Imperial Russia Can ANYONE ID this Russian (?) badge...came with WWII Nazi stuff

[grimble-nibitz]

Can anyone tell me what this is, or what this is SUPPOSED to be, I cannot find out anything, and it came with WWII bringback souvenirs from a NH soldier, with German flag, badges, and etc. Its about the size of an iron cross...any help will be GREATLY appreciated!

[Mathomhaus]

It's a current souvenir badge being sold in museum gift shops all over western Russia. There are different versions available with other tsar's profiles - I remember seeing one a few years ago that showed Alexander II. Most of the larger palaces also sell them in their little outdoor kiosks.

Regards!

[grimble-nibitz]

There is always a new way to get burned, love how I was told it came "right out of the estate". Sucka!

[Mathomhaus]

Well, when I lived in Tennessee years ago, I used to set up at the big monthly Nashville Flea Market. Every show I did, I would see old geezers, WW2 vets, coming through and buying absolutely anything with a swastika on it. I started to ask them why and in most cases they said that they were replacing war souvenirs that their wives threw out or or their kids had played with and lost years before.

On at least two or three occasions, after the vet died, his family came through the Flea with a cigar box of "Dad's war souvenirs", eager to cash in on them. The first time I tried to explain that they were virtually all fakes, only to have the familiy storm off while exclaiming what a crook I was. After that, I just took a polite look and then said, "Thanks but I'm not interested..."

It is curious how a souvenir that's really only sold in Russia wound up mixed in with WW2 stuff!

Regards!

[JimZ]

Not quite the same but.....

Had an argument with a guy at a flea market trying to pass off a 1985 OGPW1 at the price of a "Mercedes" OGPW1 one some four years ago.

I tried to explain that his 1985 OGPW1 was worth only a small fraction of what he was asking for and he pulled out a book and tried to convince ME that it was the same one as the one in the book, and therefore worth as much.

I realised that these guys sometimes do not only want to take you for a ride...they sometimes wind up taking themselves for a ride too!!! And the sad thing is that someone, one day, will get suckered into paying up!!

Jim :cheers:

[TacHel]

Unfortunately, Mathomhaus is correct. These modern "things" are all over the place... Some have the bust of Nicholas II, some of Catherine the Great, some of generals or admirals like Kutuzov. All are borderline worthless...