Beside stamp collection, Tran Thi Nhu Trang, Head of Stamp Young Club (Nha Trang City) has a unique collection of medals and badges.
Beside stamp collection, Tran Thi Nhu Trang, Head of Stamp Young Club (Nha Trang City) has a unique collection of medals and badges.
Reportedly, Trang started to be interesting in medals and badges when she was little, seeing her parents’ Resistance War Medals.
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| Trang and her collection of medals and badges |
Trang’s hobby has been supported by her relatives and friends. Many people gave her their medals and badges or introduced her to other people who had these items. Some of her noticeable medals and badges she were given include badge of Vietnam’s People Navy offered by Colonel Thai Trong Tri – Head of Hoan Cau Stamp Club, badge of the Soviet Union – Russia gifted by collector Nguy Nhu Anh, badge of Spratly Soldier. Especially, wife of Tran Nhu Nguyen – late Youth Union official, gave Trang numerous badges of Youth Union collected by Nguyen when he joined domestic and international youth camps.
Trang has collected around a thousand of medals and badges. Among them are noble medals such as Independence Medal, Hero of the People’s Armed Force Medal and plenty of medals relating to resistance wars. Trang gives a special interest to medals and badges of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam and the ones of international relationships. She owns a medal which recalls the relationship between Binh Tri Thien Province of Vietnam and Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic.
Trang always tries to search for the origin of the medals and badges although it has been very difficult because these items have been transferred through many owners. According to Trang, there are just a few medal and badge collector in Khanh Hoa in particular and Vietnam in general because the collection requires much money, time and the collectors should have a wide relationship. A part from that, not all owners want to give or sell their medal and badges as these things are associated with their memories.
Trang often introduces her medals and badges to the public at stamp exhibitions. “I hope that my collection will contribute to help young people to know more about the tradition of Vietnam People’s Army as well as Vietnamese youths in the past,” said Trang.
Thanh Nguyen
Translated by H.N
