Another Russian Souvenir: Russian Badge
Many people are interested in Russian military relics. One of the things you can buy while traveling in Russia is a Russian badge. A Russian badge usually has military symbols. A great variety of them is sold in Moscow underground passages and souvenir stores all over the country. There are also various soviet pins which are not authentic, but they are replicas of many soviet pins that existed during the Soviet Union in Russia. They are made of very light metal but they look very nice. The most popular badges are those of the Red Army, with an image of Lenin or other Soviet leaders, and those with Kremlin or traditional Russian symbols. They are relatively cheap, and unlike other expensive souvenirs one can buy several soviet pins or badges to give their friends and relatives as a unique souvenir from Russia.
Comments
2 comments postedI am travelling to Russia soon. Will I have trouble transporting such souvenirs as badges from Russia over the Russian boarder? Is there any tax I have to pay?
No, you do not need to pay any taxes or custom duty for souvenirs you buy in Russia if you buy a reasonable amount of them that does not look like you are going to resell them in your country. You could have trouble transporting real, authentic Russian badges over the boarder, as they are considered Russian relics. But as mentioned in the article, the souvenir badges are pretty light. The real Soviet pins which can probably be found only in a museum or private collections now, are quite heavy. So it is hard to confuse the souvenirs with the real relics. Anyway, it is better to keep your receipt after you buy them in Russia just in case. Have a safe trip!