Mongolia Outstanding Worker badges - cross-section

[Bob]

I like these badges and collect them when they are in the specific shape that I'm looking for. Let's do a cross-section of a few of them.

First a scan shows what I believe are more older ones. The first two, from the screw, manufactured in Leningrad mint. subsequently "quality" seems to deteriorate... next one still heavy brass + rivets... next one still rivets but lighter metal... last one very light and simple construction. All of these still with an older "logo" for Mongolian state.

Next up will be a pic of more recent ones... no longer the same logo but rather usage of Soyombo symbol and much "cheaper" feel to them.

[Bob]

Here then the more recent ones. What surprises me is complete lack of standardization. I'd expect same size, same reverse construction etc and just some slight differences to designate that it's an outstanding worker in a different field but I guess that would be too structured for Mongolian awards:)

Even to the point where one of these little ones has 2 screws!!!

[Bob]

And here another recent one but now oddly enough made out of "heavy" metal. Really difficult to see, apart from the design principles, some logical trend here!

[Ed_Haynes]

Thanks, Bob, for this thread.

You remind us that, as we move past the "type-collection" phase of checking off of our "catches", as we ponder beyond the masterful presentation that Battushig has given us, and as we move from "accumulating" to "collecting and studing" Mongolian awards, we need to start teasing out the underlying systems that lurk behind these awards. While Battushig's organisation may disguise it, there is -- as Bob has reminded us -- a clear and important "generational" design component to these badges. There are "patterns" that speak to the underlying history.

Maybe they can be seen best in the various outstanding worker badges, or maybe it is just that I like them a lot (letting my ideology show? ).

While there are a few holes in the series (soon to be filled . . . ?), compare these (OW = Outstanding Worker):

1- OW of Agriculture (J 06)

2- OW of Industry (K 02)

3- OW of Mining (L 02)

4- OW of Oil Industry (L 08)

5- OW of Construction (N 04)

6- OW of Railways (O 01)

7- OW of Transport (P 01)

And we could, I think, just as easily include our familiar old friend, the OW of Herding (J 01) here as well?

Edited October 8, 2006 by Ed_Haynes

[Bob]

Some more (from left to right):

- The best transport worker badge (note the Uigur script at bottom!)

- The outstanding worker of the trade union (numbered!!!)

- The outstanding worker of the radio / TV communications

- The outstanding cooperator (whatever that means!)

Also looking at other badges for sale, it would appear that usage of Uigur script is indicative of the most recent versions of these badges - interesting

[Bob]

Here some very recent ones. Probably allowing us to identify sources of manufacturing or "batches" as there are similarities (e.g. compare the one with Uighur script vs. a previously posted one also with it and similar reverse).

Unfortunately, these have a much more "mass production" feel to them.

left to right

- OUTSTANDING MINER

- OUTSTANDING WORKER OF THE GEOLOGY

- OUTSTANDING MINER (why a different one?)

[Ed_Haynes]

I have always had the impression that the new "bichig badges" are a relic of the experiments from the 1980s at script reform, the efforts to reintroduce the indigenous Mongol script to replace the foreign Cyrillic. Since this rendered almost the entire population into overnight illiterates, this has been slowed down (almost stopped). Obviously, the use of the post 1992 arms can give an additional clue to dating.