Soviet Order of Glory 3rd Class

[PKeating]

Retrieved in a Paris flea market recently: two Order of Glory 3rd Class insignia. Would I be right in believing the award numbers to date from 1945?

429673

665279

[JimZ]

Retrieved in a Paris flea market recently: two Order of Glory 3rd Class insignia. Would I be right in believing the award numbers to date from 1945?

429673

665279

Hi Prosper,

Two lovely and researchable Glory 3s. I would say that:

429673 is probably an early 1945 award;

665279 falls in an observed range that which could either be 1945 or a postwar issue (catch up award).

I'll check the ranges out properly with my books when I get home (unless someone can do so before).

What's the going rate for Glory 3s at the Paris flea market these days?

Jim :cheers:

[Chris Boonzaier]

These are fantastic medals.

If I was to start collecting from Zero, these 3rd classes (researched) would stand a chance of becomming my field of collecting.

Waaaaaaay undervalued and priced.

best

Chris

[Chris Boonzaier]

P.S. maybe underpriced because the buying public is not mature enough or appretiative enough.

[JimZ]

Their price shot up over the last few years.

Regrettably the same happened to all Soviet ODMs, pricing many collectors out of the hobby.

Flea markets are a good place to find such items at slighlty better prices than you'd otherwise find online or through dealers. Of course, with the internet being accessible to one and all, bargains are becoming harder to find.

Glories as well as bravery medals tell some great stories about real front line soldiers who's often, very heroic feats, contributed to winning the war!!

[PKeating]

Thank you both for your replies. And thanks in advance for checking the award time slot, Jim. Most kind of you. At the risk of making you both ill, the answer is €40 each. I got them both along with some other stuff, including some nice numbered Parachutist Badges, an Imperial cap eagle and this Red Star Order for a total of €80.00. Even these Red Star Orders, once so plentiful, are rarely seen outside militaria dealers' premises now.

The last time I saw a 3rd Class Order of Glory in a Paris street market, about a year ago, it was in a showcase with a load of shooting awards and other baubles, and the Russian wanted €90 for it, which struck me as quite a stiff price. But the price was actually correct from an EU standpoint although it would obviously be expensive if converted into USD, and it was gone when I passed by an hour later that morning. Number in the 400k range, IIRC. Mind you, I would never describe the Order of Glory, even the 3rd Class insignia, as ever having been "plentiful" in Western European street markets. They were more often seen but rare by comparison with the campaign medals and anniversary bling.

I suppose I ought to see about researching them. So many tasks lining up, so little time! Plus, of course, I don't speak Russian, although I have quite a few Russian friends who have helped me with Soviet era documents.

Edited July 21, 2011 by PKeating

[JimZ]

Glory 429673 falls between observed awards:

422,350 award citation 11.3.45 and 430,199 award citation 5.7.45 (EOW ranges)so that would PROBABLY place it in that range. However, over the range 450,xxx through 463,xxx there are also a number of 1944 awards.

Awards were sent out to various fronts en masse and fronts with more awards sometimes used up their glories faster than others. Hence the discrepancies. However, based on this, I'd place my money on this being a March - June 1945 award.

Glory 665,279 falls between observed awards:

630,091 award citation 30.1.44 and 666,088 award citation (?).3.45. (EOW ranges) The 600 range still seems to belong to the 1945 range although there are some observed 1947 awards in the higher half of the 65x,xxx range. This again makes me unsure whether its an actual 1945 award or an award issued post WW2 for 1944 or 1945 acts.

Corroborating the EOW ranges with Rick's ranges, 422,350 falls in range 401,524 award citation 4/6/45 and 465,746 award citation ?/06/45 whilst 630,091 falls close to 641,096 = 12/2/45. This more or less supports the EOW ranges and does not really indicate either way if this is a 1945 award proper or a later award. But if I really had to place a date on it, I'd probably say it also a 1945 award.

Hope this helps!!!

As for the Eur40 price, I'd give you an immediate 25% return on your investment any time to take them off you Which bank gives you such a return on you investment!! And still at that price they'd be a steal!

Good buy, but remember ...its not enough. Research them and tell us their story!

Jim :cheers:

[Bill Garvy]

Prosper, two Glory's and a Red Star for about $112 (USD) is phenomenal!

Your Red Star, #3463862, is probably a 1956 long service award. . .

[Paul R]

Every Order of Glory will have a great research result. You should get it done on yours and post!