Deputy Internet auctions this weekend

[Aharim]

Surfing a popular web site for interesting auctions (search "Supreme Soviet" or "Soviet Deputy") and I found 4 auctions of interest for deputy badges:

KBASSR first convocation
USSR - attributed to first convocation
Estonia - 12th Convocation
USSR - 50's before conversion to MMD mark

I was concerned about the brass screw on KBASSR so I looked and sure enough mine is brass as well. As are first convocation Chechen, first Convocataion Karelia ASSR (1938 issue before the winter war and creation of KFSSR). None of those are shown as bronze screw in Mekhnoshin. (Sometimes they are silver or gold plated and the underneath medal does not show well.) Mekhnoshin does show/list Udmurt and Ukraine with brass/bronze screws on first convocation, so you may want to annotate your copies of his book. Attached are scans of reverse/obverse of KBASSR - 1st convocation from my collection. I do not plan to corner the market on KBASSR so wanted to let any readers (potential bidders?) see another for comparison.

RE USSR - 1st Convocation - I do not have one of those that I can confirm by accompanying document, but would note the mint mark is unique (not Mekhonoshin Type A) the screw is oddly placed closer to the staff than on any later badges. Optimistically it could be a hand scribed replacement/duplicate and then need not necessarily be for the first convocation.

Estonia - looks like XII inscriptions that I have seen.

USSR - 50's are they really that expensive now? We will see shortly.

[Aharim]

Results of the auctions are in:

KBASSR - $3270 reached as a result of 30 bids from 9 differnt bidders;

USSR - 1st Conv. (maybe) - $1125 - based on 14 different bidders who submitted 28 bids;

Estonia 12th Conv - $360 - A bargin in my view.

I believe at least one of the winners has at least passing familiarity here. Congrats.

About that KBASSR - that item seemed familiar so I checked my archives and found saved photos of the same badge from an auction of approximatey April 07 (pictures below). Note the darker areas near the staff which can be seen with some apparent cleaning on this year's photos. I don't have pricing from that auction currently.

One other thing noted was a particular bidder - don't you hate the fact that we can't know our competition now with the new "protections" - who apparently only has bid on items of this seller in the last 30 days, but unsucessfully. That bidder submitted one bid on 8 differnt soviet items and two on the expensive KBASSR badge. It just feels bad, like that bidder WAS the reserve.

But that notwithstanding, the market though thin (9 - 14 individuals deep), is quite strong. (Please note none of those 9 or 14 were me - I showed you mine so I did not need to bid and did not submit any protective/price support bids either - I am not/was not a shill.) In 2000/1 most All red Supreme Soviet badges were in the 500+ range. Most of the gain in market prices have occurred in the last couple years as a step increase market (up - then flat - then up - then flat).

But this strength of the market makes me want to post a survey/posting to see how many of us there are. Afterall there were more than 50 folks who at least looked here!

A.

[Tretov]

I bid on the USSR 1st convocation and the ENSV 12th, both the auctions ended at rather unpleasant times, in the middle of the night. I think I went up to 120 USD on the later one and 400-500 USD on the first one. I agree that the ENSV ended cheap, I would have expected more- at least 500 USD.

[Aharim]

IN the case of the 1st Conv, I think it is more likely 6th session or 8th session, expansion rather than general convocation (as described in Mekhnoshin). The mint mark is one I have never seen. I would have bid on that but for the time difference. I also would have been your competition at 500 rather than a winner at 1100!

There was another item up also Supreme Soviet of the USSR with MD and number 359 (different seller). Minimum bid was 300. Darned if they didn't get 620!? From comparison with the book (Mekh) and some badges I have, it looks like 3rd - 4th convocation (1950 or 1954) BUt there should be more than 2600 of those available so 620 seems high. Of course if you figure the bottom was about 75 -100 US then that would be 5 - 8 times the low. KBASSR was 3270. They used to be 500 which is about 6.5 times. (for the low I am estimating back when most all red were 500.) So, it appears I am still remembering the good old days (for purchase)> I need to think of these as the good ol' days (to sell) apparently.

We are quickly approaching a time when folks care more about the back of the badge than the front!
A

[Tretov]

For the viewing pleasure, this is an early Estonia NSV "Ulemnoukogo" badge from 1947, which I sold in 2002 and got stunning 150 USD. Wonder what that one would bring today.

[Keith]

I have been looking for one of these for years, I have seen several that look good, but I am paranoid of fakes, so I have avoided them all. One sold for 4000 USD at the February auction in New York, and the listed estimate was only 400 USD.

[Aharim]

Keith;

Worry about Conv 1 - which was silver. I was offered one and did not know that then and said I had some of that "design"! Argh! Second and Third, bronze.gilt. Try to get with document and that is safer. But you know how to reach me and we can compare any offers to my documented Esti II and III.

Re Tretov - really cool. Between us we may have cornered the market here. How many more can there be? Estii was first to put Convocation on their badges with the 2nd (II). Other republics would take until 8 or 9 to catch on.

A

[Keith]

Aharim,

I actually bought one of these a few years ago and sent it back, because I was not sure if it was real.

Faked supreme soviet of the USSR badge

I keep hoping to find one of these at the source.....but so far only documents. The Baltic economies seem to be hitting the skids, and some more interesting things are coming out again. At the same time, the prices are through the roof, almost everything that comes out is going to Russia.

Keith

[Tretov]

Originally Posted by Keith

I have been looking for one of these for years, I have seen several that look good, but I am paranoid of fakes, so I have avoided them all. One sold for 4000 USD at the February auction in New York, and the listed estimate was only 400 USD.

4000 USD! I am crying blood... Now, I have indeed seen this type of badge in Estonia even recently, but

a) I assume they are fakes, and
b) they are, fake or not, always very expensive.

[Lapa]

Originally Posted by Keith

...The Baltic economies seem to be hitting the skids, and some more interesting things are coming out again. At the same time, the prices are through the roof, almost everything that comes out is going to Russia.

Keith,

Remember that the Baltic countries are one of the major suppliers of top quality fakes. As far as I am concerned, anything originating there is fake until proven otherwise.

Marc