1940s Mongolian People’s Republic “Best Herder” Badge Type 2 – Low Serial Number, Rare Original Issue

Description

Original Item – Only One Available. A very rare early Type 2 “Best Herder” badge of the Mongolian People’s Republic, bearing the exceptionally low serial No. 170. The “Best Herder” was one of the important labor honors of Mongolia’s early socialist period, recognizing herders whose livestock management, herd growth and productivity were considered exemplary at the national level. Historical records place the title firmly in the 1940s: Tüvden Avirmed received the title at a national herders’ conference in 1941, while a documented 1946 government award to the celebrated herder E. Badam included the title and badge among a substantial group of state honors. At the Third National Conference of Leading Livestock and Agricultural Workers in 1948, recipients are specifically recorded as receiving the “Best Herder” title together with a breast badge depicting Mongolia’s five traditional types of livestock.

The badge is one of the most striking early Mongolian agricultural distinctions, centered on a sculptural group representing the Mongolia’s five principal livestock species: horse, camel, cattle, sheep and goat. The animals rise against a pale blue enameled field beneath a red star, enclosed by deep red enamel and gilt-toned agricultural foliage, with “Б.Н.М.А.У.”, the abbreviation for the Mongolian People’s Republic, prominently displayed at the base. The substantial multi-level construction and hot-enamel appearance are characteristic of Mongolia’s better early postwar badges. The reverse retains the screwpost fastening and, most importantly, is individually numbered No. 170, giving this example an unusually strong early-issue character. The badge remains in strong original condition overall, with attractive age-toned metal surfaces. The upper red star has partial loss of its original red enamel, with surviving enamel remaining around portions of the star; this is clearly shown in the photographs.

The serial is especially noteworthy from a collector standpoint. In our search of presently accessible collector marketplaces, publicly listed examples of the broader “Best Herder” series include mostly above No. 2500; we did not locate another publicly offered example with a serial below 170. That does not prove No. 170 is the lowest surviving badge, but it makes it the lowest-numbered marketplace example we could verify in the available records and considerably more interesting than the commonly encountered four-digit pieces. With its early Type 2 form, exceptionally low serial, five-livestock iconography and direct connection to one of the MPR’s important national agricultural honors, this is a particularly desirable original for an advanced collection of Mongolian labor awards, early MPR badges, pastoral history or socialist-era agricultural distinctions.