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Old Medals

PostPosted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 7:35 pm
by peter
I came across this lot of old war medals that have kicked around our house for years.
Always wondered if they were worth anything.
Image

Re: Old Medals

PostPosted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 10:38 pm
by Dugald
Yes Peter, and a quick and simple answer to your question is yes, they're worth something. How much are they worth ? I don't know, but most of the medals are simply general service medals for both WWI and WWII, and are worth only a nominal amount. I have no idea what the big star at the top is. The five six-pointed stars at the top and the two at the side are WWII medals. There is a complete selection here, including some that are more scarce than aothers. . There is also a set of WWI general service medals (3). They are made of better metal than the WWII medals... the silver coloured one is real silver. This is a good selection and I wouldn't sell them unless I was really broke... keep them!

Re: Old Medals

PostPosted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 11:53 pm
by rotten milk
the wee coins, is that silver 3d/6ds? particularly the one with the wee hole in it

i have one similar from my grandparent's time, it's like it was so you could put them on a chain?
was this mebbes a good luck thing?

anyhoo, there should be sites on t'interweb which can help you indentify them

Re: Old Medals

PostPosted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 1:55 am
by Roxburgh
Don't know much about medals but that looks like two silver threepennies at the bottom.

One clearly has a Victoria "young head" which dates it to before 1887. However, condition is everything and it looks too worn to be of much value. The other silver threepenny is a Victoria old head which dates it between 1892 and 1901. The hole in it removes any value it might have had. There is also a George V silver threepenny.

Amongst the medals I think I see a 1914 - 1915 Cross. I only know this because we still have my grandfather's. Another of the medals is also Victoria Old Head and the QEII one says Cyprus on the clasp so that dates it pretty well.

Re: Old Medals

PostPosted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 3:49 am
by glasgowken
The large star is almost certainly mainland European, Dutch or Belgium maybe ??
Not really my field to be honest :oops: :?

Re: Old Medals

PostPosted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 11:57 am
by Peekay
Hi Peter,
They're all on here except the big one in the middle

http://www.northeastmedals.co.uk/britishguide/british_index.htm

'Fraid most of them aren't worth anything. The service stars are ten-a-penny since they were handed out to everyone who served in the respective theatres(marked on them. Burma, France+Germany, etc) and nothing out of the ordinary had to be done to achieve one(i.e. V.C, D.C.M, etc). The only two that might be worth something are the General service(1918-1962) with Cyprus clasp (£50-£100) and that's because of the clasp/bar and not the medal itself and the Queen Vic one. I'd need to see the reverse to tell more about that.

PK

Re: Old Medals

PostPosted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 1:06 pm
by Dugald
I don't think the coins are "thruppenie bits" (note the pronunciation!). I'd guess they are "tanners"

Peter, I'm not quite in agreement with PK, I think the medals are worth something. Yes, we'd have to define the meaning of "worth". The service stars are not quite "ten-a-penny " but his point is correct. Among the general service medals the Burma Star is probably worth most, not a lot, but I'd guess I could buy one here in Canada for about $10, or $15 if the ribbon is in good condition. The WWI silver-coloured medal is of silver and sells according to the current price of silver.

Re: Old Medals

PostPosted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 2:21 pm
by Peekay
Quite right Dugald. When I said they're not worth anything I meant in as much as I wouldn't plan my retirement on them. Having had a wee shufty about the you're probably looking at £250-£300 for the lot. Assuming there's nothing particuarly special about the big one.

PK

Re: Old Medals

PostPosted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 2:25 pm
by Its_a_gamp
I don't think the big one is a medal, I think it is more likely to be a regimental badge.

Re: Old Medals

PostPosted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 6:15 pm
by Roxburgh
Dugald wrote:I don't think the coins are "thruppenie bits" (note the pronunciation!). I'd guess they are "tanners"

Peter, I'm not quite in agreement with PK, I think the medals are worth something. Yes, we'd have to define the meaning of "worth". The service stars are not quite "ten-a-penny " but his point is correct. Among the general service medals the Burma Star is probably worth most, not a lot, but I'd guess I could buy one here in Canada for about $10, or $15 if the ribbon is in good condition. The WWI silver-coloured medal is of silver and sells according to the current price of silver.



I wondered if they were "tanners" (sixpence) but they looked a bit small for a tanner.

I have a sizable collection of "tanners" so know a little bit about them. The Victorians did quite a lot of experiments with the coinage. The Florin, for example,was introduced with a view to decimalising the coinage. There were also double florins, a four pence coins at various times.

Re: Old Medals

PostPosted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 8:14 pm
by floweredpig
Whenever i see campaign medals i always try and think of the story behind them.

Re: Old Medals

PostPosted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 9:24 pm
by DMcNay
Can you post a pic of the other side of the Queen Victoria one? I'd be interested to know what that one is.

Also, can you have a look round the rim of the medals and post what they say? I can look up some details for you if you can tell me what's stamped aroudn the rim.

The big star isn't a British regimental badge.

Re: Old Medals

PostPosted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 9:27 pm
by DMcNay
Oh, and the 1914-15 Star (the one in the centre) has the wrong ribbon on it. That's the ribbon for the (WW2) France and Germany Star, which is second down on the left.

The man's details will be on the back of the 14-15 Star.

These family medals?

Re: Old Medals

PostPosted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 12:58 am
by Roxburgh
DMcNay wrote:The man's details will be on the back of the 14-15 Star.


Yes. There should be the name and service number. From there, you can look up the medal card on Ancestry. I was able to do that for my grandfather. Tells you when they entered the theatre of war (Feb 1915 for my grandfather), what branch of the army (Royal Garrison Artillery) and when they were demobbed (or, for WW1, posted to Army Groyup Z).

Re: Old Medals

PostPosted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 1:07 pm
by Peekay
DMcNay wrote:Can you post a pic of the other side of the Queen Victoria one? I'd be interested to know what that one is.
.


I think the Queen Vic one is missing the bar. I'll hazard a guess at India or Crimea, vague Afghanistan.

PK