Soviet A Walk Down Memory Lane... An Old List Found

[NavyFCO]

All:

I was going through the dark reaches of my hard drive and I came across one of my lists from February 2000. I thought that some of you might get a kick out of reading through it. I think I might have others as well. Don't you wish you could go back in time 6 years???

Dave

>>>>>

The List:

1. Order of Lenin, number 25231. This is a VERY RARE Type 5, Variation 2, ?no dimple on the reverse?, and comes with full Russian state archival research. Only a couple of thousand of this variation were made. Issued to an Army Lieutenant Colonel on 21 Feb. 1945 (note that despite the number, it was awarded AFTER Lenin 41928 listed below!) The research states that he was a veteran of the Russian Civil War, fighting for the Bolsheviks as a Company Commander. During WW2, he survived the siege of Leningrad as an instructor at the Leningrad Anti Aircraft School. He retired from the Army in 1947. The research includes an English translation of the award card, citation, and his service record. I have only seen a small handful (four, to be exact) of this variation in all my years of collecting! This is an outstanding example of a very rare variation of an award to a soldier who served in the early days of the Soviet Union. $495

2. Order of Lenin, number 41928 with archival research to an artillery Major, the commander of the political section of an artillery regiment fighting above the Arctic Circle in December 1944. He served from the Civil War as an enlisted artilleryman through his retirement as a Lt Colonel in 1946. The paperwork includes his award card, citation and listing of all units served in during his career. Scans available on request. Beautiful piece! $455 (or take both these researched Civil-War-Vet Lenins for $850!)

3. Order of Lenin, number 93711. Beautiful condition, scan available upon request. $375

4. Group of 3 Orders to Litsimin, Nikolai Konstantinevich. The group consists of an Order of Lenin number 80354, Order of the Red Banner 163560 and Order of the Red Banner with ?2? number 25347. All three are listed in a wartime order book number 472249 first dated 1 December 1944 and issued on 6 August 1946 (with second Red Banner issue entered at a later date) This is a beautiful grouping!!! This is one of the groups waiting on research. Preliminary research has indicated that he was a long-serving NKVD senior officer! Great grouping to an officer who was very probably one of the really ?bad guys?!!! Scans available. $675

5. Group of 2 Orders to Grigorii Ivanovich Chumak. The group consists of an Order of Lenin, number 129124, and Order of the Red Banner 288725. Both are listed as the only entries in a wartime order book with the first award date of 1 February 1945, and an issue date of 20 November 1945. Scans available upon request. $485

6. Order of Bogdan Klemnitsky 3rd Class, number 4646. Rated 8 out 10 for condition. Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity signed by Paul McDaniel, author of ?The Comprehensive Guide to Soviet Medals?. Great piece with a beautiful semi-dark patina. $725

7. Order of Service to the Motherland, 3rd Class, number 95179. Very beautiful order in excellent condition! $110

8. Group of 4 Orders and 4 Medals to Captain Korgmarskii, Efim Arkadevich, Medical Corps, a field surgeon who served on both the Western and Eastern fronts. The group consists of four orders, the Order of the Great Patriotic War 1st Class number 226814, Order of the Great Patriotic War 2nd Class number 761269, two Red Stars, number 1004869 and 1337075 and four medals, Victory Over Germany, Victory Over Japan, Liberation of Prague and 20 Years of Victory. All orders are listed in a wartime order book dated 1 Jun 1947 with the first award dated February 1945. All four medals have their issue documents, although the Prague document appears to be a later issue replacement. Also included with the group are a number of citations from the actions of towns he helped ?liberate? as well as a number of wartime photos of him in uniform, with groups, etc. Scans available upon request. A beautiful group to a two-front veteran! $385

9. Group of 4 Orders and 1 Medal to Colonel Yasnikov, Boris Aleksandrovich, Medical Corps, field surgeon and flight surgeon. This group is verified by 18 PAGES of archival research to include his award card and all citations as well as three additional pages of unit histories. His group includes Order of the Great Patriotic War 1st Class number 238914, Order of the Great Patrioitic War 2nd Class number 222236, Order of the Red Star 209148, Order of the Red Star 209148, and Fighting Merit Medal 277761 on small red hanger(!), all included in a wartime order book number 868126. All awards are listed in the book and are present, none are missing.

