Soviet New Order of the Red Banner Reference Book

[Guest Rick Research]

Arrived today, from Igor:

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It covers everything from impossible to obtain exotica (honor weapons) and the 1918 RSFSR type to the final issues, and will certainly be the "McDaniel & Schmitt" specific to THIS Order.

The photos of fronts and backs are splendid. The detail is terrific. We will all be using their typology of variations-- and no doubt adding in more and tweaking serial number ranges. Although it is entirely in Russian, even the Cyrillic-ally Challenged should have NO problems interpreting the entries indicating WHICH mint manufactured serial numbers when.

I was amazed, and in retrospect NOT surprised, to discover that Red Banners were last actually MADE in 1957. At that point they had so many on hand that contracts ceased, and the old stock was handed out through 1991. That explains the "antique" suspensions.

There was apparently some OTHER Russian language book out there that never crossed my path, and which used to make me cross reading posts about how very high serial numbers were awarded years before our ongoing Verified Award Numbers/Dates project

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=7861

data. Well, what Durov and Strekalov make plain is that those serial numbers were manufactured "way back" but then slowly handed out over the following decades.

I've already "discovered" a sub-variation of a variety in the "121,XXX range" (mine is 125,292) which bear little random workers' marks on the reverse.

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125,292 was a long service award 3 November 1944 and 125,289 for "real" action 4 days later on 7 November 1944, to the same officer in Leningrad. I have a "D" worker's mark-- this is NOT the "Dublikat" "D"!!!--

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We will all be looking at our Red Banners with a lot more attention to detail, now...

and eventually tossing off references to "Type 4.2.3"s and so on as if we had always used them.

For anybody who wants to collect the Red Banner, you MUST have this book!

[NavyFCO]

I own the others in this series, even though I'll never own the awards that they're about (Ushakov, Nakhimov, etc.) The photos were so great, the information easily readable enough that I just had to buy 'em! Guess this is another to go out and get.

Dave

[Riley1965]

GREAT!!! I'll have to add it to my library.

Doc

[Stogieman]

Well, it must indeed be a treasure. I bought one, but am cyrillic-challenged. Dropped it on His Evilness, who liked it so much he rushed out and bought his own copy!!

[Bryan]

I think this is a book for Gerd!

[Ed_Haynes]

It is my understanding that an English language edition is coming "soon".

[Guest Rick Research]

Awwwwwwww! THAT'S no fun!!!!

[Gerd Becker]

Yep, Bryan, next reference to buy Ed, great news on the english version

[Riley1965]

I'm looking forward to the publishing of the English version

Doc