5th December 2024
We recently had our head valuer in the collectables department, Richard Beale, interviewed for SAGA Magazine. SAGA magazine incorporates real-life stories, exclusive celebrity interviews and travel inspiration in their magazines and online platforms.
Please head to https://www.saga.co.uk/saga-money-news/how-much-are-my-medals-worth to read the full article.
Which medals are most valuable?
If you’re helping a family member declutter their home, you might come across a military or sporting medal. Richard Beale, who values medals and other collectables at auctioneers Warwick & Warwick, says the most collectable are military medals.
“Generally speaking, sports medals are interesting rather than valuable, unless they’re high profile,” he adds.
Military medals could come from the first or second world war or more recent conflicts such as Afghanistan, but awards from the Battle of Waterloo also come up at auction. Because medals awarded in the second world war were issued to many servicemen and women, they tend to be less valuable, but there are exceptions.
The order of precedence sees the Victoria Cross as the premier award, along with the George Cross. There have only been around 1,350 Victoria Cross medals awarded for great bravery since its inception in 1956.
Those sold at auction have won widely varying prices. Usually sold as part of a set of an individual’s medals, auction prices have ranged from £2,800 into six figures. One exceptional auction price was £1.5 million for the medals of Captain Noel Chavasse, an Olympic athlete who is one of only three people to be awarded the Victoria Cross twice, including the only VC and Bar of the first world war.
What’s the best way to store medals?
Medals are designed to be durable and they’re intended to be worn with pride, so don’t worry if you haven’t wrapped them in cotton wool and hidden them away. Ideally you would keep them dry, advises Beale.
“Collectors know they’re going to be worn with pride, so you don’t need to keep them locked away in their box. If someone’s on parade they’ll give them a bit of a shine to make them look better, but the condition wouldn’t necessarily affect their value,” he adds.
Some families decide to split their relative’s medals so everyone has a memory of their beloved hero, but if you’re thinking of selling them it’s better to keep them together.
“Splitting a collection might seem like it’s fair for siblings, but it’s a disaster from a collectors’ point of view because they want every medal one person was awarded. Collectors will pay more for the entire set,” says Beale.
If you have missing medals, you could search Medal Tracker to find them.
How much are my medals worth?
Beale says one of the most important factors is the size of the unit in which the men or women served. “While the Royal Artillery is a body of many thousands of men, certain regiments are more specific, for example Staffordshire or Middlesex Regiments. People have an emotional collection to the regiment if they had relatives who served in them.”
More recently awarded medals have value too, with Beale noting that some of the more expensive items have been from modern campaigns such as Iraq and Afghanistan.
“We had a Conspicuous Gallantry Cross with us a few years ago from action in Iraq and we got over £50,000 for that,” he says. “But if you want to start collecting medals, it’s still accessible. You don’t need deep pockets to buy historically interesting things.
“In the first world war, you were awarded the 1914-15 Star if you were serving at the start, then could also get the British War Medal and victory medal. You can start collecting those if you’ve got £40 or £50, or you could pick up the trio for £70.”
How can I get the best price for my medals?
Specialists not only give the medals the respect they’re due, they have contacts with collectors who are passionate about them.
“Medal collecting is a small world and a lot of buyers will stick with reputable auction houses,” says Beale. “We’ve spent decades building up a clientele of collectors and a lot of our best customers don’t really want to buy off eBay or similar sites, they want to know what they’re getting and it gives them confidence.”
The first step if you’re approaching a reputable auction house is to send a photo, then a specialist will contact you to help you get the right price.
Are you thinking of selling your medal collection or perhaps part of it? Would you like us to value your collection and give you advice on how best to market it? Visit our Medals department page for more information or call us on 01926 499 031 and ask to speak to one of our experts.