Mongolia So... the hype is over?

[Ed_Haynes]

There was some hope that Mongolian Archives research was going to be available this year-- that on the back burner, hope for 2008?

It is merely a matter of the man who will do -- or at least launch -- the research getting time from a demanding job, a demanding (but lovely) young daughter, etc. All those tricky Life Issues.

There's still hope for 2007 . . . I hope . . . .

[Ed_Haynes]

Things are very, very, very dry (think of the Gobi in July). A few super-high end things at insanely silly-stupid prices, other primary dealers sitting on not overly exciting things seeing long-term investment value. The "Bank Wave" is long gone, comrades.

Research? (Of individual items.)

Research? (For a Battushig, 2nd ed, revised and greatly expanded.)

But we knew that was going to be the long-term solution to our woes and our boredom, right???

And there's always the pressing need to learn the bleedin' language, in both scripts, to occupy our "spare time"?!?!?!

[Bob]

I still hope that perhaps new "jewels" will find it's way over here for our pleasure and learning simply by the fact that I suspect there's still only a very small sub-set of Mongolian collectors active here on GMIC.

Back in the "good old days" when every month or two Nota Bene would have a tsunami of "good stuff" from Mongolia, eBay was full with hundreds of very interesting items each month and direct links with Mongolia offered also a steady stream of breathtaking items, this place was buzzing with activity every single day... and not all of the buyers came back to GMIC to share details with us.

I agree, now research is key - not just to revive the forum but to expand our knowledge base. Surely it'll also dramatically increase interest in Mongolian awards again.

Just, to get back to my first point, hope those people who haven't found GMIC yet manage to find it.

Bob

[new world]

Things are dry not only for Mongolian militaria.

I have my collecting interests in some other areas and the situation is very much the same accross the board - just a few items available for purchase at insane prices.

William

[Bob]

Things are dry not only for Mongolian militaria.

I have my collecting interests in some other areas and the situation is very much the same accross the board - just a few items available for purchase at insane prices.

William

Yes, and how many new, exotic areas of collecting can be found after Mongolia, Albania, etc. ?

[new world]

Yes, and how many new, exotic areas of collecting can be found after Mongolia, Albania, etc. ?

There's plenty of areas where you can get decent deals and build nice colection.

North Korea is nice, especially early Soviet-made pieces. They are still undervalued IMHO and can be found relatively easy.

Socialist Yugoslavia offers some great deals for the buck, but things started to dry out as well. Prices are still reasonable though.

As for me, I've been collecting Royal Bulgaria (but the situation is getting to the point where offerings are slim and the prices are high).

My recent area of interest - Royal Serbia / Yugoslavia.

William

[Bob]

There's plenty of areas where you can get decent deals and build nice colection.

North Korea is nice, especially early Soviet-made pieces. They are still undervalued IMHO and can be found relatively easy.

Socialist Yugoslavia offers some great deals for the buck, but things started to dry out as well. Prices are still reasonable though.

As for me, I've been collecting Royal Bulgaria (but the situation is getting to the point where offerings are slim and the prices are high).

My recent area of interest - Royal Serbia / Yugoslavia.

William

Good points - but I'm also trying to guard my bank account a bit and the areas you indicate offer quite a broad area of collection - even just say North Korea is already very broad. I was looking at Ugandan awards (I like obscure countries!) but there's even more slim pickings there than Albanian - although it looks like a nice area to "pioneer" in.

More closer to home, I'm under the impression that Czechoslovakian socialist awards are perhaps very underappreciated.

[Sergei]

I have just come back from a dinner party, a regular affair among friends, nothing to do with the USSR or Mongolian award collecting - we actually watched a lousy movie and had a great meal - but just listen to this. After a few drinks we suddenly discovered that there were two people amongst us who were into collecting china (I cannot possibly repeat the terminology they were throwing around, half of it was in French, I think, but they seemed very happy). There was also a lawyer friend of mine who all of a sudden revealed himself as a long-term collector of playing cards, the earliest pack in his collection being dated to the 16th century. As I was becoming more and more excited after these revelations and more drinks, I learned that neither of my good old friends were members of any forums, they were getting bits and drabs of information from whatever came their way, they never thought too much about the monetary value of their colections (Oh, we'll just leave it to our children...) - THEY WERE SIMPLY ENJOYING THE ACT OF COLLECTING! This is when I thought, hang on, are we getting it all wrong, with our expert forums and professional ebay bidders/traders/watchers? Why do we worry so much about dealer's prices? Why are we so desperate about new guys (i.e. new money) coming into the field? Is it not unnatural to talk about 'the future value' of our possessions if we are simply collecting something we like? Eh?

And finally, are we creating forums for collectors or subconcious dealers?

What do you reckon?

Sergei

[Ed_Haynes]

. . . THEY WERE SIMPLY ENJOYING THE ACT OF COLLECTING! This is when I thought, hang on, are we getting it all wrong, with our expert forums and professional ebay bidders/traders/watchers? Why do we worry so much about dealer's prices? Why are we so desperate about new guys (i.e. new money) coming into the field? Is it not unnatural to talk about 'the future value' of our possessions if we are simply collecting something we like? Eh?

And finally, are we creating forums for collectors or subconcious dealers?

What do you reckon?

Sergei

An interesting and, I think, important question, Sergei. And while I know the answer for myself, I think we all have to strive to answer this on our own. Especially the "And finally, are we creating forums for collectors or subconcious dealers?" part.

