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Space phaleristics in the USSR

There is an opinion that contemporaries are slow enough to comprehend the events, being their witnesses, and it takes time to assess certain events. Meanwhile, the space era, which began in the fall of 1957, was immediately appreciated by contemporaries. Almost every flight of satellites, as well as the Voskhod and Vostok spacecraft, was accompanied by the issuance of postcards, postage stamps, table medals. Of course, the USSR also produced space-themed badges.

Collectors also rushed in the footsteps of the space Odyssey, replenishing the collections with new topics, which quickly took one of the leading places. Over the past years, only badges on space theme over one thousand titles were issued. Many adherents of a fascinating topic include all products on which there are references or images of any "space" details: orbits, rockets, celestial bodies etc. In everyday life there is the term "cosmic symbolism". It distinguishes "pure space", but refer to it soviet badges with portraits of astronauts, dates of launches, images of specific satellites, lunar ships, ships.

Gizmos the size of a small button were stamped. Very often they even replaced costume jewelry for Soviet fashionistas and women of fashion. The materials for the manufacture of most of the products were:

• wood
• alloys and metals (brass, bronze, stainless steel, aluminum, duralumin)
• glass
• semi-precious stones
• different types of plastics
• enamels, varnishes.

Of particular interest are icons on the theme of Space, the price of which is very different today, are depicting a portrait of V.V. Tereshkova entitled “Hero Soviet Union... Tereshkova V. V. Pilot-Cosmonaut of the USSR ", as well as with images of the spacecraft" Vostok-3 "," Mars-2.Mars-3 "," Vostok-12 "," Voskhod-2. March 18, 65 "," Luna "," The first Soviet space vehicles. Proton-1965 "," Luna-10.1966 "," Salyut-6 "," Soyuz-39 ". In addition, there is a noteworthy copy dedicated to the international space flight- it is called "USSR-Mongolia. March 22-30, 1981 ".

Today you can buy icons on the theme of Space at very different prices - both inexpensive and at a high cost. The price, as a rule, consists of many components, including circulation, safety, presence of engraving, etc. According to the price scale, they are usually divided into several groups:

• very mass releases (over 10 thousand copies), which have a simple execution
• mass series, but characterized by complex execution
• rare items, but uninformative
• rare gizmos with interesting story and registration, with documents
• rare, large-sized specimens with a complex design
• exclusive options.

In general, we talk about cost, then aluminum products manufactured after 1960 with an indication of their prices are of little value. All gizmos before 1960 (conditionally) are of particular interest, especially if the circulation does not exceed one million copies. Perfect preservation is very important when evaluating.

We wish you profitable purchases and sales!

On January 15, 2015 at 18-00 in the House of Scientists of VNIIEF, an exhibition of the Nizhny Novgorod falerist Vladimir Viktorovich Zharinov "SPACE ERA - SIGNS AND SIGNS" was opened.
Photo 1 - Exhibition in the foyer of the House of Scientists VNIIEF

Formally, the exhibition is dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the Baikonur cosmodrome, but in fact it covers the entire history of space exploration from the beginning of the Space era (1957) and manned space exploration (1961) to the celebration of the anniversary of Baikonur (2015). The exhibition was opened by Olga Aleksandrovna Ostaptseva, employee of the DU, one of the main organizers of this extraordinary event. She introduced the Nizhny Novgorod collector to a few participants - the Sarov phalerists and philatelists, presented V.V. Zharinov with a bouquet of flowers.

Photo 2 - Olga Alexandrovna Ostaptseva opens the exhibition

Vladimir Viktorovich himself is very interesting person! A retired KGB colonel, he looked half the world on duty, was investigating the tragic explosion in Arzamas on June 4, 1988. Today he is the executive director of the Nizhny Novgorod regional public fund"COSMONAUTICS".

Photo 3 - V.V. Zharinov in his apartment (collage by Natalia Plankina)

Photo 4 - V.V. Zharinov in his workshop (photo: Natalia Plankina)

Even before the official opening of the exhibition, Vladimir Viktorovich was "taken into circulation" by our journalists and television workers.

