Selling Medals

[StickyFingers]

Anyone done it?

Know collectors out there love that sort of stuff?

If there a premium on officially awarded medals and not replicas?

Whats the going rate for medals at the minute?

 

[Witty_Banter]

TBH I don't think I'd ever sell my medals - not that they have any significant meaning to me (I'm not bothered about shiny chest decorations) but they're the only piece of kit I won't be handing back at stores when I leave. They're worth nothing to me, but my wife would shoot me if I sold them - so they'll end up as a hand-me-down memory for the kids

 

[E E E E E E E E AR]

TBH I don't think I'd ever sell my medals - not that they have any significant meaning to me (I'm not bothered about shiny chest decorations) but they're the only piece of kit I won't be handing back at stores when I leave. They're worth nothing to me, but my wife would shoot me if I sold them - so they'll end up as a hand-me-down memory for the kids

Sorry, this is going to drag this off topic.

It's funny you should say that though.

I've just started doing my family tree and a few are military men. It's sad that I can find very little about them. This has put me in a bit of a (very British) bind.

I've got a couple of medals which, as you say, will be passed down ... but I'm torn whether to write the story behind my getting them. I imagine mine is a fairly boring career compared to some of you guys, but I can't help think that some sprog descendant of mine, a century down the line, could find it mildly interesting.

or is it just bragging?!

 

[ninjarabbi]

I wouldn't dream of selling my medals. They provide a solid representation of my service career and hopefully can be passed onto my (unfortunately) Australian relatives.

 

[rocket scientist]

I've got both my Grandfathers' medals and will be passing them along with mine to my Grandchildren. Given that 2 of my steplads are in the forces as well, there should be quite a collection for the future generation.

 

[Witty_Banter]

Sorry, this is going to drag this off topic.

It's funny you should say that though.

I've just started doing my family tree and a few are military men. It's sad that I can find very little about them. This has put me in a bit of a (very British) bind.

I've got a couple of medals which, as you say, will be passed down ... but I'm torn whether to write the story behind my getting them. I imagine mine is a fairly boring career compared to some of you guys, but I can't help think that some sprog descendant of mine, a century down the line, could find it mildly interesting.

or is it just bragging?!

I think they're worth tracking through time (for future family sentimental value, rather than cash value) - I have somehow ended up with somebody else's grandparent's medals, which I've been trying to return to the proper owner for years. Hopefully they, in turn, have my grandfather's medals, and we can swap (if they don't, I would still return the ones that don't belong with me).

I'm also pretty sure my career is as equally boring as yours, but as I'm Int, I'll say nothing and they can use their imagination - probably far more exciting than the truth!

 

[StickyFingers]

I can sell them when I leave, pocket the coin, then send my kids and grand kids on an epic adventure to find them in a few years. Got it.

 

[Johned]

Selling Medals Your Message

Selling Medals Your Message

Many years ago my late mum was trying to raise some cash so she sold her father in law's (my paternal grandad's) Boer war medals to Sothebys. My brother and I lamented this action of hers when we found out some time later. However and rather unbelievably, within the last year my brother saw them come up on a medal dealers' website in Dublin and purchased them and they are now back within the family.

 

[Digzster]

I wouldn't dream of selling my medals. They provide a solid representation of my service career and hopefully can be passed onto my (unfortunately) Australian relatives.

Does this mean they are then to be worn upside down on the right rear shoulder then?

Just checking, as I will probably have to do the same thing with mine when I croak.

 

[rest have risen above me]

Can I turn this the other way. My grandfather being a dissillusioned by war man decided at the end of the war to send all his RAF medals back. My aunt was asking the other day if you can get them back somehow.

 

[GrimReaper09]

Many years ago my late mum was trying to raise some cash so she sold her father in law's (my paternal grandad's) Boer war medals to Sothebys. My brother and I lamented this action of hers when we found out some time later. However and rather unbelievably, within the last year my brother saw them come up on a medal dealers' website in Dublin and purchased them and they are now back within the family.

holy necro post batman....

