Hauptmann

Hi all, I believe these are known as Achievement medals. Originally in 1939 they were awarded as part of the All Union Agricultural Exhibition. I managed to pick up a couple super cheap a few weeks ago. These are the pics from the original owners. I'll have to do another set when the sun is out again and I can do them in natural light as that seems to get me the best results with my digital camera. Not that you can tell from these pics but one of these is silver and the other gold in color. These are the smaller versions... my understand is that in 1939 they came in large and small versions as follows: 1st Class - Larger Gold Medal - 1,000 2nd Class - Smaller Gold Medal - 2,000 3rd Class - Larger Silver Medal - 3,000 4th Class - Smaller Silver Medal - 15,000 This is quoted from Byrnes Soviet awards reference. The war years interrupted such exhibitions and when they finally picked back up in 1958 they were renamed the All Union Exhibition of National Economy Achievements as it was then intended to showcase not only agriculture but industry as well. Medals of the first issue were in three classes... Gold, Silver and Bronze and were 32mm in diameter. They hung from a rectangular plate and green ribbon. The inscription reads All Union Agricultural Exhibition. Medals of the second issue, of which I think mine are a part, were 23mm in diameter and hung from a magenta or rose purple ribbon. Both issues come with either a screw or pin back attachment. The inscription reads For Achievements In National Economy Of The USSR. These two are small but I think they're very attractive medals and I hope to find more in time including those from the first issue with the green ribbons. Thanks for looking, Dan

Hi all, Here's my one and only medal in the restoration, reclamation and development category of Soviet awards. I hope to add more in time. Definitely another piece that has that "been there, done that" look to it. Dan

Hi Pat, Again, you're most welcome. Glad I/we can help out. Once you get that book it will open up a whole new world... for both of us as I'm hoping to get mine soon too. As I say I've been at this since the wall fell and studying it as much as I could long before that. And I still feel like a kid who has way too much to learn. My references don't get into many of the variations, types, etc. which McDaniel's book does. It's alot to learn but it's vital for anyone collecting Soviet awards. Here's hoping we both get our copies very soon! And I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for any new additions you may post in future. Dan

And last but not least the Veteran of Labor medal: Again please ignore the price sticker. I guess I have to pull those off one of these days. Again, a nice set of medals which I think, for the most part, are rather underrated. Thanks, Dan

Next up is the Labor Distinction Medal: Please ignore the price sticker... this is another one I got in one of those big trade deals years ago... I've nowhere near that in this piece and I just never took the sticker off.

Hi all, Here's a few of my labor medals. First off, the medal for Outstanding Achievements In Labor:

I "believe" this one is for Kazakhstan: Again if anyone has any additional information on these I could sure use an update. My poor befuddled brain is not remembering all these things as well as I'd like. But not unlike Indiana Jone's dad... "I wrote it down so I wouldn't have to remember." Now if only I could get my notebook back from those pesky nazis! INDY... oh INDY???? Thanks for looking, Dan

And the reverse view:

This is the one I'm not sure about... but I think it may have been a second award for Chechnya:

Here's the reverse view: And also a better shot I found on the web: And this is the link where I found that last pic as well as a good article on the award, etc: http://www.amina.com/article/medal_ru.html

This first one is the Chechyn medal: And again, I apologize for the quality of the pics... best I can do with my poor overworked digital camera. But hoping someone may be able to make out the inscription and make a translation of same, one this as well as the two to come:

Hi all, I just put out the thought that perhaps it would be good to add a post Soviet Russian Federation and umalatova awards and militaria forum in this general section. But for now I didn't know where else to post these so away we go. I got these a number of years ago when they first appeared on the market. And to be honest I've only seen the Chechnya medal come up on Ebay once since then although I'm sure I could have missed a few here and there. But I've never seen the others. Anyhow here's a group shot: One on the left is for Tadjikistan. I think the middle one is either for Kazakhstan or Chechnya. I think the right one is for Chechnya. I have my original purchase info on these but it's in a notebook over in a box in storage... and believe me, finding it would make searching for a needle in a haystack seem childs play. I believe they're for Frontier Guard (Border Guard) Service. For now, I'm hoping some of the members might have more info on these beautiful pieces. I bought them as they were some of the first pieces to come out that had rather an Imperial Russian look to them, with the eagles and all. They are extremely well made, one is mint marked and all in all they are simply top quality pieces. I've no idea if they are rare or what they are worth now. I "think" I paid around $40 to $50 each for them back in the day, although at least one of them could have been as low as $35.

And finally, Kiev: Oh, please ignore the price sticker on this one. This is one I got in one of those big trades way back when and I have nowhere near that in it. I just never took the sticker off. Thanks for looking, Dan

Next are my two Leningrads:

Hi all, Here's my set of these beautiful and I think underappreciated medals. First the Moscow. I've been told mine is an early and very good strike. The ribbon has the look of having been there and done that. If only these pieces could talk the stories they could tell. Also, the pics do not do this one justice. It has a beautiful and very colorful patina on it which I think definitely adds to it's appeal. Without further ado... here she is:

Hi all, It's been quite a few years since I purchased this piece so I can't remember the exact title for it. Perhaps one of the members who read Russian would be so kind as to translate the inscription as I'm hoping it will give a clue to what it's called. I believe it's a Zhukov Commemorative "medal". It's very well made and a bit on the heavy side. It's metal with paint instead of enamel but I think it's a fine looking piece. I half expected to see another one listed on here but after doing a search I couldn't find any. I haven't seen any on Ebay or anywhere else for the longest time. No idea if they're a bit on the rare side of things or what. Anyhow hope we can learn more about it over time. Thanks, Dan

