The Last Empire. TOP-14 rarest and most valuable awards of the USSR

Many of those born in the USSR used to play in their childhood years with all types of Soviet awards belonging to their parents or grandparents. But some of those children wouldn’t even guess that an extremely rare piece could be among those “toys” and that it was actually worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.?

We sat down with KATZ Auction co-founder, Stas Katz , to discuss what awards collectors from all over the world try to hunt down, and how much can their owners make by selling them.

When it comes to the value of awards, its material is not always a decisive element. Often it’s their total circulation numbers, the number of conferrals, and their historical significance that are much more important.

For rare awards, connoisseurs are willing to pay loads of money. Back in the day, it was common practice where the authorities would demand the award back in case of the recipient’s death. Many of such awards would subsequently be recycled. Therefore, if you still have some Soviet-era award at home, be sure to check if it’s on our list.

Order of Victory?

Only 20 copies have ever been awarded to the Red Army’s senior officers. This is the only order made outside the state mint: given the number of precious stones used in its production, the latter was entrusted to the specialists with the Moscow Jewelry and Watch Factory.

Price: for this order, connoisseurs are ready to offer pretty much any money. Among collectors, rumor has it that some copies of the order have been sold to a number of royalties from distant countries for millions of dollars.

Order of Ushakov, 1st class, type 1

A Soviet naval award of the Great Patriotic War. A total of 125 copies have been produced. The order’s badge consists of three parts. The medallion is secured to the silver anchor with two rivets. Price: nearly $500,000.

Order of Lenin type 1?

The Order of Lenin is the highest decoration in the USSR, bestowed for particularly outstanding achievements in the revolutionary movement, labor, defending the socialist Fatherland, developing friendship and cooperation between peoples, strengthening of peace, and other especially outstanding achievements before the Soviet state and society.

Only 700 copies of the order have ever been produced before a decision was made to change the design. The silver order depicted a round medallion featuring Lenin’s profile and an industrial landscape in the background, with a tractor in the center.

The price ranges from $100,000 to $500,000.

Order of the Red Banner of Labour, type 1

General civil award of the USSR conferred for merits in deeds and services to the state. The type 1 decoration was awarded 1,150 times. It consists of two parts. The first one is a cogwheel with an enamel triangle, a central disc, and a shield at the bottom. The second part is a gilded hammer and sickle, which are attached to the main part with two rivets. On the reverse of the badge is a round recess with a threaded silver post at its center. Price: EUR 100,000 - 150,000.

Order of Suvorov 1st class

A total of 754 awards have been conferred on Red Army commanders for outstanding achievements in command and control. Military units were also awarded. The Order of Suvorov 1st class was a convex five-pointed star made of platinum, with a golden circle in the center. Its surface was shaped as rays protruding from the center outwards. Price: EUR 150,000 - 200,000.

Order of Kutuzov 1st class

The second-highest and second-oldest "commander-level" decoration after the Order of Suvorov, awarded only 150 times. It was made of gold and shaped as a convex five-pointed star with protruding rays. Price: EUR 150,000.

Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky 1st class

The order was awarded to commanders and soldiers of the Red Army and Navy, leaders of partisan detachments and individual partisans. This is USSR’s last "ground force" military order established during the Great Patriotic War. It was awarded 338 times.

Fun fact: this is the only order of the USSR, the inscription on which is made in a language other than Russian

Price: EUR 100,000 – 150,000?

These are some of the lower-priced awards, for which collectors crave just as much

Order of Labour Glory 1st class

A total of 796 such awards were bestowed for special professional achievements. These awards were given sequentially: first came 3rd class, then 2nd class, and then 1st class. Therefore, although orders 1st class have been issued since 1974, the 35 “heroes of labour” became the first full holders of the Order of Labour Glory as late as 1983.

The order is shaped as a slightly convex gilded polygon, framed in the upper part by five beams of protruding golden rays, while in the lower part – by a wreath of wheat ears. Price: EUR 7,000 – 10,000.

Order of the Patriotic War, 1st class

The Order of the Patriotic War was awarded to privates and commanding officers of the Red Army, Navy, NKVD forces, and partisan detachments for their courage, resolve, and bravery shown in the battles for their Soviet Motherland.

The first 617 orders were made on a square block. Although they were supposed to be hanging, no connecting ring was offered. Thus, the beams could break should the holder bend down. Now there are practically no type 1 orders left so they are being restored. Price: EUR 10,000 - 15,000.

Order of the Red Star, type 1

The first 754 orders were produced at the Gosznak plant. Citizens would receive one for great feats in defending the USSR in both wartime and peacetime. The type 1 order was produced 1930 through 1936: it had a 47.5 mm hollow star, while the medallion was soldered in the center of the obverse.

The image of a Red Army soldier stood facing, and on the reverse side of the star a brass pin was soldered with a silver fastening nut. Underneath it was the Gosznak stamp. Price: EUR 50,000 - 70,000.

Order For Service to the Homeland, 1st class

The Order was established by the Decree of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Belarus. A total of 454 Soviet Army, Navy, border guard, and internal forces’ servicemen have been awarded.

It consists of two crossed four-pointed stars: the top silver star is composed of protruding rays with a gilded five-pointed star at the center. The lower four-pointed star of the order is covered with blue enamel, the edges of the star are gilded. Convex crossed images of rockets are superimposed on the star.

Price – EUR 50,000 – 80,000.

Order of Glory 1st class

The order was awarded to privates, sergeants, and commanders of the Red Army, and in aviation – to those ranking as junior lieutenant and above. It was awarded only for personal merit. Military units and formations were never awarded this decoration. There are only 3,776 recipients. The order 1st class is made of gold, while 2nd class and 3rd class are silver.

It is shaped as a five-pointed star. The surface of the rays of the star is slightly convex. Price – EUR 3,000 – 5,000.

Hero of the Soviet Union, type 1

The highest distinction in the USSR for accomplishing a feat or outstanding service in wartime or peacetime. The first Hero of the Soviet Union (according to the number of the Gold Star)? is pilot A. V. Lyapidevsky.

The order type 1 was conferred 717 times (with a total of 116,660). It is shaped as a Gold Star. Price: EUR 30,000 - 50,000 for type 1, and EUR 5,000 – 7,000 for type 2.

Hero of Socialist Labour

The highest distinction for professional achievements from 1938 to 1991. Throughout the whole period, 961 awards type 1 have been conferred, with a total 21,082. It is shaped as a Hammer and Sickle Gold Star.

Price: EUR 50,000 - 80,000 for type 1, and EUR 2,000 - 3,000 for type 2.

We have analyzed the 14 most popular Soviet awards and now we should recall that thousands of themed lots are regularly presented at KATZ Auction, where you can definitely find USSR awards among other items.