I've been researching my family and recently found a great great uncle's British War Medal (WW1) on ebay that had been sold many years ago and bought it straight away. i also found the whereabouts of my uncles NI medal and my grandad's two medals were up for auction Jan 2017 but i missed them (uncle's and grandad's were either lost or stolen in the 1970's).

 

[Gonterseed]

Sorry, this is going to drag this off topic.

It's funny you should say that though.

I've just started doing my family tree and a few are military men. It's sad that I can find very little about them. This has put me in a bit of a (very British) bind.

I've got a couple of medals which, as you say, will be passed down ... but I'm torn whether to write the story behind my getting them. I imagine mine is a fairly boring career compared to some of you guys, but I can't help think that some sprog descendant of mine, a century down the line, could find it mildly interesting.

or is it just bragging?!

Writing it all down, even in a boring factual way is not bragging. It can also be used as a historical archive, should you wish to share it with, for example, the RAF Museum.

 

[Oldstacker]

Sorry, this is going to drag this off topic.

It's funny you should say that though.

I've just started doing my family tree and a few are military men. It's sad that I can find very little about them. This has put me in a bit of a (very British) bind.

I've got a couple of medals which, as you say, will be passed down ... but I'm torn whether to write the story behind my getting them. I imagine mine is a fairly boring career compared to some of you guys, but I can't help think that some sprog descendant of mine, a century down the line, could find it mildly interesting.

or is it just bragging?!

I'm with Gonterseed on this one. Having been doing my (and my wife's) family trees for the best part of 20 years now I have lots of facts about people (DoB, Marriage, death etc) even the basic documents for things like military service. But what always strike me is how little I know about the personalities and lives of most of them - even the relative recent ancestors. I firmly believe that if you have done anything remotely interesting in life (and most of us that have worn uniform have had 'interesting' experiences) then you should record it.
You'll never know, of course, but maybe in 30, 40, 50 years time some grandsprog or great grandspsrog will read it on WDYTYA & say "he had a tough/funny/easy/brave life, I wish i'd known him...."

 

[rocket scientist]

Same here Oldstacker.

I have my Grandfather's General Service medal for Cyprus - I have been told that he was there during the Suez campaign and a couple of pics of him in front of an old RAF truck but that's it.

On the other hand, my other Grandfather's service in India with the Suffolk Regiment is very well documented - even going to the extent that some of his photographs appear in a regimental history book.

 

[Mightyquin]

I've got a few WW1 medal pairs and trios. They're surprisingly cheap considering (and they are originals not re-issues). I think the most I paid was £70 for a trio. It's sad that they aren't cherished by some relative instead.

The value jumps up significantly if the medals belonged to someone significant of course, or a rarer now disbanded regiment.

 

[Rigga]

My Mom was German. Born in Hamburg in 1924 she was a member of the Hitler Youth and eventually the German Land Army steering searchlights over Celle. After the War she returned to a bombed-out cellar in which her family lived and in 1947 she wqas persuaded to move to Wales to fill the huge UK gaps in competent Coal Board admin staff.

Because of Hitler’s obsession for the purity of Ayrian blood most of the population’s Ancestry “Passports” were full of lies hiding anomalous bloodlines and the real family records were systematically destroyed. My maternal family’s blood lines stop there.

My Dad was Irish. He was born in 1920 in Dublin. in 1943 he joined the British Army and served as a signaller in No 9 Parachute Regt in which he did a few drops into Europe. He was discharged in late 45 and went to work in Welsh Coal Mines....where he met his future wife.

My sister researched his history and found that his mother was murdered south of Dublin as an IRA sympathiser. There are at least three books and one folk song regarding the ensuing mock trial of the two murderers, a Garda Inspector and a Doctor (both British).

It is now apparent that my father may also have strong ‘familial links’ to the Poet and Irish Politician W.B. Yeats. We have police pictures of her body when she was found and the actual bullet removed from her body. My sister continues her research...

Unfortunately, the main source of Irish birth records was burned down during the Irish uprising (in 1919?) so our family’s paternal blood lines stop there too.

 

[Rigga]

Just noticed the date/year errors - I’ll amend them when I can!