye for detail It could be hollow (how to know?) but is definately not full gold considering the weight. I checked up close and indeed the pins are broken off so it might just be that the suspension for both awards ought to be identical.

Fellow forum-members: I was approached today to purchase a unique and very attractive (and expensive) documented group. This group was offered to me by a middle man who himself did not own it and with whom I've had good dealings in the past. However, it quickly became clear that the group was in fact already in possession of another forum member who's clearly not interested in selling it ( ) so the person offering the group for sale via the middle man was not at all in a position to offer it for sale AGAIN. I hope it turns out this all rests on "confusion" but I'd be surprised given that photographs were provided to me which were not publically available on this GMIC forum. I've discussed with the real owner of the group as well as with the middle man and they are equally puzzled by what is happening here. Lesson is clear: please all be aware of things offered which may have shady background and be sure to refer to this forum first (e.g. also checking the award numbers/dates thread - if it's included there... somebody here most likely has it in possession and odds of being for sale would be small I guess).

I still hope that perhaps new "jewels" will find it's way over here for our pleasure and learning simply by the fact that I suspect there's still only a very small sub-set of Mongolian collectors active here on GMIC. Back in the "good old days" when every month or two Nota Bene would have a tsunami of "good stuff" from Mongolia, eBay was full with hundreds of very interesting items each month and direct links with Mongolia offered also a steady stream of breathtaking items, this place was buzzing with activity every single day... and not all of the buyers came back to GMIC to share details with us. I agree, now research is key - not just to revive the forum but to expand our knowledge base. Surely it'll also dramatically increase interest in Mongolian awards again. Just, to get back to my first point, hope those people who haven't found GMIC yet manage to find it. Bob

For future reference: Complete weight: 11.8 gr (light - clearly not solid gold) Without suspension: 6.75 gr Width startip to startip: 30.20mm Thicknes of star (incl. cogwheel): 6.30mm Width from suspension: 25.60mm Height of suspension: 19.30mm Box: 24.30 x 61.20 x 81.70

Good deals pass quickly! =========== 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 1183, www.huesken.com - MARCH 2007 - EURO 1.650 (roughly 2.200 USD), nr 1514, www.huesken.com - JUNE 2007 - EURO 1.300 (roughly 1.700 USD), nr 1246, private seller - SEPTEMBER 2007 screwback - USD 1.680, nr 644, Nota Bene - NOVEMBER 2006 - EUR 1.630 (roughly 2.150 USD), nr 585, Albert GMIC - MAY 2007 CURRENTLY FOR SALE pinback - EURO 1.600 (roughly 2.200 USD), nr 1514, Andreas Thies October auction - USD 2.150, nr 1.837, www.collectrussia.com screwback - USD 2.900, nr 640, www.collectrussia.com

No problemo If possible, could you simply put a small reference to www.gmic.co.uk? Thanks

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Nati...o_%28Jamaica%29 You missed Jamaica (sort of)

Look at it this way Ed: more money lef to potentially spend on Dmitry Markov's January auction (some highlights can already be seen on his site).

Yahoo got my Hero of Labor in the mail (a nice boxed one - no documentation unfortunately - so anonymous forever ). Will post detailed scans + measurements later today or tomorrow.

Well, let's celebrate once I see a successful result... which will require: - travelling to DPRK - overcoming some hurdles - then seeing: what actually exists in the archives - just a name/date or "holy grail"? Am in contact with a member of government who has indicated ability to facilitate this process.

That a substantial section of this auction (Soviet + related awards) is not guaranteed for authenticity and that it contains "collectors copies" and potential bidders should visit the during one of the pre-view days.

Just read the disclaimer on page 156...

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 1183, www.huesken.com - MARCH 2007 - EURO 1.650 (roughly 2.200 USD), nr 1514, www.huesken.com - JUNE 2007 screwback - USD 1.680, nr 644, Nota Bene - NOVEMBER 2006 - EUR 1.630 (roughly 2.150 USD), nr 585, Albert GMIC - MAY 2007 CURRENTLY FOR SALE pinback - EURO 1.300 (roughly 1.700 USD), nr 1246, private seller, soon on eBay (can provide contact details on request) - EURO 1.600 (roughly 2.200 USD), nr 1514, Andreas Thies October auction - USD 2.150, nr 1.837, www.collectrussia.com screwback - USD 2.900, nr 640, www.collectrussia.com

Another great Thies auction catalogue with some very rare items. Looking particularly at the title medals (i.e. distinguished military pilot etc etc) I'm tempted but... too good to be true?

Some hopeful news: they CAN be researched. I am in touch with somebody with access to the right local authorities. It would go into too much detail right here right now to explain further. Depending on work priorities, I may decide to travel to North Korea Q1 next year to further pursue this.

http://www.numismatics.org/news/10_2006MortonEdenSale2.htm

http://olloo.mn/en/modules.php?name=News&a...int&sid=270 still being awarded and in what appears to be a red box

Makes one curious why there was this apparant short "rush" to award these and then it dying out.

Looks like you've held some things back for us:) The award doc dated 21-12-49, what number Udarnik was it for (indicated right above the date)? Here is mine: Udarnik badge 3049 with correspondingly numbered award doc. Giving us now this time frame: Udarnik 2,203 31/10/1947 Udarnik 3,049 28/12/1951

Hey - better to be "hungry" for new things than to get all blase and think "oh no, not another Polar Star" After all, the "hunt" is half the fun

Anybody else still left?

Great - just received similar doc in the mail (with udarnik with corresponding number, with picture in doc!). Will scan/post in coming days - further narrows the "timeline" allowing us to have an indicative date on when they were awarded.

Would this be a person-specific citation as well? Hmmm translation to be hunted down

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_socialist_countries