Rare space icons. Series “Soviet space exploration” part 1

Part 1. Attempt at systematization

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

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

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

At the beginning of 1974, the series was continued with a new title badge.
<описание еще 12-ти значков с номерами XVI.50 – XVI.61>

Instead of a preface

There are a total of 23 icons in the series, two of which are capital ones.

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

The series' icons went through numerous reissues and flooded the kiosk market of the time. They were sold, as a rule, in sets on cardboard - the capital one in the center, and five more attached around. The cardboards themselves were either sealed in a plastic bag or placed in a plastic box.

The composition of the sets varied. In modern terms, it’s a successful marketing move - the buyer only needs one badge, but is forced to take five more in addition. I remember the prices, is it correct, 70 kopecks and 1 ruble 5 kopecks, respectively.

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

Brand

As we know, the first part of the series was released in 1973, and the second in 1974. Between these events, the Mytishchi plant changed its trademark. I will conditionally call the old mark the letter “M”, the new one – “Horseshoe”.

Naturally, in the first issues, the badges of the first part were branded “M”, the badges of the second part were branded “Horseshoe”.

But in repeated releases, starting in 1974, all badges in the series were stamped with the “Horseshoe” stamp.

Numerous re-releases have spawned many variations, bloopers and other related phenomena, and this will be discussed further, but one aspect is of particular importance.

Golden badges

The first thing that catches your eye is the presence of badges with differences in the degree of anodization - from light to a pronounced golden color. I don't know what causes the golden color. This is unlikely to be the result of technological deviations; most likely, it is a different technology. Perhaps the chemical composition of the coating is different. 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 the psychological health of the collector (to save him from the agony of choosing which of the two anodized badges to keep, which to duplicate), I think it’s right to highlight the gold coating as a separate option.

Thus emerge

Three coating options

To illustrate these variations I use the first, not counting the capital, icons of 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 gold finish. The question remains: was gold plating used in the first issues? The presence of a golden version with the “M” stamp does not contradict this assumption; at the same time, the use of old stamps in early reissues is not excluded.

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

Classic options

I include the options shown above among them, highlighting the main distinguishing features:

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

Later re-releases

In these variants, in addition to the “Horseshoe” brand, three main distinctive features can be distinguished:

• golden coating;
• grainy reverse surface;
• no price.

But lovers of varieties are given the opportunity to expand the classification using additional characteristics of the reverse sides presented below.

For convenience, I assign the general number 4 to these varieties, and show examples only in reverse, without indicating specific icons.

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

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

To be continued

Applications

List of series icons

Interested Space icons? Do you want to select worthy pieces for your favorite collection or put up existing ones for sale? Online auction Soberu.ru is always happy to help - we solve all problems as simply, profitably and without even leaving home! Our catalog contains a lot of valuable things, for example, rare USSR badges or sports badges, etc.

Space faleristics in the USSR

There is an opinion that contemporaries comprehend events rather slowly when they witness them, and it takes time to evaluate certain events. Meanwhile, the space age, 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 release of postcards, postage stamps, and table medals. Of course, the USSR also produced space-themed badges.

Collectors also rushed in the footsteps of the space Odyssey, adding new themes to their collections, which quickly took one of the leading places. Over the past years, over one thousand items of space-themed badges alone have been produced. Many adherents of this fascinating topic include all products that contain references or images of any “cosmic” details: orbits, rockets, celestial bodies, etc. In everyday life there is the term “cosmic symbolism”. It distinguishes between “pure space”, and refers to it with Soviet badges with portraits of cosmonauts, launch dates, images of specific satellites, lunars, and ships.

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

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

Of particular interest are the icons on the theme of Space, the price of which varies widely today, with the image of a portrait of V.V. Tereshkova entitled “Hero of the 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”, “Moon”, “The first Soviet spacecraft. Proton-1965", "Luna-10.1966", "Salyut-6", "Soyuz-39". In addition, a noteworthy copy is dedicated to the international space flight - it is called “USSR-MPR. March 22-30, 1981."

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

• very mass issues (over 10 thousand copies), which have a simple execution
• mass series, but distinguished by complex execution
• rare items, but uninformative
• rare items with an interesting history and design, with documents
• rare, significant specimens with complex design
• exclusive options.

