Hungary Szocialista Munk??rt ?rdem?rem, 1954 - NMK #603

[Gordon Craig]

Friday morning I was lucky enough to pick up a few cased medals to fill in some holes in my collection. One of them was a cased Merit Medal of Socialist Labour from the Rakosi era. These medals are fairly common with the Kadar emblem in the centre of the star but not easy to find, especially in the case, with the Rakosi era emblem. According to the NMK there were 7092 awarded.

Regards,

Gordon

[Gordon Craig]

The reverse of the medal and the plastic ribbon bar.

[Gordon Craig]

The cased medal showing both the plastic ribbon bar and the paper ribbon bar. You can just see the indentation in the bottom of the case where the ribbon bar would go if the ribbon bar were mounted individually in a pin back device.

[Gordon Craig]

The exterior of the top of the case. There has never been a state emblem embossed on this case.

[Gordon Craig]

The exterior of the bottom of the case.

[hunyadi]

Nice medal! Howver the case is for a different medal! Not a big problem - the case is for the Commemorative Medal of the Soviet Republic 1959 (&1969). They made these caese special as the mini for the medal was not a ribbon, but a pin. The little slot in the base is for the pin. The cases for these are one of the few 'specific' to medals. Things to note when recognizing the cases for the 1959 medal is 1) 'embossed rectangle around the top of the lid. 2) the special slot for the pin mounted below the recess for the medal - on the 'standard box', the place for the ribbon bar is always above the medal 3) early aligator, marble, or tartan pattern scuff plates on the bottom of the case

Embossed rectangle on the top of the lid -

[hunyadi]

Recessd slot for the pin mounted below the recess for the medal

[hunyadi]

Mine has the 'tartan' pattern scuff plate

[Gordon Craig]

Charles,

Thanks for the comments on the case. I questioned the vendor on the case when I bought it and he gave me a plausible, but obviously incorrect, answer. I'll have to email him re the problem and see what we can sort out. I should have recognized the case myself. I think that I have a medal without the case so perhaps he and I can work something out. Can you post a picture of the correct cse for this medal?

Cheers,

Gordon

[hunyadi]

Sure! Case top:

[hunyadi]

Interior - this one does have a small recess for the ribbon, but not all of them came with that feature

[hunyadi]

'Marble' variant scuff plate (there are about five othe types of 'marble' that were used)

This case is a good reference of the 'standard' sized case 140mm X 85mm X 23mm

[Gordon Craig]

Charles,

Thanks for posting the case. That is what I figured it should look like. Would there possibly have been an earlier case with a smaller insert for the plastic type ribbon bar device like the grey case that I have? I contacted the vendor and as far as he is concerned there is no one in the world who can tell what medal came in what case. You and I would disagree with him and I told him that he and I would just have to disagree on that point. I also said that I wasn't dissatisfied with the medal, the case or the price and that I would be keeping the case and the medal. I hope this doen't sour our relationship because he is a good source and his prices are reasonable. I'll just have to inspect thing more carefully in the future and be sure I understand what I am buying. We've both bought medals and cases in the past that didn't necessarily belong together but we were interested in getting one or the other and the price was right. This is really just another one of those circumstance.

Cheers,

Gordon

[hunyadi]

I have noticed with many folks who are making money off of us, that they dont pay too close attention to the details. Too many times they look at you with a strange look when you point out that you have more information than they have. But in the end of the transations (or lack of one) they are just happy to go and buy bread at the end of the day. Its a factor of Dealer vs. Hitsorian, Collector, Researcher. I have gotten some rather nice cases (and rare ones) misfitted with wrong medals for 'songs' in the past.

[Guest Rick Research]

I just like red enamel!

Mine just arrived from Charles after a world record breaking trans-continental shipment:

[Guest Rick Research]

In this case!

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_10_2008/post-160-1223589113.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_10_2008/post-160-1223588875.jpg

[cimbineus]

Hi all,

And here is the very first type of this decoration of "SZOCIALISTA MUNK??RT ?RDEM?REM" from 1953. Only 858 pieces were awarded during its less than one year existence.

The back is just a flat disc, nothing interesting.

Regards,

cimbineus

Edited November 18, 2008 by cimbineus

[Gordon Craig]

cimbineus,

Thanks for adding this early piece to our thread. One of these was auctioned off today but I decided not to bid on it. I'll probably live to regret it!

Regards,

Gordon

[cimbineus]

cimbineus,

Thanks for adding this early piece to our thread. One of these was auctioned off today but I decided not to bid on it. I'll probably live to regret it!

Regards,

Gordon

Hi Gordon,

I was thinking to go there too, but finaly decided not to go. Could you recall the hammer price for it, please?

Regards,

cimbineus

[Ulsterman]

Good Lord!

Fantastic medal.

Have you ever seen any documents for type One?

Thanks for showing it to us. :love:

[Gordon Craig]

cimbineus,

The hammer price was either the reserve or very close to it. There was so much noise from talking in the shop, I was sitting at the back of the room, that I could not hear very well but the bidding was short.

Ulsterman,

I have never seen a document for this award. I did get to handle the one that was on auction yesterday and it is a very detailed piece.

Regards,

Gordon

[cimbineus]

Good Lord!

Fantastic medal.

Have you ever seen any documents for type One?

Thanks for showing it to us.

No, unfortunately I have not seen any presentation document so far, only the booklet, which is the same for type I. and type II.

And now, Gents, let me show you a very unique piece of the "SZOCIALISTA MUNK??RT ?RDEM?REM". This was a not realised prototype from those years. The back is not interesting at all. Just a flat surface.

Regards,

cimbineus

[Ulsterman]

very nice:

I would have chosen that prototype. I expect they did not go for it because of the enamel work/cost?

[Gordon Craig]

cimbineus,

Nice to see this prototype. Was the booklet you refered to the standard small folding hard covered one that was prevelant in this era?

Regards,

Gordon

[cimbineus]

Have you ever seen any documents for type One?

Hello all,

You asked about the document, so, here it is. It comes from the collection of one of my friends. This is the official document of the "SZOCIALISTA MUNK??RT ?RDEM?REM" type I. The change to the new type happened only in April 1954. (I modified the name because of privacy reasons.)

Regards,

cimbineus