Which badge of the USSR is the most rare and valuable? What determines the cost of badges from the times of the USSR?

2024 Author: Sierra Becker | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-26 03:46

Collecting badges and awards - phaleristics is an exciting activity that has many fans in different parts of the world. In recent years, many collectors of rarities are striving to get a rare and expensive badge of the USSR - a country that is no longer on the world map. The decoration of the collection can be a sign issued in the first decades of Soviet power in a limited edition, a set dedicated to people of rare professions, important events in the life of the Land of Soviets. Let's try to understand some of the issues that concern beginners and experienced collectors, for example, how the price of different types of badges of the USSR is formed.

Popular themes of Soviet badges

During the years of Soviet power, badges were issued that marked belonging to the armed forces, the State Security Committee. For more than 20 years, no one has worn such emblems, but you can see photos of USSR badges related to these popular series on the websites and forums of falerists, numismatists, and collectors of Soviet rarities. For almost eight decades in the Soviet Union, badges were massively produced in honor of the anniversaries of prominent figures, military, revolutionary, and sporting events. Wereseries devoted to military subjects, which are very popular with modern collectors. Award badges marked outstanding services to the Motherland. Now, these miniature monuments of the Soviet era can be used to study the history of the USSR.

As the falerists note, the spread of collecting during the years of the Soviet Union was served by successes in space exploration and the political "thaw", when the "iron curtain" was lifted slightly, separating the country from the capitalist world. In 1957, the 6th International Festival of Youth and Students took place in Moscow, the participants of which exchanged badges. Separately, we can single out areas dedicated to cities, sports societies, universities, cultural heritage sites.

Political badge of the USSR

Almost all Soviet people were members of organizations and societies. First-graders were accepted in October, and for the first 3-4 years of study, a five-pointed star with a portrait of little Volodya Ulyanov (Lenin) adorned the school uniform. At the age of ten, almost all the guys joined the pioneers and changed the badge. The first chest emblems of belonging to the Komsomol with the inscription "KIM" (Communist Youth International) appeared in 1922. After changing the name of the organization, the icon in the form of a flag appeared with the image of Lenin and the inscription VLKSM.

In the Soviet Union, October, Pioneer and Komsomol badges were of no interest to collectors, because almost all schoolchildren and young people under 30 had to wear them out of necessity. After the collapsecountries, a separate direction of phaleristics was gradually formed - the "Political Badge of the USSR", which includes badges that marked belonging to organizations, participation in party congresses, socialist competitions, and people's squads.

What are the badges of the USSR

Many badges were issued in the Soviet Union in large numbers, others came out in small batches. Almost all teenagers who reached the age of 14 became Komsomol members, and only the most respected and honored people became deputies of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. Chest badges of the deputies were issued in limited editions, which means that the price of badges of the USSR, which belonged to members of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the Russian Federation or another union republic, is higher than Komsomol ones.

Materials for the manufacture of most emblems, insignia, badges of the USSR were:

• alloys and metals (bronze, brass, stainless steel, duralumin, aluminum);
• wood;
• glass;
• different types of plastics;
• gemstones;
• enamels, varnishes.

Stamped badges the size of a small button, issued emblems the size of a fist. Very often, they replaced costume jewelry for Soviet fashionistas and fashionistas. Especially popular as decorations for children were badges with cartoon characters, and for women - miniatures with elements of Palekh painting, in the form of flowers, animal figurines.

USSR badges: value, safety, value for collectors

At auctions andIn special markets, the price of badges is formed depending on their rarity, safety and other distinctive qualities. An important indicator for collectors is the stories associated with circulation, with people who wore the emblem. A significant role is played by the value of the materials from which the rarity is made. The USSR badge with Ural gems is more valuable.

The absence of a price on the back increases the value, which happens in the case of premium, commemorative corporate badges. The release date also matters: the earlier the circulation was, the more expensive it is. Some insignia are numbered on the back, which means that they are registered, the price for them is the highest. Beautiful and original badges were a rarity in the days of the USSR, they were mainly produced for consumer goods. Now a kind of “hunt” has begun for such rarities, collectors are striving to get them and do not spare money for the purchase.

Basic Badge Evaluation Groups

The price of Soviet aluminum badges, in the design of which there is nothing unusual, remains at the level of 5–20 rubles per copy. Of interest to falerists are rare editions, engraved emblems. The badge of the USSR, made of heavy metal, issued before 1960, is highly valued. By cost, the following groups can be distinguished:

• easy-to-use badges, issued in significant circulations (more than 10 thousand copies), - from 300 to 3000 rubles;
• intricately executed massive space-themed badges, released in small batches with an interesting theme - over 3,500 rubles;
• rare signs, butwithout an interesting story - 6000 rubles and more;
• exclusive badges, informative, supplied with documents - from 9000 rubles;
• rare badges with complex designs - from 500 to 1000 dollars.
• rare options in good condition - over $1,000.

Each group has features, for example, the "Naval Guard of the USSR" badge, issued in 1942, is offered at auction for 9,000 rubles. Other badges on the same subject - from 100 to 1700 rubles.

The rarest badges of the USSR

The badges issued in the USSR before the Great Patriotic War became rarities. For example, the metal emblem of the Friends of Radio society is sold at auction for $10,000. The Dobrolet badge costs 450 thousand rubles, or even more.

When the development of aviation began in the USSR, small series were created to popularize the Society for the Promotion of Defense, Aviation and Chemical Production (Osoaviakhim). In 1926, a sign was issued in honor of the international flight from Paris to Angora, which became a real rarity. Badges in the 1930s were produced in limited editions, using equipment that had been preserved from tsarist times. They have a lot of manual labor, which is why such products are expensive.