If we talk about value in general, then aluminum products produced after 1960 with a price indicated on them are of little value. All items before 1960 (conditionally) are of particular interest, especially if the circulation does not exceed one million copies. When evaluating, perfect preservation is very important.

We wish you profitable purchases and sales!

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

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 Age (1957) and manned Cosmonautics (1961) to the celebration of the anniversary of Baikonur (2015). The exhibition was opened by DU employee Olga Aleksandrovna Ostaptseva, one of the main organizers of this extraordinary event. She introduced the Nizhny Novgorod collector to the few participants - Sarov philatelists and philatelists, and presented V.V. Zharinov with a bouquet of flowers.

Photo 2 - Olga Aleksandrovna Ostaptseva opens the exhibition

Vladimir Viktorovich himself is a very interesting person! A retired KGB colonel, he saw half the world on duty and was involved in the investigation of the tragic explosion in Arzamas on June 4, 1988. Today he is the executive director of the Nizhny Novgorod regional public foundation “COSMONAVTIKA”.

Photo 3 – V.V. Zharinov in his apartment (collage by Natalya Plankina)

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

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

Photo 5 – V.V. Zharinov listens to questions

Photo 6 – And answers them

Photo 7 – Interview with Channel 16, Dina Pavlova in the foreground

Vladimir Viktorovich loves to tell how he started collecting space pins. 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 this to Pionerskaya Pravda, but Volodya did! And he received the most 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”

Volodya proudly wore this badge for more than one month, and became so carried away that he began collecting all the badges dedicated to space exploration in the USSR! Vladimir Viktorovich showed 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

The first all-metal badge with hot enamel is especially valuable.

Photo 11 – The first metal sign with Gagarin

And round badges with photos of the first Soviet cosmonauts were sold here in Sarov (Arzamas - 75), in the Lily of the Valley store on Mira Avenue, starting in 1961 for 11 kopecks. The first corps of cosmonauts of the USSR could easily be assembled, if desired, using badges of this particular type.

Photo 12 – The first badge of the famous series of the first cosmonauts

After the opening and numerous questions, Sarov collectors took pictures with V.V. Zharinov.

Photo 13 – Exhibition opening participants 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 on 10 standard exhibition stands from the RFNC-VNIIEF Museum of Nuclear Sciences.

Photo 14 — Exhibition stand “Yuri Alekseevich Gagarin”

Photo 15 – Exhibition stand “50 years of the first manned space flight”

Photo 16 – Exhibition stand “Baikonur” and “Star”

The stands presented 46 glazed frames - horizontal tablets measuring 470x370 square meters. mm (4 – 6 pieces on each stand). Each tablet contains up to one hundred badges, signs or medals from the author’s 13,000-strong collection. That is, approximately 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 Yu. A. Gagarin”).

Photo 17 – Tablet “The first artificial satellite of the Earth – OUR”

Photo 18 – The first badges dedicated to the first Satellite

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 space flight"

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, a portrait of Gagarin from the cover of Ogonyok magazine 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 – Badge “Department of the FSB of Russia for the Cosmonaut Training Center named after. Yu. A. Gagarin"

Photo 26 – Badge “Air Force Academy named after. Yu. A. Gagarin"

Photo 27 – Badge “FOR MERIT” Cosmonaut Training Center named after. Yu. A. Gagarina

Photo 28 – Sign “Gagarinsky District Department of Internal Affairs”

Photo 29 – One of the variants of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Zyuganov medal for the 50th anniversary of the first flight into space

Photo 30 – Sign “FROM SOVIET space explorers”

Vladimir Viktorovich claims that he does not collect foreign badges dedicated to Space! He doesn’t take “Import,” even one dedicated to Soviet cosmonautics, due to the “immenseness of the topic”! However, we managed to see the Buran tablet right in the center - a PURE American icon - the Challenger reusable ship!

And here are some interesting signs dedicated to Baikonur!

Photo 32 – One of the first Baikonurov badges

Photo 33 – Badge “Honorary Builder of 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 presented here in Sarov is UNIQUE. The exhibition will be on in the foyer of the DU until the end of January! Hurry up to see the cosmic 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 a BIG THANK YOU and wish to find and purchase another 4 thousand 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 all the way to 2015!

