TacHel Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 (edited) This thread will be used to show recent cons, swindles and straight lies people use to make you purchase worthless crap. By worthless crap I mean non governmental / unofficial medals that range right into souvenirs bought by the road side... No names will be posted but I'll try to get good enough pictures so you'll recognize a con when you see one. The reason I'm doing this is that more and more dealers and eBay sellers are now lying through their teeth with alarming regularity in order to unload junk they purchased at low price deep in Eastern Europe. As the Russian authorities increase their crackdown on medal producers in the Federation, you can expect a veritable deluge of bogus awards to soon start flooding the Western market. Always be weary... Ask, read, have a beer... Edited August 4, 2009 by TacHel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TacHel Posted August 4, 2009 Author Share Posted August 4, 2009 (edited) #1 - Bogus document to sell a worthless medal The medal below marking the war in the Caucasus was produced and distributed by a civilian organization. It was never bestowed by the government and is not allowed for wear by Russian soldiers or Militia. Yet you can plainly see the words "Министра Обороны" (Minister of Defense) on the document leading you to believe this is an official award. The document is bogus and the medal barely worth the metal it is made from. Hint, official Defense Ministry medals are identified as such (not minister but ministry) on the document and also directly on the medal reverse. This is the actual document that goes with this medal. The stamp is from the Organization of Veterans of Airborne Troops, purely vet/civilian. Akin a Legion medal. Edited August 4, 2009 by TacHel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TacHel Posted August 4, 2009 Author Share Posted August 4, 2009 (edited) #2 Looking alike doesn't necessarily mean being the same The medal below is well known to Soviet ODM collectors, the medal for combat merit. The medal below on the other hand is not known enough! This medal is being openly peddled on most markets as the modern Russian Federation version of the combat merit medal. IT IS NOT! It's a mere membership medal into the All-Russian public organization of veterans Combat Brotherhood. Not even as high as a Legion medal. Completely worthless. You'll see it advertised as "FOR COURAGE!" "FOR VALOUR!" "RARE!" It's bogus... Edited August 4, 2009 by TacHel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TacHel Posted August 6, 2009 Author Share Posted August 6, 2009 (edited) Do not take for granted a medal is official (governmental) simply because the merchant/dealer posts a picture of a Russian soldier wearing one. The picture below shows 2 different uniforms. NOT veterans... NOT paramilitary... Actual serving "GENERALS" of the Russian Army. All are wearing unofficial awards. Umalatovas, St Nicholas Orders etc. The crack down on wearing such things obviously started at the bottom and is very, very, very, very slooooowly working its way up the chain of command. Edited November 14, 2009 by TacHel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 The guy in the middle wearing the Iron Cross 1st class as well? Man... anything to light up a chest! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TacHel Posted August 6, 2009 Author Share Posted August 6, 2009 The guy in the middle wearing the Iron Cross 1st class as well? Man... anything to light up a chest! LMAO, I hadn't noticed. It does kinda look like it. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TacHel Posted August 6, 2009 Author Share Posted August 6, 2009 (edited) Actually, he's wearing a breast badge similar to the one below. There are currently dozens (if not hundreds) of them out there. The various ministries and departments produce them in GREAT QUANTITY as commemorative awards for award to deserving members. Another seemingly endless series of these badges are as unit/group/district identifiers. I've honestly lost track... Simply too many. Edited August 6, 2009 by TacHel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TacHel Posted August 15, 2009 Author Share Posted August 15, 2009 Back to #2... Looking alike doesn't mean being the same! Below are the medals for Distinguished Service used in the Soviet awards system from 1974 to 1990 and in the Russian Federation from 1990 to 1995. Below is a medal you will find almost everywhere, eBay and many dealers. It is a never adopted prototype. Although of extremely good quality (better than the 2 above except for the attachment), it is a fantasy piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roman Slivin Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 (edited) Do not take for granted a medal is official (governmental) simply because the merchant/dealer posts a picture of a Russian soldier wearing one. The picture below shows 3 different uniforms. NOT veterans... NOT paramilitary... Actual serving "GENERALS" of the Russian Army. All are wearing unofficial awards. Umalatovas, St Nicholas Orders etc. The crack down on wearing such things obviously started at the bottom and is very, very, very, very slooooowly working its way up the chain of command. It is an award of Russian Orthodox Church. Religious awards are authorised for carrying on military uniforms. Орден святого благоверного князя Даниила Московского Орден святого Даниила трех степеней был учрежденСвященным Синодом Русской", Православной Церкви 27—28 декабря 1988 г. впамять 1000-летия Крещения Руси. Им награждаются как духовные, так исветские лица. Святой благоверный князь Даниил (1261—1303; память4/17 марта) был младшим сыном святого Александра Невского. Но в историидействует незримо евангельский закон, который можно было бы назвать"благословение младшего сына". После смерти отца Даниилу досталась поразделу малая, '...' никому еще не известная Москва. Он основал первуюмосковскую обитель — Свято-Даниловский монастырь, где ныне почиют егомощи. Никогда не брался святой князь за оружие, чтобы захватить чужиеземли, никогда не отнимал собственности у других князей ни насилием, никоварством. Бог вознаградил его будущим процветанием княжеской династиимосковских Даниловичей, от которых " произошли великие князья и цариМосковские. "Сей-то первоначальный основатель, — скажем словамимитрополита Московского Платона, — положил начало нынешнему величиюМосквы". Предстоятель Русской Церкви вручает орден святогоДаниила, как правило, сам, придавая награждению особо торжественныйхарактер. Орденом награждаются и светские лица, много сделавшие длявозрождения духовной жизни России, для укрепления ее могущества иблагосостояния. Орденов I степени были в разное время удостоены мэрМосквы Ю.М. Лужков, министр обороны РФ И.Д. Сергеев, писатель А.И.Солженицын. Орден святого Даниила следует носить на правой стороне груди, степени ордена размещаются в линию. Edited August 16, 2009 by Roman Slivin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TacHel Posted August 17, 2009 Author Share Posted August 17, 2009 Hello Roman! You are correct. I uploaded the wrong picture. The proper one is now up. Below is the picture I accidentally had uploaded. You're right, in the 2 at right they are religious Orders, my bad, I originally mistook them for St Nicholas Orders. The one at left though is clearly a St Nicholas Order. (See pic below) Has this Order been recognized by the Russian Orthodox Church? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roman Slivin Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 The one at left though is clearly a St Nicholas Order. Has this Order been recognized by the Russian Orthodox Church? I cannot tell precisely. :unsure: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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