On this sub-forum, at least, I think our focus has been the sharing and exploration of information on a largely unknown field. Medals that interest me are the ones that can be researched (British/Indian or Soviet) or can hypothetically some day be researched (Mongolian). Those that hold no individual historical research value are more like the china or playing cards. Maybe, for them, "bits and drabs of information" are enough -- but are we hungrier? Personally, I see phaleristics as a tangible adjunct to my real-world grown-up profession as a historian.

The whole pure collecting vs. investment vs. dealing issue you raise is interesting, and troubling. I can roughly say what's the current market value of the items in my collection, but I do this for insurance purposes and for spousal satisfaction (both against the possibility I get hit by a bus and to justify the amount I spend on my addiction -- "Sure, I spent $XXX but it is worth $XXXX!"). I have no intent of selling anything until my guests move along to new custodians when I move along to whatever comes next in the great chain of existence; any financial benefit is for my heirs and assigns. (Though if a transaction now under INTENSE negotiation comes through, I may be FORCED to sell some of my visitors .) I must say I have tried to use the "Collection Master" software to catalogue my collection and haven't found it very useful as it seems to be geared almost entirely to an "eBay" ethic of collecting: What did I pay for it, what is it worth now, and how much can I sell it for. I was left wondering if this was the way other collectors (and of other things) function.

Add to this the fact that one of the major online forums fousing on Soviet etc. ODM is currently actively contemplating a public marriage with the devil (that is, with eBay) . . . .

And, finally, Sergei, you didn't address one important issue: What was their reaction when you confessed YOUR collecting interest? How exotic did they think YOU were??

Edited September 30, 2007 by Ed_Haynes

[Bob]

And, finally, Sergei, you didn't address one important issue: What was their reaction when you confessed YOUR collecting interest? How exotic did they think YOU were??

If I may answer that question for myself. Friens somewhat understand collecting Soviet... but think I'm crazy for collecting Albanian / Mongolian.

Don't particularly feel insulted. In fact, I wish we had more people in the world who are a bit "crazy". After all, seems like Sergei's dinner party must have been very stimulating - it's very inspirational to see / hear people speak about things they are passionate about, regardless whether you directly understand it or not.

[order_of_victory]

Very intresting

I have collected in several different fields before and this debate has always come up but now we have ebay and online forums it is easier to work out how much your collection or item is worth but one must not forget how much an item is worth is only what a person will pay for it

I personaly always have one eye what the item cost, how much the item will increase with value with extras, documents and research just i case I hit a spot were I have to sell the items and I collect other items in the hope that market will go up so that when needed I will have the funds to by other items

So in short what I am saying collecting is just like stock market only more fun

BTW I am closet collector the few people I have told about medal collecting are people who understand it

Order of Victory

[Sergei]

Ed, Bob, Order of Victory (I still have to explain what happenned to that ribbon you sent me!),

So sorry, I thought I posted a reply Sunday afternoon but I must have hit the wrong button - silly me.

To try and make it very compact,

(a) clearly, this subforum is not dead, it's just that there is very little to talk about (i.e. no new stock, high prices, the field is too narrow - take your pick) but the die-hards (sorry, Ed) are still around and hopefully this is just a temporary lull.

(b) at that party, when my wife went out to see the garden (bless her!) I simply showed to the people the price tags on the more expensive Russian awards site - that stopped the conversation.

© I did learn a few things about other areas of collecting - did you realise what a problem shiping is for the guys and girls interested in china? We ship medals overseas just like that but if it's a vase - how on Earth do you pack it? They seem to stick to narrow regions, like collecting stuff made in Stoke (that's in England) - so interesting!

(d) Ed is obviously rich (he-he!); Order of Victory has a very nimble strategy that allows him to enhance his collection going with the market flow (and to help the newcomers along the way, I remember that!) Bob - sorry - I am new here and not in a position to comment!

But everything you said makes sense - phaleristics is a very special area because of historical connections. It's expensive (especially for late comers like myself). No-one knows were we are going in terms of prices (there was a fantasic write-up about arts collectors in the Sunday times). Monitoring your budget against your wishes is a wise thing.

But having said all that, where the hell are the affordable Mongolian awards?

Sergei

[Stogieman]

For me, the gift is that the forum even exists. I don't think it has to be simply "what's new". The mere fact that this information is now available, on any scale at all, is a victory for shared knowledge. Whether one, or many are interested and/or participate.... the fact demains that so many, under-appreciated, unknown to most collector subjects are explored at length within this sub-forum as well as others (Look at Cuba, about 6 people participate!) is one heck of an accomplishment!~

[usairforce]

Today I bought some Mongolia orders and medals, all very high prices.

[Ed_Haynes]

Today I bought some Mongolia orders and medals, all very high prices.

What did you get?

[new world]

Today I bought some Mongolia orders and medals, all very high prices.

Please show us what you got.

请拿出什么你。

Edited October 7, 2007 by Ed_Haynes

[Guest Rick Research]

I just bought a Best Herder badge (mirror reverse Type 2) this morning. You guys are a baleful influence.

[Ed_Haynes]

All is not lost . . . Alexei has an update!

[Ed_Haynes]

I just bought a Best Herder badge (mirror reverse Type 2) this morning. You guys are a baleful influence.

We do out best, Rick, we do out best. Although, when herding the "five snouts", you don't need to cut and bail, they simply graze on their own.

Edited October 7, 2007 by Ed_Haynes

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