Hi Gerd, I think I can come to the rescue on this one. I was just about to post my example of this medal(?) when I decided to do a search to see if someone already had. That's how I found out you were looking for an ID on what turns out to be (I believe) this same piece. Without further ado... here it is: It's been so long since I got this one that I can't remember exactly what it is... I believe it's just a Zhukov commemorative medal, but it's very well made and a bit on the heavy side of things. Not a cheap piece of plastic but good metal construction, albeit with paint instead of enamel... but very nice nonetheless. I'm going to go ahead and post this as a separate post and hopefully one of the guys will be kind enough to translate the inscription which may give a clue to the name of the "award". Anyhow hope this helps. Dan

This next set is on what I'm guessing is a proper Soviet pin mount: All comments (and donations of Soviet ribbon bars ) are welcome. Thanks, Dan

Hi all, Here are the other two Soviet ribbon bars in my collection. I'm hoping to add more over time. On this first one... on the reverse view you'll see a couple of US ribbon mounts. I added these "temporarily" as a way to easily mount these on a uniform for display. They can be easily removed with no harm to the ribbons. That said, here are the bars:

Hi Rick, Many thanks on the info on the date and one of the unknowns. I'll make note of them on the info I keep with the ribbons. Sorry it took me so long to get back with you on this but I had to finish some work and then dig things out and do pics... ended up doing a bunch of others I'm hoping to post tonight and tomorrow. In other words... I got motivated again! As per your request, here's a pic of the reverse. Black felt. Again it's most likely a put together as the same seller on Ebay puts up these huge ribbon bars all the time. But as I got it fairly cheap and bought under the assumption that it was a put together it doesn't worry me in the slightest. Anyhow, on to other things including putting up the rest of my meager collection of Soviet ribbon bars... two others to be exact. But hoping to pick up more over time. Thanks, Dan

Hi all, Per request here is my Soviet "Marshal's" ribbon bar. I got it on the assumption that it's a "put together" but figure it has a ton of ribbons with many examples of different types, all in one place. Got it cheap and I think it looks cool so not too worried if it's authentic or put together. If nothing else I figure it was a good exercise in identifying the ribbons. I've ID'd most of them as follows: First Row: Order of Lenin / Order of Lenin / Order of the October Revolution / Order of the Red Banner Second Row: Order of the Red Banner / Order of the GPW 1st / Order of the GPW 2nd / Order of the GPW 2nd Third Row: Order for Service to the Homeland 3rd class / Order of the Red Star / Order of the Red Star / Order of the Red Star Fourth Row: Order of the Badge of Honor / Medal for Valor / Medal for Combat Service / Centenary of Lenin Fifth Row: Defense of Leningrad / Defense of Moscow / Defense of Stalingrad / Defense of Sevastopol Sixth Row: Defense of the Causasus / Victory Over Germany / 20th Anniversary of GPW / 30th Anniversary of GPW Seventh Row: 40th Anniversary of GPW / Victory Over Japan / Capture of Budapest / Capture of Koenigburg Eighth Row: Capture of Vienna / Capture of Berlin / Liberation of Belgrad / Liberation of Warsaw Ninth Row: Liberation of Prague / Veteran of the Armed Forces / 30th Anniversary Soviet Armed Forces / 40th Anniversary Soviet Armed Forces Tenth Row: 50th Anniversary Soviet Armed Forces / 60th Anniversary Soviet Armed Forces / 70th Anniversary Soviet Armed Forces / 20 Years Irreproachable Service Eleventh Row: 15 Years Irreproachable Service / Medal for the 40th Anniversary of the Victory at Kalinin Gol (Mongolia) / Medal for 50 Years of the Army (Mongolia) / 60th Anniversary of the Mongolian Peoples Republic (Mongolia) Twelth Row: Medal for 30 Years Victory Over Japan (Mongolia) / Medal for 50 Years of the Revolution (1970) (Mongolia) / UNKNOWN / UNKNOWN Thirteenth Row: Victory and Freedom Medal (Poland) / Brotherhood In Arms Decoration (Poland) / Order of Merit to the Nation (1945) (Yugoslavia) If anyone out there can ID the two UNKNOWN's on the twelth row I'd deeply appreciate it. I have a few other Soviet ribbon bars and I'll post those as soon as I can get the pics done... hopefully later tonight. Thanks, Dan

Hi Paul, First off, thanks for the compliment on my HJ. I'll pass it along to her when I'm next down in the bunker. Not sure on the marks... but the inscription is: "Blut Und Ehre"... Blood and Honor. Hope that helps. Dan

It's the Brotherhood In Arms decoration from Poland. Perhaps someone could pop up a pic of one. Hope this helps. Dan

And last but not least this is the medal for the 70th Anniversary of the Armed Forces of the USSR. Again made of brass and has the same reverse inscription. Also the "cosmonaut" on the obverse (front) of the medal is actually an air force pilot wearing a helmet as used in Mig jet fighter aircraft. Here is an excellent site for learning more about Soviet awards (in addition to what you learn here in the club): http://www.soviet-awards.com/ It is broken down as to each Order or medal, etc. I'd also highly recommend you get yourself a copy of Paul McDaniel's book on Soviet Orders and Medals. I'm working on doing just that myself. Anyhow hope this helps. Dan