He served with the 28th Separate Rifle Brigade since their forming in 1942 (he served in the Army since Jun 1941, wounded in Aug 41) and later served with the 174th Rifle Division, 44th Rifle Corps, 113th Rifle Corps, 31st Army and 25th Separate Aviation Technical Battalion as field hospital chief. The divisional histories indicate that he saw action in places such as Kursk, Smolensk in 1943 and Berlin in 1945. Received much commendation as a preeminent front-line initial treatment surgeon. Awarded his Fighting Merit Medal in February 1943 for performing 828 (!) surgeries in combat, awarded his first Red Star for treating major wounds to 78 soldiers and officers in one day (5 Sep 43) outside of Smolensk, awarded his OGPW 2 for several days in straight combat where he operated over 18 hours per day performing 17 High, 98 Medium difficulty and over 100 lesser surgeries to limbs and faces and of all operated on, only 2 died. Awarded his OGPW1st during the winter-time Masurian Lakes advance of Feb 1945 for performing 22 surgeries of high, 126 of medium difficulty and supervised the evacuation of over 80 soldiers from under heavy enemy fire and during the ?most difficult circumstances?. He later retired in 1973 as a full colonel in the Medical Corps. Quite an incredible 100% documented original group to a true combat soldier!!! $525

10. Group of 3 Orders, 1 Medal to Vasilyev, Konstantin Vladimirovich. The group consists of Order of the Red Banner 438899, Order of the Red Star 1039410, Order of the Red Star 2114134 and Fighting Merit number 1706013. All of the decorations are recorded in an order book with the number of 709464. $120

11. Group of 3 Orders, 1 Medal to Toshitsen, Evrenim Petrovich. The group consists of Order of the Red Banner 383747, Order of the Red Star 37245, Order of the Red Star 2043599, Fighting Merit medal number 1346306. All of the decorations are listed in an order book number 581895. An Order of Lenin, 297367 also listed in the book is missing. $175

12. Group of 2 Orders to Kabak, Stepan Nikitovich. Order of the Great Patriotic War 2nd Class number 470866 and Order of the Great Patriotic War 2nd Class number 725616. Both are the only entries in an order book number 697808 dated Feb 1947. Both GPW?s are very nice pieces of different variations. Scans available upon request. $65

13. Group of 2 Orders and 1 Medal to Voronin, Petr Nikiforovich. Group consists of the Order of the Great Patriotic War 2nd Class number 441328, Order of the Red Star number 896122 and Fighting Merit medal 1518759. All three are the only entries in an order book number 826782 first dated 1 November 1944 and issued on 10 July 1946. Scans available upon request. $85

14. Group of 2 Orders and 1 Medal to Zelenkov, Leonid Lukiyanovich. Group includes Order of the Great Patriotic War 2nd Class number 750553 with wartime order book, Order of the Great Patriotic War 2nd Class (Jubilee) number 1543547 with order book and Victory Over Germany medal with issue Document. Nice group to a long-surviving veteran. Scan available. $75

15. Group of 2 Orders to Aiksapor Ardobakii. Order of the Red Banner number 347162 and Order of the Red Star number 2286602. Both listed in the same order book. $65

16. Group of 2 Orders to Savgishkii, Mikhail Fedotovich. Group consists of Order of the Red Banner number 406161 and Red Star number 2869662. Both are listed in order book number 378920. Nice little group. $65

17. Group of 2 Orders to Gashmov, Faidyranman Ganeevich. Includes the Order of the Red Banner 380147 and Order of the Red Star number 1976181 in issue order book. An Order of the October Revolution number 2240 is also listed but missing from the group (unfortunately!) Nice group. $65

18. Group of 1 Order and 1 Medal to Fedorov, Fedor Mironovich. This group includes an Order of the Great Patriotic War 2nd Class number 695612 and Fighting Merit medal number 1779567. Both are the only entries in order book number 400596 with a starting date of Dec 1944 and issue date of 16 November 1946. $60

