Republic of Cuba Cuban Medal Group

[Taz]

Hi guys,

I was wondering if anyone would like to try and make a rough price estimate on this Cuban group. All the Medals belonged to a Cuban Major who served in Angola and Mozambique.

The group consists of the following items:

1. Medalla "Combatiente Internacionalista" (II)

2. Conmemorativa, Marcos Marti ?

3. Distinci?n "Destacado en la Preparaci?n para la Defensa"

4. Distinci?n "Servicio Distinguido" (FAR)

5. Medalla "Por la Victoria Cuba R.P.A."

6.Cuban Cap, Cap Badge & star.

I'm not sure if they are boxed with award docs right now, I hope to have more details soon.

Does anyone have an idea?

Best regards Eddie.

[Guest Rick Research]

I don't know how

Pre-Collapse

any of us can even "value" loose medals, let alone a (hopefully) documented group.

What will happen...

"afterwards?"

Who now can tell?

But I remember what happened after the Shah fell, after The Wall came down, and after the Soviet Union fell apart.

Out of those vacuums, vast amounts of "stuff" suddenly appeared in a tsunami of mostly still under-researched collectibles. Prices "afterwards" were

literally

"dirt cheap.," that had been "insanely high" BEFORE there was ereally anything available.

Remember being laughed at by other collectors about "worthless Soviet junk?"

Well, nowadays...

I have yet to see a DOCUMENTED Cuban GROUP.

It will come down to interest and the limited pool of us interested.

I've never collected for "investment" or to hold things long enough to sell to somebody else for a theoretical profit.

We are in

PRE-MARKET

days with Fidelista stuff.

God alone knows what things will end up being "worth."

In the meanwhile, FINDING ANYTHING is the problem!!!!!!!!!!

[Taz]

Hi Rick,

Thanks for the promt reply.

Yes a tough one to put a price on. I'm awaiting more info on this particular group as we "speak". Most single Medals I have seen have been sold for ? 20-25 (28,50-35,50 USD), if docs are availiable and the medals are boxed I wonder what would be a "fair" price.

I am with you on the fact that I am not interested in investment or finanical gain. would be nice to have a rough idea of resonable prices though.

Best regards Eddie.

[Guest Rick Research]

Those of interested just have to go with what we think is reasonable, at this stage of things.

With what very little IS Off Island

and having virtually no information on how many of Award X were/are being bestowed, it's just a toss up between our own interest and rational guesstimates about what the situation will be Afterwards.

Right now, I'm the only person Out Here, apperently, with generals' shoulder boards, for instance. What are the only two pairs Out Here quote-unquote "worth?" I haven't a clue! All I know is how happy I was to find them.

[Taz]

I recived this group today.

The Marcos Marti is an issue from the Sindicato nacional de Trabajadores Agropecuarios y Forestales.

Just to add, the medals have obviously been well worn and it seems they were fixed seperatley and not on a ribbon bar of any sort.

Also with the group I was sent a food ration book which are still being used today.

Regards Eddie

Edited November 23, 2007 by Taz

[Guest Rick Research]

The top of a "Gomer Pyle" hat goes with the medals you posted at start of the thread, Eddie?

Have you actually got the Soviet-style paper AWARD CARDS all to the same person?

(We should probably block out all names and anything revealing of award decree serial numbers/places... since families still have to LIVE under the Regime That Will Not Die.)

Paperwork-- naturally-- is still virtually impossible to find. Too risky to get out.

I just hope When The Time Comes that it will not all be thrown away-- since NONE of the decorations we have seen (so far) are serial numbered, so there will never be any way to VERIFY groups otherwise than IN paper.

[Taz]

The top of a "Gomer Pyle" hat goes with the medals you posted at start of the thread, Eddie?

Have you actually got the Soviet-style paper AWARD CARDS all to the same person?

(We should probably block out all names and anything revealing of award decree serial numbers/places... since families still have to LIVE under the Regime That Will Not Die.)

Paperwork-- naturally-- is still virtually impossible to find. Too risky to get out.

I just hope When The Time Comes that it will not all be thrown away-- since NONE of the decorations we have seen (so far) are serial numbered, so there will never be any way to VERIFY groups otherwise than IN paper.

That's right Rick the cap was part of the Medal group.

As for the award cards unfortunatly none. The reason is as you state, Cubans will part with their Medals but not with the paperwork because of the risk at the customs. I wonder if the Ration book is from the same person, if it is then I know who the Medals belonged to. Maybe some time in the future it could be checked as to what awards he recieved.

I assume the Medals, cap badge, star and cap are the mementos he kept after leaving the FAR.

Of course its a matter of believing or not that the items are from the same person. Then again why at this moment in time would someone make up that it's a group? No prices of groups or single Medals are really known.

Regards Eddie.

[Guest Rick Research]

Yeah, there is so little we KNOW about such things:

Could somebody who served in Angola have a 2nd Class Internationalist Combatant (and what was the reson for a 1st versus an 2nd anyway?)...

and what sort of service got a "Distinguished" Service in the RAF medal? When that rates AFTER a 10 years service medal.

For a while last year, when we actually had what now seems like a "run" on Cuban awards, I'd say that the "Distinguished" Service in the RAF Medal was the most COMMON one that turned up.

So-- was it in effect what the American National Defense Service Medal is?

We still just don't KNOW.

Which is part of the fun of new things but of course NOT attractive to "investors."