Coin Books - The Comprehensive Guide to Soviet Orders and Medals

	List Price: $95.00 Our Price: $184.00 Your Save: $ ( % ) Availability: Manufacturer: Historial Research
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Binding: Hardcover Dewey Decimal Number: 355.1342 EAN: 9780965628907 ISBN: 0965628906 Label: Historial Research Manufacturer: Historial Research Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 409 Publication Date: 1997-05-01 Publisher: Historial Research Studio: Historial Research
Spotlight customer reviews: Customer Rating: Summary: The only one you'll need Comment: If you have any interest in collecting Soviet orders and medals, this is the only book you'll need. Every other reference on this subject I've read isn't even close to this one in detail, information, history and variants. From the earliest days of the revolution to the fall of the USSR, this book has detailed info for them all. My only complaint is that it's a bit outdated when describing known fakes. For example, for the Order of Nevsky (probably the one medal who's value is increasing the fastest) the author lists no known fakes of sufficient quality to consider. That may have been true then, but not today. I've seen fake Nevsky's that are completely indistinguishable from the real thing, even when compared side-by-side. If it's worth enough money, someone will fake it. Customer Rating: Summary: Simply the best. Comment: This is the best book on medal collecting out there. Period. Combining detailed, color pictures, specific award criteria and a comprehensive thoroughness it easily outdistances any other medal collectors guide in *any* field (Third Reich, British, American, Imperial German (would that there was one even half as good as this)). Only Previtera's "The Iron Time" can match it in quality and "The Iron Time" is limited to investigating one award (The Prussian Iron Cross) so it has a very narrow focus despite it being a five star book in it's own right. Schmitt & McDaniel's book has set a very high bar that any "comprehensive" medal collector's book issued in the future will have a struggle to match. Not only that the publication of this book helps legitamize the collecting of the "evil empire's" awards unlike any other publication from the past. Well worth it's price. Customer Rating: Summary: Comprehensive Guide to Soviet Orders and Medals Comment: Being a relative newcomer to collecting Soviet Militaria, but collecting German Militaria for years, I found the book to be the best all around book on medals that I have ever read. This book details in very clear color photographs the intricacies of the medals of the Soviet Union. I would recommend this book strongly for anyone who is interested in Soviet Militaria or even Militaria in general as it is an excellent resource book. Customer Rating: Summary: Good - but not comprehensive Comment: The Comprehensive Guide to Soviet Orders and Medals is the bestbook on the market so far, and if you are a collector in this field, I strongly recommend you buy it. It's good - very good actually - but it's not comprehensive. McDaniel and Schmitt try to list all known different types and variations, and this is of course, almost impossible. But it's a start. And it's needed. Furthermore they illustrate their descriptions with very detailed pictures - that's excellent! The only problem with this kind of book is lack of information, but I'm sure they are working on it. Especially their information on fakes needs an update. In all case this is a book to buy... Customer Rating: Summary: NOT Comprehensive - but good! Comment: An excellent reference guide, but NOT comprehensive. The pictures are beautiful, detailed, in colour and comes in plenty - this is necessary for the serious collector. Their grading system (both concerning rarity and different variations) is usefull but NOT comprehensive. If you have travelled in Eastern Europe as a collector, you know much more about rarity and variations than they do. Furthermore, their variation-system is only really usefull if your counterpart has read the book. Say, does The Order of the Red Banner Variation 3, Type 2 means anything to you? Their rarity-system may be helpfull as a guideline - not as a fact. I'm not saying their information is incorrect, it's just that there is a difference between living in Europe and in the US. It's probably a matter of distance and therefore price and rarity. What is really good about this book is the information about the fakes. It's very usefull (and unfortunately VERY brief) but of course outdated the moment you get it. But again, use it as a guide - don't trust everything you read. Remember that your common sense is your most important tool. Conclusion: You will not find a lot of books on this subject in english so I recommend you buy it, while it's still in stock. At present it's the best buy on the market. If you consider buying it, remember to check their Newsletter with the latest updates (and it's allways about 2-3 months delayed) at Historicalresearch.com
Editorial Reviews: This book is the first of its kind, in any language, to catalog by type, variation and serial number, the wide variety of Soviet orders and medals. The book explains not only the history of each award, but the official statutes and regulations governing them, and contains over 630 color and 50 b/w photographs. The obverse and reverse of each type and variation are illustrated, as well as soldiers, sailors and civilians wearing their decorations. Rarity ratings are assigned to each type and variation and there is a separate chapter for the examination of items associated with Soviet orders and medals. There is also a section within each chapter which examines fakes that have been observed by the authors. This reference will be a valuable guide for the Soviet order and medal collector or anyone interested in this unique aspect of Soviet History.