Soviet Please post your OPW 2nd classes

[Gerd Becker]

Gentlemen,

i know, its a common award, but though, may i ask you to post the OPW 2nd classes in your collection for my education and enjoyment? Noticing that i have more than a dozen of them now, it seems i have a weakness for them.

Most of you know, i am one of these evil variations-collectors and i have quite a few variations together now, but still would like to add some more, so if anyone of your has a "small version" or a trench-reverse for sale, shoot me a pm.

The most of mine are already posted on the forum, but to get the ball rolling, i?ll post again my current favourite piece, an starback Serialnumber 95477, researched, awarded May 1944 to Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Stepanovich Zolin, see http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=11140

[Gerd Becker]

What an overwhelming response...

For Andreas and everyone else, who is interested.

This is the first one, we talked about on the phone, a nice early example, which isn?t classiefied in the Alex Filer Classification yet, like it seems. Nr. 101.270, unresearched yet.

Obverse:

[Gerd Becker]

Reverse Nr. 101.270

Love the s/n-style

Edited November 13, 2006 by Gerd Becker

[Gerd Becker]

double post

Edited November 13, 2006 by Gerd Becker

[Gerd Becker]

The second new addition Nr. 268.404, an interesting piece, which features a slight "trench reverse"

[Gerd Becker]

Reverse Nr. 268.404

[Gerd Becker]

Andrei or Alexei, if one of you guys read this, do you think, Nr. 101.270 is a KMD or a LMD piece? The mint mark looks a lot like the typical LMD mint mark.

TIA

Gerd

[Bryan]

There is not a lot of contributions so far, so here are mine.

A special OGPW that came with 2 other Red Stars like this.

[Bryan]

And a WWII and a 1985 OGPW.

[Gerd Becker]

Nice ones, Bryan, especially the pinback. Are you going to get this group researched? I remember, when it was for sale, as i thought about to buy it myself.

Thanks

Gerd

[JimZ]

Hey Soviet -Very intersting pin back version. Goes to show that not all the russians were too keen on piercing their clothes to wear their awards. Is the screwback sawed or shortened. Seems cumbersome / uncomfortable to wear pinned with the screwback still fully intact.

Always nice to see the 1985 commemorative GPW2 next to the original earlier issues. Although a solid order I really feel that the 1985 GPWs lacks a certain quality .... particularly if we compare early and 1985 first classes. Of course with mass production for 1985 commemoration its inevetible that the quality suffers.

My question is as follows. The 1985 is purely a commemoritave award. Assuming a situation of a post 1985 catch up award for combat actions in WW2.... would the recipient receive 1985 version + award booklet or would they receive an earlier award. Of course at first glance the order is still an order. But I still think that a recipient of a combat award would of course look at the commemorative 85 issue through a slightly different lens.

Jim

[Ed_Haynes]

OK, I have to admit that, after recent experiences, I am a bit "gun-shy" about posting anything at all over here. But since it is Gerd asking -- and he asked very nicely -- here goes:

The OPW 2 to Lieutenant General Ivan Ivanov Kravchenko -- see http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=6207 and http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=8627&st=02 -- # 409128, awarded 15 July 1945 (52nd Army). Have recommendation, on the above-cited thread, but as yet untranslated .

So, have at me; I have my flak jacket on.

More to come when retrieved from storage.

Edited November 14, 2006 by Ed_Haynes

[Gerd Becker]

Ed, thats a beautiful example and you have nothing to worry about, its absolutely original. It has a nice Brass Hammer&Sickel, there are two theories (I know, you don?t like theories, but i?ll mention them though), why some OPW?s have Brass Hammer&Sickel. Some say,these were "trench-shop" replacements for lost Gold H&S and others say, these were done like this in the mint, when they ran out of Gold ones. Either way, an interesting piece with a great patina.

Jim, as far as i know, they would be awarded a WW2 version, if available. But i have seen 1985 versions awarded for WW2 action, but i don?t know, if they were legit or not. At least i have seen 1985 OPW Duplicates for WW2 versions, so i?d say, the first mentioned case is possible too.

Thanks, gentlemen

Gerd

[Ed_Haynes]

Major Semyon P. Prokhvatilov:

OPW2 # 714487

See: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=3938 and http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=8627&st=06

Edited November 14, 2006 by Ed_Haynes

[Ed_Haynes]

David Mironovich Sup'yan (research s_t_i_l_l) awaited.