19. Group of 10 Medals in a very unusual one piece aluminum homemade mount. Consists of a ?For Valor?, ?For Military Merit? (For Valor is numbered, but I don?t have the number with me), Defense of Odessa, Victory Over Germany, 30 Years of Victory, 20 Years of Victory, Labor Victory, 60 Years of the Soviet Army, Capture of Koeningsburg, and Leningrad Anniversary. Scan available upon request. Neat looking group. $135

20. Order of the Red Banner, number 214242 awarded to a WOMAN on 1 Feb 1945, with book dated 23 May 45. An Order of Lenin is also listed in the book, but is missing. Very unusual to see these awarded during the war to a woman! Possibly a woman officer or partisan leader participating in the Berlin offensive! Scan available upon request. $85

21. Order of the Red Banner, second award with ?2?, number 7760. Beautiful condition. $135

22. Order of Honor, SCREWBACK number 25770 with order book dated 1 Feb 1943 and issued on 8 Feb 1943. A Red Star and Order of the Great Patriotic War 2nd Class are also listed, but are unfortunately missing. Beautiful order, scans available on request. $185

23. Order of the Red Star, awarded to Skvortsov, Anatolii Mikhailovich. Red Star number 942617 with document number 659023. With archival research indicating that he was a Finance Officer during the War. Two awards of the Order of the Great Patriotic War 2nd Class are listed in the book, but are not present nor are listed on his award card. Scans available upon request. $85

24. Medal for 3 Years of the Red Army in Silver. This is a very rare medal that was given out to the troops of the RFSFR Red Army in 1920. The front has a scene of a worker (of course) and the reverse has the some inscriptions and the dates 1917-1920. This is thought to be the first official medal issued by the Red Army. No ribbon. This is the variation in silver as given to enlisted soldiers and sailors. The medal shows some wear, would grade about a 5-6 out of 10 for condition. In all my years collecting, I?ve seen only one gold (for officers) and one other silver and they sold for far much more than this. VERY rare! $185

25. Medal of Ushakov number 3481. Fully mounted with original chain, separately applied anchor (these are real ones!) Beautiful condition. Scan available upon request. $325

26. Medal of Ushakov number 7534. As above, in likewise very nice condition. Scan also available. $325

The following are individual orders with order book (ordenskaya knijska):

27. Order of October Revolution $145

56946

28. Order of Red Banner of Labor $35 ea/six digit, $30 ea/seven digit or $250 for all

369743

721665

820955

761470

835675

1055400

1205468

1002527

29. Order of Labor Glory 3rd Class $45 each or $250 for all

343986

528496

420267

194690

283024

293269

30. Order of Honor $30 ea/six digit, $25 ea seven digit or $150 for all

268528

396482

435522

996637

1164178

1168396

The following are individual medals without documents:

31. Partisan Medal 2nd Class $125/ea (have two- $225 for both)

32. For Valor in a Fire $65

33. Defense of Sebastopol $85

34. Defense of Odessa $85

[Riley1965]

That's quite a list, Dave !!! Speaking of lists, how is that "book" you were putting together for us, for $30 - $40, coming along?

Doc

[NavyFCO]

That's quite a list, Dave !!! Speaking of lists, how is that "book" you were putting together for us, for $30 - $40, coming along?

Doc

Doc-

And that was just a list of my "spares" that didn't mean much - most of them were research dead ends (unless they had research already.) Amazing some of the price differences, eh?

As far as the book, I've been working on it. It's currently at 310 pages, and I have two more chapters to add - it should run about 350 pages or so. I honestly haven't a clue what the price for it will be, but I can tell you that it will be 100% non-profit - I'll get enough from it to cover my expenses and that's what I'll charge for the book. I'm hoping to have it done in the next month or two... these things take time... LOTS of time...

Dave

[Paul R]

That is a blast from the past...

I can tell you that the prices did not change too much from 1992 until 2000. A lot of those prices are a little higher than I paid eight years earlier.

What happened during the past six years?

Paul

[Ed_Haynes]

Where DID I park that tardis??

Look at some of Igor's early (paper) lists. They'll make you weep (especially as compared with TODAY).