Alexey Demidov – senior researcher at the Institute of Physics of Physics, RFNC-VNIIEF,

collector of badges with 45 years of experience,

Sarov, January 2015

Everyone knows that the USSR was the first country to launch a man into space. It is not surprising that in the award system of the Russian Federation and the USSR a large niche is reserved for medals for cosmonauts. However, in this section you will see only space badges, among which, nevertheless, there are awards that are not inferior in popularity to medals for space exploration.

Did you know that the Russian falerist community considers the collection of space badges the most popular among all award themes? All this is due to the fact that during the existence of the USSR special attention was paid to these badges of honor. As a result, so many awards were established that the opinion of Falerists regarding the attribution of certain signs to space themes was divided.

There are adherents of “clean space” who believe that the segment of these awards should not include signs issued in honor of celestial bodies, spacecraft or rockets. Their supporters believe that everything related to space should be included in the collection of space icons. We are adherents of the second approach, so you can find signs with attributes of the first satellites or rockets. Moreover, we have international badges in honor of the First Man on the Moon, as well as in honor of the soft landing on the Earth's satellite. We, as an online store, consider it our duty to convey to our descendants the entire history of the country.

Despite the fact that the first flight into space took place on April 12, 1961, the sign that opens the niche of awards for cosmonauts was established back in 1957. It was in this year that the first space satellite was launched. In addition, party leaders of that time decided to present scientists who stood out for their success in mastering a new niche of science with medals named after Tsiolkovsky.

If we consider the 20th century from the point of view of humanity’s breakthrough to the stars, then each space sign can be considered a symbol of a new page in the history of planet Earth. Such badges of honor were a reflection of humanity’s desire for new heights and a happy future and were awarded to those who had achieved success in the field of space exploration. It is for this reason that USSR space icons are present in almost every collection of falerists in modern Russia.

Cosmonaut awards were given to military personnel, civilians, scientists and researchers in the field of space science, public figures or veterans of the USSR astronautics. The price of the badge depends on how small the edition was. Rare VKS insignia are sold at a higher price than those that were awarded to a large number of people.

More than half of all boys and young men who studied in the Soviet Union dreamed of becoming an astronaut. So, this section of the Voenmag awards is dedicated to those who managed to fulfill their childhood dream.

What Space badges can be bought at the Voentorg Voenmag?

In the catalog of space badges of our online store you can find a large number of VKS badges, both state and established by public organizations.

Many of you probably know that the Space Forces existed in Russia for ten years since 2001. Previously part of the Strategic Missile Forces, the decision to allocate these troops as a separate type was due to the increasing role of “star” tasks in the well-being of the country as a whole.

However, in 2011, this branch of the military was disbanded and became part of the VKO (Space Defense Forces), and four years later it was decided to return everything to its place. This is how the Space Forces appeared in the Russian Federation again. This time not as a separate unit, but as part of the Aerospace Forces (VKS). By the way, the VKS badge with a collet mount, which is freely available in our catalog, can be bought for ridiculous money. Don't miss this opportunity.

It is impossible to overestimate the contribution of the space forces to the current well-being of the country. After all, they are the ones responsible for neutralizing threats from space. We are not talking about alien invasions, but about satellites of other countries and nuclear attacks. Moreover, this branch of the military is responsible for the development and launch of new rockets into space, both military and civilian purposes. In addition, military members of the Space Force maintain satellites, as well as the means to launch and control them, in combat readiness.

If you would like to recognize the work of a military officer close to you in the Russian Space Forces, then we are pleased to offer you badges for the merits of the Aerospace Forces. You also have the right to opt for the “Excellence in Space Forces” badge, which is sold at a surprisingly low cost in our online store.

If we talk about the era of the USSR, then the first part of the space mission (which were later transformed into the Strategic Missile Forces) was formed back in 1955. That year, a decision was made to build a testing ground for research work in the field of space exploration. Later this test site was named Baikonur. In honor of this “star” town, a commemorative sign is issued every anniversary. You can buy all of them at the Voenmag military store. We are talking about Baikonur badges 40 years, 45 years, 50 years, 55 years. We have presented a whole series of awards in honor of this legendary “star” parade ground. There is also a simple metal icon on this theme with a rocket on the background of a blue globe.