Photo 5 - V. V. Zharinov listens to questions

Photo 6 - And answers them

Photo 7 - Interview to Channel 16, in the foreground Dina Pavlova

Vladimir Viktorovich is very fond of telling how he began collecting space badges. As an 8-year-old boy, he learned from Pionerskaya Pravda that on October 4, 1957, our country launched the world's first satellite, and that it could be observed in the night sky. And, of course, thousands of USSR boys like him saw the FIRST SATELLITE! But not everyone wrote about it in Pionerskaya Pravda, but Volodya wrote! And he received a very valuable badge "For participation in observations" as a gift from the newspaper!

Photo 8 - Badge "For participation in observations" (1957)

Photo 9 - Reverse side of the badge "For participation in observations"

With pride Volodya wore this badge for more than one month, and got so carried away that he began to collect all the badges dedicated to the exploration of Space in the USSR! Vladimir Viktorovich showed the journalists a box from his pocket with the first badges dedicated to Yu.A. Gagarin (1961).

Photo 10 - The first badges of the USSR, dedicated to Yu.A. Gagarin

Especially valuable is the first all-metal badge with hot enamel.

Photo 11 - The first metal sign with Gagarin

Round icons with photos of the first Soviet cosmonauts were sold here in Sarov (Arzamas - 75), in the Lily of the Valley store on Prospekt Mira, starting from 1961 at 11 kopecks. The first cosmonaut corps of the USSR could be easily assembled, if desired, on the badges of this particular type.

Photo 12 - The first icon of the famous series of the first astronauts

After the discovery and numerous questions, the collectors of Sarov were photographed with V.V. Zharinov.

Photo 13 - Participants of the opening of the exhibition and collectors of Sarov

with V.V. Zharinov (he is second from the left with flowers)

Now, in more detail about the exhibition itself. The exhibition is located at 10 standard exhibition stands from the RFNC-VNIIEF Museum of Nuclear Weapons.

Photo 14 - Exhibition stand "Yuri Alekseevich Gagarin"

Photo 15 - Exhibition stand "50 years of the First manned flight into space"

Photo 16 - Exhibition stand "Baikonur" and "Star"

At the stands there are 46 glazed frames - horizontal type tablets with the size of 470x370 sq. mm (4 - 6 pieces on each stand). Each tablet contains up to one hundred icons, signs or medals from the author's 13,000th collection. That is, about a third of the collection (about 4 thousand pieces) is on display. Each tablet is dedicated to a separate topic, or, if the topic is large, then it occupies several tablets (for example, "The Flight of Y. A. Gagarin").

Photo 17 - Tablet "First artificial satellite Lands - OUR "

Photo 18 - The first icons dedicated to the first Sputnik

Photo 19 - Tablet "The first manned flight into space"

Photo 20 - Tablet "Hero Yu. A. Gagarin"

Photo 21 - Tablet "Yu. Gagarin - 50 years of the first manned flight into space "

Photo 22 - Tablet "BAIKONUR - The main cosmodrome of the country is 60 years old"!

Photo 23 - Tablet "Space complex" ENERGY - BURAN ""

In addition to tablets with icons, there are 4 tablets of "design elements" (for example, the portrait of Gagarin from the cover of the magazine "Ogonyok" in April 1971)

Photo 24 - Vertical tablet 270x370 sq. mm with the cover of the April 1971 issue of Ogonyok

Each of the tablets has rare and even unique characters!

Photo 25 - Sign “Department of the FSB of Russia for the Cosmonaut Training Center named after Yu. A. Gagarin "

Photo 26 - Sign “ Air Force Academy them. Yu. A. Gagarin "

Photo 27 - Sign “FOR MERIT” Cosmonaut Training Center named after Yu.A. Gagarina

Photo 28 - Sign "Gagarinsky ROVD"

Photo 29 - One of the options for the Zyuganov Communist Party medal for the 50th anniversary of the first flight into space

Photo 30 - Sign "FROM THE SOVIET conquerors of space"

Vladimir Viktorovich claims that he does not collect foreign badges dedicated to Space! "Import", even dedicated to Soviet cosmonautics, he does not take because of the "immensity of the topic"! However, we managed to see on the Buran tablet right in the center - a PURE American badge - the Challenger reusable ship!

