RE: Medaille fuer vorbildlichen Grenzdienst

[Mike G.]

There were two variants of the Medaille fuer vorbildlichen Grenzdienst. The first was produced only from 1953 to 1956. The second variant was then produced from 1956 to 1989.

The first type was serial numbered, and therefore one of the few medals to offer the collector the potential to collect a medal and matching Urkunde, thereby affording some semblance of "Providence" seldeom available to the DDR Collector.

Recently, I secured one of these somewhat rare, serial numbered medals, and also got the Urkunde.

The Map (Case) in which the Urkunde is placed, is red in color, and I've no real way of telling if it is original to the set.

[Mike G.]

The Grenz Polizei Medal and Urkunde:

[Mike G.]

Closeup of the Medal - Obverse:

[Mike G.]

Closeup, Reverse showing the serial number:

[torstenbel]

Hi Michael, very nice and early set...maybe my question is a little premature and you will still list the info later, but where on the certificate is the serial number to match the medal? Cheers, Torsten.

PS: As you will know the cert holder is a generic type and was used for all sorts of things and there is no way to positively match it to your set.

[olivyaya]

That's a nice medal ! Wouah !
Mike, were the second type ones same shape, except for the serial# ?

[Mike G.]

The Urkunde:

As one can see, it is dated 1957, which in itself is nice. However, and rather disappointing, is that there is no serial number annotated on the Urkunde.

So while the medal is genuine, and the Urkunde also is genuine, and the Medal and Urkunde are correct to each other, they are not a perfect match, and more importantly, providence is not established. I cannot say for sure that this Grenz Policeman was actually the recipient of this specific Grenz Medal.

[Mike G.]

Ouch,

Torsten, you are too fast with the keypad. I can only process and post these posts with pictures so fast - and obviously not as fast as you are with the trigger

As you can see at the conclusion of my posts, your question is exactly where I was going all along with this little story. Sad isn't it?

[Mike G.]

Hi Olivier,

No, the second variant was different. It had an actual Grenz Polizei on the obverse with a border post behind the Border Policeman's right shoulder:

[Mike G.]

An example of the second variant, which is the more common type:

[torstenbel]

Hi Michael, just thinking about the document holder again....are you sure it would be correct with the cert? Thinking about it, I would think (just a feeling from experience in handling many documents and I have no proof for this) that these types of holders were only introduced in the late 60's/early 70's...also, it would be unusual for the Hammer und Zirkel im Aehrenkranz logo to be displayed so prominently in 1957...would it not? Cheers, Torsten.

[Stefas]

Hello Micheal,there where 4 different types.The first one had a sovjet kind off "band spange" with number(1954).The second was like yours(1955-1958).The third was without number(1958-1959).And the 4th is the well known latest type(1959-1989).

[Stefas]

Hello Torsten,youre right about the holder.The first holders where like the old style nva and kvp holders.You know like the treue dienste and verdienst medaille.
It was signed only with " Fur vorbildlichen grenzdienst".

[Mike G.]

I'm in total agreement regarding the Map (Case) in which the Urkunde is placed.

I guess I will now have to go "a-hunting" for the correct type of Map (Case).

By the way, what is the correct German word for these Covers in which the Urkunde was placed?

[torstenbel]

By the way, what is the correct German word for these Covers in which the Urkunde was placed?

Urkundenmappe... Cheers, Torsten.