Three years later, after the launch of the Baikonur project, the Soviet Government announced its intentions to build another test site - this time for launching intercontinental ballistic missiles. We are talking about the world famous Plesetsk cosmodrome. Unfortunately, no badge was issued in honor of this cosmodrome. But we have a medal for those who served at the famous training ground.

It is not worth mentioning the first launch of a man into space - Yuri Gagarin on the Vostok spacecraft - this date is etched in the memory of not only all our compatriots, but also the majority of foreign citizens. In honor of this event, which was watched by the entire planet, a commemorative space pin was issued on the Pims, timed to coincide with the 45th anniversary of Yuri Alekseevich’s flight. Based on the theme of this event, our managers can recommend a range of badges to customers. For example, a memorial sign “Vostok 1961”, or a Yuri Gagarin badge. Flipping through the pages of our catalog, you will find many more awards in honor of the first person to travel into space.

Since school, we all know that the first to see space were two dogs - Squirrel and Strelka. You can order a space pin from us in honor of their safe return to Earth.

The current videoconferencing systems as they are were created in 1992. The cosmodromes Plesetsk, Golitsyno-2, Svobodny and the legendary Baikonur were placed under direct subordination to this branch of the military.

Our catalog presents the class marks of the USSR and Russian Aerospace Forces - from first to third. All badges are sold at prices not exceeding 300 rubles.

When is Space Forces Day celebrated?

In 2002, the President of the Russian Federation adopted a decree to celebrate Space Forces Day on October 4. Why this particular date? Because in 1957, it was on October 4 that the first artificial Earth satellite was launched, which opened the door for Russia to the world of military and civil astronautics.

By the way, we are pleased to offer our clients a badge issued in honor of the First Sputnik of the USSR. The circle of this icon indicates the date of its launch.

What emblems of the Space Forces exist in Russia?

Also in 2002, the Russian Ministry of Defense ordered the creation of special heraldic symbols symbolizing the Space Forces. Popularly, this paraphernalia was simply nicknamed - space badges. Small, medium and large emblems of the Space Forces were developed.

• The first depicts a silver rocket in the form of a triangle against the background of our planet in the shape of a ball, divided horizontally by stripes of the Russian tricolor. This symbolizes the significance of our country’s achievements from the point of view of world astronautics. At the top, two equal triangles depict antennas with the help of which space forces monitor intergalactic space.

• The second depicts a golden double-headed eagle with the arrows of Perun (pagan God) in its right paw, and a silver staff in the other. The arrows are directed downwards and this means that the space forces can repel an attack from other states at any time, since they can see everything at a glance. Above is a rocket with an antenna. The eagle's chest is decorated with a red shield with a rider who clashed in battle with a dragon.

• The third emblem (in another way, on the coat of arms) depicts the small, first emblem, which is enclosed in a dark blue heraldic shield. The latter is framed by a wreath, in the upper part of which is the emblem of the RF Armed Forces. This wreath symbolizes the courage and bravery of the space front fighters.

What are the space badges presented in Voenmag made from?

Our hypermarket cooperates with manufacturers of medals and badges that have long established themselves in the market. All lots are made of high alloy brass. The colors on the space badges are applied with organic enamel using the hot coating technique. This technique has been successfully used in the industry for several decades. It allows you to achieve ideal product quality due to reliable adhesion of the paint to the workpiece.

Our customers can be 100 percent sure that they are ordering quality products that will serve them for a long time. All engraved details are applied by our manufacturers using a high-precision engraving machine. Everything, even the smallest details, is polished to a shine. There is no defect on any medal or badge, because all finished products are carefully inspected from all sides.

You can always buy space badges at Voenmag!

To do this, you just need to fill out an online application or leave us a request for a call back (the “Buy in one click” button). Our consultants will quickly contact you at the phone number you left and verbally accept your order.

If you urgently need USSR space badges, buying these rare badges of honor in Moscow is as easy as shelling pears. You just need to call us and we will send you the goods by courier the very next day (valid only for residents of Moscow and the Moscow region). Order space badges from Voenmag - the lowest price on the Internet!