And here are some interesting signs dedicated to Baikonur!

Photo 32 - One of the first Baikonurov icons

Photo 33 - Badge "Honorary Builder BAIKONUR"

Photo 34 - Sign "1 measuring point" 50 years -1955-2005

Photo 35 - Badge "55 years of Baikonur" 1955 - 2010

Photo 36 - Sign "BAIKONUR - spaceport of the XXI CENTURY"

In a word, the COLLECTION represented in Sarov is UNIQUE. The exhibition will run in the lobby of the DU until the end of January! Hurry up to see the space faleristics of our country, starting with the first copies of Soviet badges! You will be pleasantly surprised and amazed.

And to the owner of the collection, V.V. Zharinov, we say BIG THANKS and wish to find and purchase 4,000 more space icons, which he has so far only in photographs, and, most importantly, to fulfill his cherished dream, to publish a color Catalog of space faleristics of the USSR and Russia from 1957 until 2015!

Alexey Demidov - ss of IFV RFNC-VNIIEF,

a collector of badges with 45 years of experience,

Sarov, January 2015

Part 1. An attempt at systematization

Instead of an epigraph, I will give a description of a series from the Ilyinsky-Kuzin-Saukke catalog.

Each icon represents regular pentagon with a side of 20 mm. In its center is an inscribed circle with a diameter of 23 mm, which depicts the various stages space exploration and inscription. The month and year of the event are indicated on the back of the badge. The only exception is the title character of the series - it bears only a three-line inscription.

The series was manufactured by the Mytishchi factory of experimental and souvenir products in 1973 in two versions: anodized and copper-plated aluminum. The image of the details is embossed, pin fastening.
<описание сюжетов 11-ти значков с номерами XVI.39 – XVI.49>

In early 1974 this series was continued with a new title badge.
<описание еще 12-ти значков с номерами XVI.50 – XVI.61>

Instead of a preface

In total, there are 23 icons in the series, two of which are capital letters.

A complete list of the rest of the icons in the series is provided at the end of the article.

The badges of the series underwent numerous re-releases and flooded the "kiosk" market of that time. They were sold, as a rule, in sets on a cardboard - the capital one in the center, and five more are attached around. The cartons themselves were either sealed in a plastic bag or placed in a plastic box.

The composition of the kits varied. Speaking modern language, a good marketing ploy - the buyer needs only one badge, but is forced to take five more in the bargain. I remember the prices, is it correct, 70 kopecks and 1 ruble 5 kopecks, respectively.

Only once I saw these badges in bulk, a copper version, in the window of the Moscow kiosk "Soyuzpechat" in August 1973. The kiosk was not open yet, so I did not buy the badges, which I regretted for many years later. Copper-plated badges are much rarer than anodized ones. As for the sets, I purchased them in the period from 1974 to 1982, and almost all of them on visits to Moscow, in the badges department of GUM. Of course, my personal consumer experience is far from an indicator, but it can distort reality only in the direction of understating the "scale of the disaster", that is, the incredible number of issued badges.

Stigma

As we know, in 1973 the first part of the series was released, in 1974 - the second. Between these events, a trademark change took place at the Mytishchi plant. I will conventionally call the old brand the letter "M", the new one - "Horseshoe".

Naturally, in the first issues the badges of the first part had the “M” brand, the badges of the second part had the “Horseshoe” brand.

But in repeated issues, starting in 1974, all the badges of the series were stamped with the Horseshoe brand.

Numerous re-releases have spawned many varieties, blunders and other related phenomena, and this will be the conversation ahead, but one aspect is of particular importance.

Gold badges

The first thing that catches your eye is the presence of badges with differences in the degree of anodization - from light to pronounced golden color. I don't know what caused the golden color. It is unlikely that this is the result of technological deviations, most likely it is a different technology. Perhaps different chemical composition cover. Or maybe the method is current or ultrasound, for example. You can guess as much as you like, but in any case, at least for psychological health a collector (to save one from the torment of choosing which of the two anodized badges to leave, which in duplicates), I consider it correct to single out the golden coating in a separate version.

