Edits to Mekhonoshin’s book or new badges

[Aharim]

This posting started out as more on pin backs – (but quickly turned into more on mint marks as well). And the reseach as below delayed this update.

I was looking to post a picture of “D” type marking (MMD with pointy “D”) with pin from 7th or 6th convocation. Now I have actually already posted such with the 7th Conv. badge and document from Ogarkov. (See above posting of Ogarkov group.) But, surfing the site, I came across a conflict.

From a previous string post by Eugene (under Research Corner – Dating of Deputy Badges) there was a documented set of screw back/ pin back group from the 7th convocation, wherein the badges have "E" (MMD with square D top mint mark). We have now shown documented USSR for 7th convocation with square "D" and 7th convocation with pointy "D" both with the entire set of pin back and screw back with case.

Dating Supreme Soviet badges

We have three choices, one of the groups is assembled, one of the badges in fake, or the change occurred during the convocation. (I tend to think Eugene’s group is not assembled and I previously said the Ogarkov group was "believed" to be original.?) As a minimum, data currently available calls into question the identification of badges as 6th or 7th convocation based on presence “D” type mint mark (MMD with pointy “D”).

I did find a documented 1967 Armenia with pointy “D” pin back as well as undocumented (as to convocation) Adjara, Chuvash, Mordova, and Udmurdt. All totaled, from review of 100 or so pin back badges (including pictures of badges) only 7 were pointy “D.” From just the number of convocations that number should be closer to 20 - 25 percent? But the sample size is too small. Do you have documented USSR badges which could help determine if one or the other or both should be present in 7th convocation?

Previously, before Mekhonoshin, I thought that batch processing probably occurred that is badges of the previous type were used until exhausted then a new design/mint mark was used. So for example, the mint may have punched our several hundred of each for each republic, and absent actual need to change (Abkhazia wants to change alphabet, Azerbaijan wants the “J” back etc., existing stock could have been used until exhausted.) Thus all republics might not move in lock step with mint mark changes. (As I stated under the below string – the mint mark dating from M should be used as a guideline.)

Does anyone else have a documented 7th Convocation USSR, so we can prove the answer to ourselves? Right now the score is one pointy vs. one square.

[Aharim]

You may wonder why Southern Ossetia is the only Autonomous Oblast listed in M’s book. The region is a political football and because of that, one of only two Autonomous Oblasts generally known outside of Russia. (The other being Karabakh.) Southern Ossetia today is split between a defacto autonomous/separatist independent ghost republic sort of like Abkhazia, which rules a portion of the territory, which is not recognized by any nation, but which has defacto independent political authority and a provisional administration which is recognized by Georgia and rules the remainder of the territory of Southern Ossetia.

The badge pictured in the attachment to this posting was in the collection of one of one of M’s sources along with other badges from the ZSFSR with the star in the upper corner. Asked if I knew what the one unknown badge was, it was obvious. I recognized the Æ as an Ossetian letter. In addition it had an AO (Autonomous Oblast) and the Ossetian name for Ossetia begins with an “I.” (In Ossetian the name of Southern Ossetia is Khussar Iryston.) You can also check a Northern Ossetian badge and you will see the same AE(Æ) and I (И). The K may make you think of Karabakh but the rest was clearly Ossetian/Iryston. This badge, however, was not in Russia and not available for photographing for the book so only got ghost status until now.

Southern Ossetia has an area of approximately 3900 square km or about 1500 square miles. It is actually larger in area than Adjara (2900 sq km). The population of Southern Ossetia was approximately 99,000 in 1989 at the last Soviet Census. The population in the 1926 census (approximately contemporaneous with this badge) was 87,375.

There were also badges for all of the other autonomous areas. I saw one for the Jewish area but cannot find that picture, but the area is not listed in M.

[Aharim]

I am going call that previous picture of Southern Ossetian TsIK, the wrap up/grand finale'. I would add a Ukrainian 9th convocation with circular seal (Zh type mint mark) but a computer crash is interfering with further pictures. So, Southern Ossetia is a good last badge. I will have to look for those other badges later.

So, annotate your copies of the book in anticipation or just in case.

[Aharim]

We have already seen normal documents for special people (regular document to Marshal soviet union Ogarkov). But there were special documents as well. These would likely not be covered in M's book, but this is the best string to show such document.

I do not have the actual document from inside the case, only the leather case. See attached for N. Bulganin, one time Marshal Soviet Union, subsequently downgraded as a member of the anti party group that tried unsucessfully to oust Khrushev in the 50's.

While we do not have the document it would appear likely that this dates to the first convocation when Bulganin was Deputy Minister of Armed Forces.

Neither the small nor the large book on Marshals list him as member of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, But Deputy regional commander was deputy to the republic Soviet so it might be that that would follow for deputy minister. In addition the print is ornate, which would make you think it is earlier.

The document/cover is approximately 7.5 inches x 10 inches (18cm x 25.5cm).