Soviet EARLY WW2 RKKA Sniper Badge ORIGINAL Red Army Award 1938-1942 Issue RARE

Description

Soviet WW2 Sniper of RKKA (Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army) badge, 1938 – 1942 issue.
This is GUARANTEED ORIGINAL Red Army award issued just before WW2 or in the early part of the war from 1938-1942 – NOT a later issue or a replica!
The badge is of very nice design and typical rugged Soviet quality. It is made in silver-plated brass and high-quality “hot-baked” enamels. Measures 43.8 mm in height x 37.0 mm in width; weighs 15.6 grams not including the screw plate. The writing along the top of the bull’s eye target is “SNIPER”. The inscription on the red plaque at the bottom is “RKKA”.
The badge is in GOOD condition, especially for a Soviet military badge of early WW2 era. The enamel is better preserved than on most other RKKA Sniper badges that survived to our days. The red enamel on plaque with "RKKA" in particular is practically perfect: shows beautiful luster and has only a couple of minuscule contact marks, none of the usual chips or flaking. The enamel on the red star has a repair on the upper left and top arms (shown in one of our photos under UV light), while the rest of it is intact. The white enamel on the bull's eye target has minimal amount of rubbing, some imbedded dust, and a couple of miniscule flakes along the top edge that are almost unnoticeable to the naked eye.  The black enamel in the center of the target has a tiny chip at the bottom, also nearly unnoticeable without magnification.
There is moderate wear to the silver finish on the high points of the soldier and his rifle, but the details are extremely well-preserved. The details of the wreath are likewise crisp, almost pristine. The screw post has been replaced and comes with a post-war Soviet screw plate which fits it perfectly. Overall, despite some relatively minor condition issues, this RKKA Sniper Badge is a very impressive-looking award!
The badge was manufactured between 1938 and July 1941. It was issued until mid-1942 at which time it was replaced by the Sniper Badge of the new "Proficiency" series. Unlike many other Soviet sharpshooting badges, this was a strictly military award rather than an OSOAVIAKhIM paramilitary issue.
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