Edited September 7, 2006 by Ed_Haynes

[Paul R]

I wish that I would have kept some of his paper lists... although most of our transactions started with me calling him out of boredom to ask what he had in... :

[NavyFCO]

I wish that I would have kept some of his paper lists... although most of our transactions started with me calling him out of boredom to ask what he had in... :

I've got them going back to 1995 (or is it 1993?) Anyway, what I found interesting in them is that the prices actually get lower towards 1999/2000 than earlier in the 90s. I did a little research project on another forum, based on the cataloges of the most famous dealer. This was compiled in November 2005, so the prices might be a bit out of date, but it was still interesting....

>>>>>>>

I?ve taken a selection of military awards from each of three catalogs: September 1996, April 1999 and November 2002. I tried my best to make ?even? comparisons to awards in the same condition, history (all are unresearched unless otherwise noted) and the like.

September 1996

Red Star (post WW2) $17

Red Star (7-digit s/n) $18

Red Star (6 digit s/n) $20

OGPW 2 (6 digit s/n) $25 ($35 w/document)

OGPW 2 (suspended) $260

OGPW 1 (WW2) $240

OGPW 1 (suspended) $350

Red Banner (post war) $30

Red Banner (WW2) $35

Red Banner (screwback) $125

Glory 3rd $25

Glory 2nd $120

Homeland 3rd $250

Nevsky $385

Khmelnitsky 3rd $850

Kutuzov 3rd $1220

Kutuzov 2nd $1640

Kutuzov 1st $8900

Lenin (?on suspension? WW2-issue) $750

Lenin (?3rd type? screwback) $995

Ushakov Medal $385

Nakhimov Medal $360

Interesting to note is the lack of single HSU Gold Stars (not even any groups!) and other ?high end? awards save for the single Kutuzov 1st.

April 1999

Gold Star HSU $1950

Red Star (post WW2) $14

Red Star (7-digit s/n) $15

Red Star (6 digit s/n) $16

OGPW 2 (6 digit s/n) $24

OGPW 2 (suspended) none

OGPW 1 (WW2) $190

OGPW 1 (suspended) none

Red Banner (post war) $30

Red Banner (WW2) $35

Red Banner (screwback) $125

Glory 3rd $20

Glory 2nd $120

Glory 1st $1900

Homeland 3rd $120

Nevsky $330

Suvorov 2nd $3100

Khmelnitsky 3rd $640

Khmelnitsky 2nd $1700

Khmelnitsky 1st $6950

Kutuzov 3rd $1050

Kutuzov 2nd $1350

Kutuzov 1st $6900

Lenin (WW2 issue) $520

Lenin (?3rd type? screwback) $2700 (T4 screwbacks were $1050 on average)

Ushakov Medal $390

Nakhimov Medal $330

Almost three years later, and surprisingly the prices had actually gone DOWN on nearly all of the awards! Interestingly, the number of HSU/HSL groups was enormous - enough to fill nearly the first eight pages of the catalog!

November 2002

Gold Star HSU $1740

Red Star (post WW2) $15

Red Star (7-digit s/n) $17

Red Star (6 digit s/n) $19

OGPW 2 (6 digit s/n) $34

OGPW 2 (suspended) $250

OGPW 1 (WW2) $170

OGPW 1 (suspended) $380

Red Banner (post war) $45

Red Banner (WW2) $55

Red Banner (screwback) $95

Glory 3rd $20

Glory 2nd $150

Glory 1st $1575

Homeland 3rd none

Nevsky $380

Suvorov 3rd $925

Suvorov 2nd $2550

Khmelnitsky 3rd $695

Khmelnitsky 2nd $1780

Khmelnitsky 1st $7950

Kutuzov 3rd $1095 (with research)

Kutuzov 2nd $1425

Kutuzov 1st $6950 (with research)

Lenin (WW2 issue) $595

Lenin (?3rd type? screwback) $1995 (T4 screwbacks were $1150 on average)

Ushakov Medal none

Nakhimov Medal none

Thus, over a span of six years of Soviet awards values, it?s interesting to see how the prices varied, and that since November 2002, how much prices have skyrocketed!

