{"id":15681,"date":"2022-10-07T11:20:08","date_gmt":"2022-10-07T09:20:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homesandantiques.com\/?p=36294"},"modified":"2022-10-07T11:34:15","modified_gmt":"2022-10-07T09:34:15","slug":"antique-military-medals-most-valuable-why-you-should-collect-and-how-to-spot-a-fake","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/homesantiques\/rss_feed\/antique-military-medals-most-valuable-why-you-should-collect-and-how-to-spot-a-fake\/","title":{"rendered":"Antique military medals: most valuable, why you should collect and how to spot a fake"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>

By Ellie Tennant\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Friday, 07 October 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

\u2018Sgt Liddell remained in his exposed position, which was now attracting fire, with complete disregard for his own safety and attempted to eliminate the machine gun with his grenades, at the same time waving to the platoon to advance\u2026\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018With utter disregard for his personal safety, he carried the wounded man to a ditch, helped to dress his wounds and personally helped him back to the nearest aid post\u2026\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

These vivid accounts of bravery might read like heroic scenes from dramatic war films, but they\u2019re accounts of real soldiers\u2019 lives \u2013 just a few glimpses of the awe-inspiring histories behind every antique military medal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why you should collect antique military medals and ribbons<\/h2>\n

Awarded for military service, military medals have been given to those working in the Air Force, army and navy, as well as in adjacent healthcare fields.<\/p>\n

\u2018The aesthetics of medals appeal but, for most collectors \u2013 myself included \u2013 it\u2019s the history of the recipient that really excites,\u2019 explains Adam Chapman, medal dealer at Harland Military Antiques, collector and consultant at Duke\u2019s Auctioneers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018When somebody puts a set of medals on your desk and you start to research the person who was awarded them, you often uncover an incredible story. It\u2019s like being a detective.\u2019 Adam has been hooked on antique medals since he was six, when his grandparents let him rifle through a large box of garage \u2018junk\u2019 destined for the tip and he found a number of medals from his grandfather\u2019s RAF days. This sparked a hobby that evolved into a career and a \u2018lifelong addiction\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

Expert medal dealer Chris Dixon of Dixons Medals has been obsessed with medals for a long time, too \u2013 55 years, in fact. \u2018I bought my first medal \u2013 a Waterloo one \u2013 for \u00a35 when I was 21,\u2019 he recalls. \u2018I\u2019d just opened my first shop. I sold it a few days later for \u00a37 and I was hooked from that moment onwards.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Important Crimea Group to Major Benjamin Relf, whom His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge referred to as \u2018one of the finest specimens of a cavalry officer\u2019. Sold for \u00a32,200 (est \u00a31,000\u2013\u00a32,000) at Duke\u2019s Auctioneers<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Finding out the provenance of a military medal<\/h2>\n

Like Adam, Chris is passionate about the research aspect of dealing and collecting medals. \u2018My office has floor-to-ceiling reference books on three walls. If we buy a Waterloo medal today, we can check the recipient on the roll to see which officer\u2019s battalion he served in. Second World War records are still slowly being released. Nothing information-wise post 1946 is available but,\nprior to that, you can find detailed service records, so if the recipient served in the First World War, you can go online and find out all about them.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

A lot of serious collectors are ex-military or ex-forces with a personal passion for medals, but interests vary. \u2018Some just collect army, navy or RAF medals,\u2019 explains Chris. \u2018Within those genres, some collectors want one example of each type of medal with one of each type of clasp \u2013 the term for the small metal strips that were often attached to the medal with the name of the place where the recipient saw action.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

Why you should collect medal sets<\/h2>\n

As well as single medals, sets of medals belonging to an individual are popular with collectors, as you can build up a full picture of the recipient\u2019s time in service.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
The exceptional Afghanistan \u2018Op Herrick 8\u2019 C.G.C group of eight. Awarded to Corporal later Colour Sergeant A.J. Stevens Royal Irish Regiment, sold for \u00a3120,000 at Duke\u2019s in November 2021. Sold with copy citation and certificate of service. Also included are copy letters of congratulations from numerous senior officers and the Governor of St Helena<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

What is the rarest military medal and what is it worth?<\/h2>\n

The Victoria Cross is extremely rare and can fetch huge sums. One recently sold at auction for about \u00a3330,000.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018We\u2019ve handled eight or nine Victoria Crosses over the years,\u2019 says Chris. \u2018They are extremely rare and can fetch huge sums. The last one that came up was sold at auction for about \u00a3330,000.\u2019 At the other end of the spectrum, a single, campaign medal can cost as little as \u00a365\u2013\u00a385.<\/span><\/p>\n

Military decorations such as \u2018Orders\u2019 are a genre of their own. Often awarded for bravery in war, the Orders such as the Most Noble Order of the Garter or the Most Honourable Order of the Bath are always of interest.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Great Britain the most noble Order of the Garter est \u00a310,000\u2013\u00a315,000, sold at Sotheby\u2019s in 2018<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Order of military medals: what are the most important?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Although the US has its own range of military medals, we\u2019re going to focus on the military medals awarded for service in the UK military.<\/p>\n

Here are the top military medals awarded in order of precedence, starting with the most prestigious award, the Victoria Cross.<\/p>\n

