Soviet Stalingrad Medal-Opinions please

[Gerd Becker]

Gentlemen,

i got this Stalingrad Medal together with a document yesterday and would like to hear your opinions about it. To me it looks like a worn original, which has been regilded.

What do you think?

Thanks in advance

Gerd

[Gerd Becker]

Here is the document, which came with this medal. Can someone read the stamp? Rick, any chance?

[Christian Zulus]

i got this Stalingrad Medal together with a document yesterday and would like to hear your opinions about it. To me it looks like a worn original, which has been regilded.

Dear Gerd,

.... or not very much worne.

The ribbon also looks rather new.

I have an unissued Stalingrad-Medal in my collection, which looks also very "golden".

Are you 100 % sure, that the medal belongs to the document ?

Best regards

Christian

[Gerd Becker]

Dear Gerd,

.... or not very much worne.

The ribbon also looks rather new.

I have an unissued Stalingrad-Medal in my collection, which looks also very "golden".

Are you 100 % sure, that the medal belongs to the document ?

Best regards

Christian

Hi Christian,

thanks, i?ll make some pictures with my camera in daylight tomorrow, then you will see the wearing traces most likely. The scans are not good enough to see that, i have to admit.

I am not sure at all, that this medal belongs to the document, but they came together, so there is at least a chance that they indeed do belong together, i guess.

I?ll post the pictures tomorrow for further discussion....

best,

Gerd

[Wilco]

Looks like a genuine one to me.

Could you also place a total overvieuw of front and back with total ribbon on it to be more sure?

It is not uncommon for a worn one to have this colour and often they were remounted with new ribbon.

[Gerd Becker]

Looks like a genuine one to me.

Could you also place a total overvieuw of front and back with total ribbon on it to be more sure?

It is not uncommon for a worn one to have this colour and often they were remounted with new ribbon.

Thank you, Wilco. I?ll make a picture like requested as well tomorrow. You will see then, the ribbon also looks very new.

Thanks again

Gerd

[Guest Darrell]

Nice one Gerd. Looks fine to me.

Since I'm such a Russian language expert

What's the date of the doc? Feb 15 /43?

[Gerd Becker]

Thanks, Darrel The Date is 15. December 1943

Gerd

[Guest Darrell]

Thanks, Darrel The Date is 15. December 1943

Gerd

There you go. I had a 1/12 chance

[Ferdinand]

Awarded to Guards Senior Sergeant Ivan Petrovich Alekseyev, doc signed by a Major-General (Danilov?).

[Gerd Becker]

Thank you, Auke.

[Guest Rick Research]

Gerd-- what is ODD is that the unit is written out as normal, 54th Guards "Makeevsky" Rifles Division, signed by commander Guards Generalmajor Danilov (per Steen Ammentorp's Generals website: Mikhail Matveevich Danilov, commanded 54th Rifles Div 1942-45, died 1963 ) BUT the almost completely illegible stamp is for a Feldpost "Unit ?6658" which is EXTREMELY unusual for a wartime unit. Too bad the rest of the lettering there is not legible!

[Gerd Becker]

Interesting, thanks for the info, Rick. The document is definately old and has seen a rough life. Its taped on the reverse and the ink looks indeed old. Nice extra is of course the Guards Unit and the HSU-signature

The first number is in my opinion a 0 in that Feldpost number....

[Gerd Becker]

Here is a camera picture, which shows quite well the concerns with this medal. I am still conviced, its a good one and another collector, who had it in hand, agreed. But what is it really? A good copy or a worn down die?

[Wilco]

Here is a camera picture, which shows quite well the concerns with this medal. I am still conviced, its a good one and another collector, who had it in hand, agreed. But what is it really? A good copy or a worn down die?

I would state a veteran that wore his medals almost every day

Edited May 9, 2007 by Wilco

[Paul R]

I would state a veteran that wore his medals almost every day

Unless I am wrong, there is gold finish still remaining on the "worn" area. I tend to think that it is a worn die.

[Gerd Becker]

Unless I am wrong, there is gold finish still remaining on the "worn" area. I tend to think that it is a worn die.

Thanks, guys.

Wilco, thats, what i though first too, but the finish of the medal is still intact, so i assumed, it was regilded. I tend to agree with Paul, that its a worn out die.

Well, at least its an interesting original, as everyone agrees so far

[Wilco]

Thanks, guys.

Wilco, thats, what i though first too, but the finish of the medal is still intact, so i assumed, it was regilded. I tend to agree with Paul, that its a worn out die.

Well, at least its an interesting original, as everyone agrees so far

Interesting indeed. i wonder if a veteran in the formar USSR could help out. I have seen more of this kind on other worn out medals. Could it be that when veterans let their medal being reribboned with a new ribbon and ribbonholder, the person/organisation or business that does that also has the oppertunity to regild the medals? This in order to make them look nice again on the uniform at the annual memorial days?

[Gerd Becker]

Wilco, i have seen that for imperial german medals, so i assume, its not impossible, that russian veterans have their medals worked up for a parade.