OPW 2 # 116666

See: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=3728 and http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=8627&st=04

Edited November 14, 2006 by Ed_Haynes

[Ed_Haynes]

Colonel Vasily Terent?evich Belykh

OPW 2 # 109370, 28 June 1944 (Deputy Regimental Commander for Political Matters, 1205th Self-propelled Artillery Regiment)

See: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=4150 and http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=8627&st=11

Edited November 14, 2006 by Ed_Haynes

[Ed_Haynes]

Major Vladimir Fedorovich Dubrovin

OPW 2 #491888, 29 April 1945, 1st White Russian Front.

See: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=3222 and http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=8627&st=32

(Think that is it. Sparing you the '85s and the 1st class OPWs.)

Edited November 14, 2006 by Ed_Haynes

[Bryan]

Hello Gerd and Jim.

Thanks for your comment. First of all I was happy to get this small lot, but I will never buy again from the dealer I bought it from. It took him almost 2 months after my payment, before he sent it to me. The guy was too busy! Funny that he had time to answer some of my e-mails.

I will not proceed to a research right now, but will surely do it in the future.

Jim, I don?t know what the difference would be between sawed or shortened as for me if it is sawed, it is also shortened. It seems that the screwpost was cut and then polish.

Is it true that all Great Patriotic War combat that was alive in 1985 received one of those OGPW?

[JimZ]

Soviet

Well sawed off is sawed off (although i really meant completely sawed off or partially sawed off i.e shortened with part of original thread remaining ) .... But shortened could be anything else really ...broken off, screwback pulled off or removed from the weld etc etc. With home made conversions u can never really say..... However seeing it an at an angle is different. Thanks for posting the last pic.

As far as I know surviving vets of the GPW received an 1985 OGPW. I am not sure what the criteria was for deciding on 1st or 2nd class award.... can anyone throw any light pls?

Jim

[JimZ]

Thanks Gerd,

I would have expected as much. I'd admit (as a collector though!!) that I'd be more than slightly peeved off to receive the same commemorative award to million others when my citation was for combat action!!

Of course, lets be honest..... if I lived through the tough life that some awardees lived through in post war Russia , then maybe worrying about which variation I was awarded might really be the last thing on my mind....!!!

Jim

[Gerd Becker]

Thanks everyone for your contributions

Ed, you have some wonderful examples there. If you are interested to hear, where the particular pieces were produced(ie. Krasnokamsk Mint, Leningrad Mint), just let me know. But thats probably only interesting for variations-nerds like me

Bryan, definately let us know, what the research brings for this group.

Its true, every veteran, who was still alive in 1985, received such an OGPW. At least every veteran was authorized, but i doubt, that really everyone got one.

Jim, i agree, they had more serious problems than to worry about the variation, they got.

Here is another one of mine, a nice starback Nr. 146.113, researched to Iosif Egorovich Soloviev, awarded for action on the Crimea in 1944, see http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=10282

[Gerd Becker]

Reverse of Nr. 146113

[Ed_Haynes]

Ed, you have some wonderful examples there. If you are interested to hear, where the particular pieces were produced(ie. Krasnokamsk Mint, Leningrad Mint), just let me know. But thats probably only interesting for variations-nerds like me

Actually, Gerd, I always like to have the maximum information possible, so, please . . . ????

[JimZ]

And you think that you're the only nerd out there

I'm here with Ed...waiting to hear

Go for it Gerd!

[Gerd Becker]

Actually, Gerd, I always like to have the maximum information possible, so, please . . . ????

Allright then... Don?t say, i didn?t warn you

Nr. 409128 is an LMD(Leningrad Mint) "concave reverse" piece observed S/N-range lowest 407001, highest 480590

Nr. 714487 is a KMD (Krasnokamsk Mint) "flatback" example, observed S/N-range lowest 680669, highest 758394

Nr. 116666 is an interesting example, its most probably a LMD made "concave revese".

Nr. 109370 is the same variation like 116666, observed S/N-range for the last both pieces is lowest 100913, highest 133548

491888 is a KMD piece "flatback", observed S/N-range lowest 482705, highest 496733

(source www.soviet-screwbacks.com )