  1. Victoria Cross<\/li>\n
  2. George Cross<\/li>\n
  3. Conspicuous Gallantry Cross<\/li>\n
  4. Royal Red Cross (Class I) (awarded for nursing duties)<\/li>\n
  5. Distinguished Service Cross<\/li>\n
  6. Military Cross<\/li>\n
  7. Distinguished Flying Cross<\/li>\n
  8. Air Force Cross<\/li>\n
  9. Royal Red Cross (Class II) (awarded for nursing duties)<\/li>\n
  10. George Medal<\/li>\n
  11. Queen\u2019s Gallantry Medal<\/li>\n
  12. Queen\u2019s Volunteer Reserves Medal<\/li>\n<\/ol>

    How to find the most valuable military medals<\/h2>\n

    Provenance is everything when it comes to collecting military medals \u2013 rarity and service history are the factors that affect value. \u2018This might sound strange, but the same set of medals can have vastly different values, depending on the life story of the recipient who received them,\u2019 reveals Adam. \u2018One of the most common sets of First World War medals is known as the \u201814\u201315 trio\u2019 which consists of a 1914\u20131915 star, a British War medal and a Victory medal. If that trio had belonged to somebody who had served in the Royal Artillery, it might be worth about \u00a360. If it belonged to somebody who had served in the Durham Light Infantry, it would be worth \u00a385. If that man had been killed in action in May 1916, the value would go up to about \u00a3185 and if he\u2019d been killed on 1st July 1916 (the first day of the Somme) they\u2019d be worth \u00a3600\u2013\u00a3700.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

    Military medal chart<\/h2>\n

    The various military awards and decorations of the United Kingdom recognise service and personal accompaniments of individuals serving in the British Army or Royal Air Force. They are also awarded by other countries and nations around the world.<\/p>\n

    \"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
    Victorian engraving of Orders of Merit (credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

    Fake military medals: how to spot a fraudulent medal<\/h2>\n

    Look for evidence of \u2018R\u2019 removal<\/h3>\n

    Fraudsters sometimes grind the name off a medal and put another name on. \u2018If a veteran loses a medal, they get sent a replacement (with an \u2018R\u2019 for \u2018replacement\u2019 on it), but sometimes the \u2018R\u2019 is filed off in order to sell them for full value in an original set,\u2019 says Adam. \u2018If you have an eyeglass or a USB microscope and you know what you\u2019re looking for, you can see the file marks and evidence of previous lettering underneath.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

    Check the medal\u2019s clasps<\/h3>\n

    Another dirty trick is to add extra clasps to medals in order to increase their value. Chris was conned in this way in the early days of his career. \u2018Crooks sometimes did part exchanges with medals that had better clasps on them than they were entitled to have,\u2019 he recalls. The most common clasp is the \u2018SYRIA\u2019 one in the naval general series. \u2018I bid for an American action medal with the clasp: \u2018POTOMAC 17 AUG 1814\u2019 at auction recently for a Canadian client and it sold for \u00a318,500, but if the same medal had had a \u2018SYRIA\u2019 clasp, it would have only been worth about \u00a3800, unless the recipient had done something special,\u2019 explains Chris. Rank is another factor that influences value: \u2018If the recipient had been an officer, it would have doubled in value to \u00a31,600.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

    \"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
    Crimea war medal 1854\u201356 with one clasp, \u2018SEBASTOPOL\u2019 unnamed; Indian mutiny medal 1857\u201358, no clasp; Turkish Crimea medal, Lieutenant- Colonel T Burke 88th Regiment, \u00a31,790, Dixons Medals<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

    Nurses\u2019 medals<\/h2>\n

    It wasn\u2019t just soldiers \u2013 or men \u2013 who were awarded medals. Nurses who were working abroad at hospital stations bravely caring for servicemen who had been injured were often recognised, too. \u2018The outstanding ones were made associates of the Royal Red Cross. After that, they were awarded the First Class Cross,\u2019 says Chris, who has a rare nursing service group in stock for \u00a3850, including a large silver medal to \u2018Miss Gladys Hope-Lucas\u2019, plus letters, birth\nand death certificates and photos.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Top tips for collecting war medals<\/span><\/h2>\n

    Always buy from a reputable dealer because conmen can alter medals \u2013 adding extra clasps, filing off names etc. These adjustments are hard to spot unless you have years of experience and the right tools.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Join a medal club so you can show experienced collectors what you are buying and ensure your medals have not been tampered with.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Use a Medal Tracker to find family medals \u2013 the publisher of Medal News has a useful service online at tokenpublishing.com\/medaltracker<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Keep medals in protective plastic packets and avoid humidity. The ribbons are silk and can fade in direct sunlight, so keep them somewhere cool and dark.<\/span><\/p>\n

    How much are military medals worth?\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

    Price varies according to rarity and service history, but expect to pay \u00a365\u2013\u00a385 for a single campaign medal. Rarer or desirable groups of medals can fetch thousands.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u00a0<\/p>\n

    \"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
    Two of a trio of casualty medals to H O Grey sold for \u00a3290 for the three and a plaque by Bill Friar Medals & Militaria<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

    Are military medals a good investment?\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

    Military medals are a good investment because they hold their value and are always sought after by other collectors.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Sellers and buyers of antique military medals<\/span><\/h2>\n