Badges of honour
They may only be colourful ribbons and bits of metal, but each one tells a story of bravery and heroism
WHY would anyone want to collect medals? Come to that, why does anyone collect anything? For most, the answer is the pleasure and privilege of finding and owning tangible links to history and past lives.
Medals were and are awarded for service in specific campaigns, for long service, acts of bravery and heroism. For the collector, they are small – a lifetime’s hobby can be stored in the drawer of a cabinet – and they don’t necessarily cost a fortune.
For most, though, it’s the story behind the medal that matters. Here in the palm of one’s hand is an inanimate object that recalls a battle, a war, an outstanding moment in the recipient’s career, all of which leads the inquisitive down a path of research and discovery.
Dix Noonan Webb medal specialist Oliver Pepys makes the point. “I am always being asked about what to collect and how to start a collection… most importantly the stories of the recipients can be fascinating,” he said.
An example is one of the great rarities of medal collecting; a Conspicuous Service Cross awarded to Yorkshire-born Midshipman Thomas Livesey-Wardle, won for his gallantry under fire at the Battle of Graspan during the Boer War on November 25, 1899. It will be sold by DNW on February 27-28, estimated at £15,000-£20,000.
“The medal was awarded on only eight occasions during its short life between 1900 and 1914, and as a result, it is by far the rarest British gallantry award, far scarcer than either the Victoria Cross or George Cross,” Oliver says. “This is probably a once in a lifetime opportunity for a military medal collector.”
Another is a group of 10 medals awarded to Air Chief Marshal Sir Ralph “Cocky” Cochrane, who planned and presided over some of the most important air operations of the Second World War, the most famous being the Dambusters’ Raid in May 1943.
The raid, carried out by a specially formed squadron, is one of the iconic actions, not just of the Second World War, but of British military history. It is expected to sell for £6,000-£8,000.
“The last few years have seen the centenary of the Great War, and there has consequently been renewed interest in First World War medals, with the demand among collectors rising,” Oliver says.
“This is particularly the case for gallantry awards, such as the Military Cross and Military Medal, both of which were instituted during the Great War, and also for the campaign medals to the various short-lived Pals’ Battalions, that served, and in many cases were wiped out, during the Battle of the Somme,” Oliver explains.
The first campaign medal awarded to all ranks was for the Battle of Waterloo, but the Victoria Cross, awarded on 1,358 occasions, and the George Cross, on 408 occasions, are the most valuable and desirable. The highest price paid for a VC at auction was £700,000 in 2017.
However, the vast majority of medals are valued at between £100 and £2,000.
“It is this price range that helps underpin the current strength of the medal market as, while being affordable, all medals have a strong residual value. The range of buyers is equally diverse, with a mixture of private collectors, medal dealers, and the occasional museum or other institution,” Oliver says.
“Visiting auctions and talking to the experts is a great starting point but it would also be worth visiting the Britannia Medal Fair – the only dedicated medal fair in London.
“It comprises more than 50 stands and gives the chance to view and handle items in person, and to get an idea of the cost and value of items that may interest and excite,” says Oliver.