So looming

Three coverage options

To illustrate these options, I use the first, non-capitalized icons for each part. According to catalog numbering, these are XVI.40 and XVI.51.

XVI.40

XVI.51

In my experience all re-issues of badges have only a golden plating... The question remains, was the gold plating used in the first issues? The presence of the golden version with the “M” stamp does not contradict this assumption, at the same time, the use of old stamps in early re-issues is not excluded.

In any case, at this point I draw an intermediate line and introduce the term

Classic options

These include the options shown above, highlighting the main distinguishing features:

• three coverage options;
• smooth surface of the reverse with a rounded concavity in the center;
• trademark above the pin;
• the price is under the pin.

Late re-issues

In these variants, in addition to the Horseshoe mark, three main distinguishing features can be distinguished:

• golden coating;
• granular surface of the reverse;
• lack of price.

But fans of varieties are given the opportunity to expand the classification due to additional signs of the reverse sides, presented below.

For convenience, I assign these varieties a general number of 4, and examples are shown only in reverse, without specifying specific icons.

It should be noted that only common varieties are given, and along with them there are individual deviations, for example:

Header badges also occupy a separate place, having a flat reverse and variations only in the location of the brand.

To be continued

Applications

List of icons series

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USSR badges and their production technology

Badges in the USSR were produced in large quantities for almost everyone significant event or anniversary in the country, and in large series and circulation. They were dedicated to certain topics, for example, tanks, airplanes, the Ulyanov family, etc. However, they were often dedicated to minor events or even objects. Among them, of course, there are rare specimens, the price of which is quite high.

Various technologies are used for manufacturing, which, to a certain extent, affects the cost:

• sunset
• etching without enamel
• etching with enamel
• resin etching
• filling with resin.

As for seaming products, they are made in various shapes (square, round, oval) and are distinguished by the traditional fastening - a pin. An image is applied to a plastic base and covered with a waterproof film coating to provide protection against mechanical stress.

Specimens made in the USSR by etching come in various shapes (from square to triangular). This method is rather complicated and time-consuming. First, an emulsion is applied to the part that should be protruding, then the product is placed in acid, and uncoated areas are etched with acid. Then the enamel is applied and the item is placed in an oven to dry. Next comes the resin coating for the gloss. Among the advantages of manufacturing using etching is the transfer of the finest details to the metal.

Another manufacturing method is resin casting. Often, the most expensive badges have a brass base. In addition, unlike all others, they are characterized by a flat shape. From the front side, the products are covered with a film with an image, then they are filled with polymer resin. The result is a lens effect that adds brightness and volume. Prices for such products are above average.

Of greatest interest among collectors-phalerists are expensive badges of the USSR, the cost of which is higher due to various factors. These include the majority of products made of heavy metals up to about 50-60s. last century. According to the price scale, it is customary to divide all copies into several groups (in ascending order):

• very massive circulation (more than 10 thousand copies), having a simple execution
• mass releases, but complex execution
• rare badges of the USSR, but not very informative
• expensive USSR badges, the price of which is high due to interesting design and history, availability of documents
• very significant in size products with a complex design
• the most expensive badge of the USSR, the price of which starts from 10 thousand dollars (category with exclusive options).

The rarest badges of the USSR

In the list of rarities that can be classified as the most expensive badges of the USSR, products made before the Second World War stand out. For example, for the metal emblem of the Friends of Radio Society you can get from 10 thousand dollars. Copies called "Dobrolet" are also highly valued.

Looking in a specialized catalog, you can find out that small series are held in high esteem, designed to popularize the Society for the Promotion of Defense, Aviation and Chemical Production (Osoaviakhim). Such products began to appear with the development of aviation. In 1926, a copy dedicated to the international flight to Angora from Paris was published, which has become a real rarity.

In addition, the catalog of expensive USSR badges contains varieties of the 1930s, produced in limited series on equipment that has survived from tsarist times.

Profitable deals for you!