Here?s a summary of our prices from the three years, plus the prices asked currently from the same dealer. They are listed in order from September 1996 through November 2005:

Gold Star HSU (none) (1950) (1740) (4800 - though with one document)

Red Star (post WW2) (17) (14) (15) (32)

Red Star (7-digit s/n) (18) (15) (17) (37)

Red Star (6 digit s/n) (20) (16) (19) (75)

OGPW 2 (6 digit s/n) (25) (24) (34) (85)

OGPW 2 (suspended) (260) (none) (250) (none)

OGPW 1 (WW2) (240) (190) (170) (325)

OGPW 1 (suspended) (350) (none) (380) (none)

Red Banner (post war) (30) (30) (45) (130)

Red Banner (WW2) (35) (35) (55) (160)

Red Banner (screwback) (125) (125) (95) (575)

Glory 3rd (25) (20) (20) (45)

Glory 2nd (120) (120) (150) (345)

Glory 1st (none) (1900) (1575) (none)

Homeland 3rd (250) (120) (none) (295)

Nevsky (385) (330) (380) (1340)

Suvorov 2nd (none) (3100) (2550) (14800)

Khmelnitsky 3rd (850) (640) (695) (3800)

Khmelnitsky 2nd (none) (1700) (1780) (11995)

Khmelnitsky 1st (none) (6950) (7950) (none)

Kutuzov 3rd (1220) (1050) (1095 w/research) (7700)

Kutuzov 2nd (1640) (1350) (1425) (7950)

Kutuzov 1st (8900) (6900) (6950 w/research) (none)

Lenin (WW2 issue) (750) (520) (595) (none)

Lenin (?3rd type? screwback) (995) (2700) (1995) (none)

Ushakov Medal (385) (390) (none) (none)

Nakhimov Medal (360) (330) (none) (1050)

I think the old adage of ?buy nice stuff, the value will go up? can be clearly seen in this case!

[Wild Card]

Hi Dave,

Gee, thanks a lot. You really know how to ruin a guy?s evening ; and to Paul R., I have some of Igor?s old paper lists - you don?t want to know.

Regards,

Wild Card

[Guest Rick Research]

I have all of my Printed Igors save one I loaned to a friend and never got back.

It's weird... as late as 2001 we were still getting taunted by "mainstream" collectors that "that Commie rubbish is never going to be worth anything/nobody wants it..." then...

it seemed to dry up

and

here we are today.

Igor actually used to call ME over some $50 item or other I'd been looking for-- or ribbon bars, of course.

Times have changed.

All of which goes to illuminate my Great Wisdom And Insight:

Time Travel IS A Scientific Reality

Unfortunately It Only Goes In One Direction.

[NavyFCO]

It's weird... as late as 2001 we were still getting taunted by "mainstream" collectors that "that Commie rubbish is never going to be worth anything/nobody wants it..." then...

I was at a show in 1999 looking at books (they were in 3" binders) of Soviet awards - Red Stars, OGPW2s, Glory 3rds and the like - on a major international awards dealer's table. He wanted the "normal" prices for them - between $12-$15 a pop, depending on what it was. He sauntered over to where I was looking and told me that he was actually planning on selling all the Soviet awards as a lot because he 'just wanted that stuff off his table because it never sold'. I asked him how much he was going to offer everything for, and he told me that it would be for less than $10 a medal for anyone that bought everything. I'd estimate that there were at least 100 of each award there on his table....Unfortunately far too many for me to buy, even at $10 each!

Dave

[Paul R]

I was at a show in 1999 looking at books (they were in 3" binders) of Soviet awards - Red Stars, OGPW2s, Glory 3rds and the like - on a major international awards dealer's table. He wanted the "normal" prices for them - between $12-$15 a pop, depending on what it was. He sauntered over to where I was looking and told me that he was actually planning on selling all the Soviet awards as a lot because he 'just wanted that stuff off his table because it never sold'. I asked him how much he was going to offer everything for, and he told me that it would be for less than $10 a medal for anyone that bought everything. I'd estimate that there were at least 100 of each award there on his table....Unfortunately far too many for me to buy, even at $10 each!

Dave

WOW!!!

I remember picking up a pair of Distinctive Service Medals(Gold and Silver grades) for 35 dollars at a gun show. The funny thing is that I questioned whether or not I paid too much!

Paul