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  Market for Chinese space (flown) medallions

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Author Topic:   Market for Chinese space (flown) medallions
denali414
Member

Posts: 593
From: Raleigh, NC
Registered: Aug 2017

posted 08-24-2017 01:15 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for denali414   Click Here to Email denali414     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I have been reading the board for the last few weeks and I have caught the collecting bug for space flown medallions and other items. Just trying to still understand the market and different types of medallions and other items.

I have many posts about USA and USSR medals and flown items, but wondering about other countries, such as China? Why does there not seem to be a market or any items from China?

Would also like to say a huge THANK YOU! to Robert Pearlman, tnperri and spaced out, for the tireless work gathering information, pictures etc so posters like me have a real great reference point to start collecting and become so much more knowledgeable about all the medallions. Thank you!

JBoe
Member

Posts: 959
From: Churchton, MD
Registered: Oct 2012

posted 08-24-2017 07:52 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for JBoe   Click Here to Email JBoe     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
That's an interesting point, I know that the US and Russia (USSR) have the most flown medallions and other countries programs (ESA, JAXA, and China) have more pins (non-flown or non-flown metal) commemorating certain aspects and milestones within their programs. It would be interesting to see if they are under any export restrictions on flown material just as certain hardware is prohibited to be sold outside the US.

Robert and tnperri are definitely your best resource in flown medallions, they have found some pretty neat ones!

denali414
Member

Posts: 593
From: Raleigh, NC
Registered: Aug 2017

posted 08-25-2017 04:07 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for denali414   Click Here to Email denali414     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Yep, that was my thinking — that maybe some kind of restrictions prohibit from either being made and/or being sold. Just had not really seen any research on the subject.

tnperri
Member

Posts: 452
From: Malvern, Ohio
Registered: Jun 2011

posted 08-25-2017 07:32 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for tnperri   Click Here to Email tnperri     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I have seen a few flown Chinese items over the years but not a flown medal/pin type. I do have a flown safety seal. There are some commemorative coins but none that I know containing flown metal. I think one issue with Chinese artifacts/medals will be authenticity. As China is known to issue fake items and authenticating could be a problem. There are also some Chinese meteorite coins out there.

SkyMan1958
Member

Posts: 867
From: CA.
Registered: Jan 2011

posted 08-25-2017 11:05 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for SkyMan1958   Click Here to Email SkyMan1958     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
As a long time coin collector, I would be extremely careful about Chinese medallions. The Chinese have a long history of counterfeiting items.

If there is not much value to the item I would not worry too much about it, but if the item is worth some money then the odds are good that somewhere in China someone is counterfeiting it.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 08-25-2017 11:27 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I'll precede this by saying I am not an expert when it comes to Chinese culture, but from the perspective of someone who has been following China's human spaceflights and has had some interaction, albeit limited, with some of the people involved, it would seem that Chinese culture would run counter to the reason flown medallions and flown metal-mint medals were originally created in the United States.

In the U.S., the medals were a way for management to provide a token of thanks to the workforce for a job well done. In China, it is workforce that express gratitude to the management — and more specifically, the leaders of the government — for the mission being a success.

China wants its public to follow this approach, too. After Shenzhou 5, China saw how much attention (and praise) was being given to Yang Liwei as an individual and sought to put an end to it. The government copyrighted his name and trademarked his likeness so they could limit, if not halt, the domestic production of souvenirs.

China wanted the public to praise the government for the success, not the individual. (This was particularly true for the populations in Hong Kong and Taiwan, where mainland China hoped the space program would work as a point of pride to unify the regions.)

As such, there may be no motivation by the Chinese government to produce (in any significant number) flown metal-mint medallions or other similar mission mementos.

denali414
Member

Posts: 593
From: Raleigh, NC
Registered: Aug 2017

posted 08-25-2017 01:00 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for denali414   Click Here to Email denali414     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thanks for the good thoughts — makes sense about the Chinese government control issues and also their counterfeiting reputation.

Any other European or any other country do medallions? Seen some of the odd stuff from the Marshall islands, and even Perth mint- but nothing that interesting.

denali414
Member

Posts: 593
From: Raleigh, NC
Registered: Aug 2017

posted 08-29-2017 12:56 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for denali414   Click Here to Email denali414     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Well, ironically after just talking about counterfeit Chinese coins. Now appearing on eBay for $1.56 (free shipping) are "flown metal" counterfeit Mars Curiosity rover coins. I hope Winco can shut them down. You can tell by the treads and arms for the rover, just not the same as the real medallion.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 08-29-2017 01:18 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The counterfeit Curiosity medals are a known problem; see the prior discussion here.

denali414
Member

Posts: 593
From: Raleigh, NC
Registered: Aug 2017

posted 08-29-2017 01:55 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for denali414   Click Here to Email denali414     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thanks, Robert! This is so sad, to keep reappearing selling them under new names (esp. at $1.56 with shipping included — can't be much profit in it). I've seen the forgeries in Morgan and Peace dollars, that are easy to spot under a good Coin loupe. Guess as that other thread states, they are branching out into other realms now.

JBoe
Member

Posts: 959
From: Churchton, MD
Registered: Oct 2012

posted 08-29-2017 07:07 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for JBoe   Click Here to Email JBoe     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I have provided a list to Andy (at Winco) with the eBay sellers and their specifics in the listings. He has also spoken to the sellers and eBay directly in the past.

From what I've seen the Mars Curiosity and Ares/Constellation flown metal medallions are the most "common" counterfeited.

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