philtaylor Posted 11 December , 2009 Share Posted 11 December , 2009 I also have a photo of the Anzac day march in Warrnambool Victoria in 1939 and surprise, surprise not one marcher is wearing a medal., Probably flogged them all. 'Whats that skip?' ..... 'theres a veteran trapped in the pawn shop?' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David B Posted 11 December , 2009 Share Posted 11 December , 2009 No problem Maldon, sdeems like I stirred a hornets nest (or medal collectors) what ever you like, I have made my point and I don't resile from that. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
27thBN Posted 12 December , 2009 Share Posted 12 December , 2009 Do you mean there are others on this forum who are not medal Collectors? :whistle: MC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philtaylor Posted 12 December , 2009 Share Posted 12 December , 2009 I suppose it depends on your definition of a collector, more than one in a box is a collection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
27thBN Posted 12 December , 2009 Share Posted 12 December , 2009 I thought it was more than 3 !!(300) MC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wainfleet Posted 12 December , 2009 Share Posted 12 December , 2009 No problem Maldon, sdeems like I stirred a hornets nest (or medal collectors) what ever you like, I have made my point and I don't resile from that. David You have not made a point. A point is a assertion supported by valid evidence. Without evidence, it is just an abitrary assertion, which is what you’ve made here. I will make an assertion of my own: The majority of WW1 medal, badge and militaria collectors see themselves as temporary custodians of important historical artefacts. I have been fascinated by the war since childhood and have collected “war relics” of one sort or another for 30 years. I am not “in it for the money”, and having met many, many other collectors, my experience is that neither are they. Of course they are sometimes happy to see their possesions go up in value, but that is very much a secondary consideration. The collect because they genuinely treasure and respect these artefacts and the human stories behind them. It mostly doesn’t bother me what wild assertions other people make, but yours is actually quite offensive to a number of fellow-users of this forum. I suggest that it is appropriate for you to either back it up or retract it. Regards, W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevem49 Posted 12 December , 2009 Share Posted 12 December , 2009 I thought it was more than 3 !!(300) MC I must be a collector of crisps then as I have four bags in the cupboard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lees Posted 12 December , 2009 Share Posted 12 December , 2009 What you pay is the going rate, the market sets the price for that medal. It may be more or less than for a similar medal but it is the going rate for that one. What has that got to do with anything? If you read what I actually typed you will see that I said, "David, how do you reconcile the greedy, profit-hungry collectors with those of us who are prepared to pay way over the going rate for medals in an economic climate that quite clearly indicates that prices will not be going up any time soon?" Whether you like it or not, there is a going rate for, for example a trio (non-casualty) to an unexceptional battalion of a line infantry regiment. If you look at a few dealers' websites you will see what that rate is. Read my post once more and you will see that I was taking about the price some of us are prepared to pay for a trio as described above. I have bought many trios for far less than I was prepared to pay, either because the dealer asked "the going rate" or because, at auction, no-one else was prepared to pay even a half of what I was prepared to pay. And the point I was making was that if I and others are greedy profit-hungry demons, then we aren't very good at it. And finally, to get back to the original subject of this thread, I don't think we can make the assumption that broken trios and pairs are generally the result of the melter's pot at a time when the silver was of more value to the owner than the medal itself. In my own collection I have 18 Victory medals missing the silver British War Medals and 17 British War Medals missing the Victory medal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dycer Posted 12 December , 2009 Share Posted 12 December , 2009 Maldon, I am lucky,if that is the right word. I am the custodian of two Trios,which,because they belonged to Casualties,have never appeared on the open market. I fully recognise that Survivors of the conflict,may have been forced to sell,a Medal,at its scrap value,to make ends meet. I am under no illusions about what happened in the 1920's and 30's,which caused ex-Soldiers,to divest themselves,of their money valued medals,in order to feed his Family,or else,allow his Wife,to pawn/sell her Wedding Ring,for the same aim. Reunited,does anyone have,are not phrases I understand. Because to reunite, means we are interfering with History,and any Medal Collector,worth his salt,will always ask himself.Why did he sell his money-making Medal,so many years ago? George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nthornton1979 Posted 12 December , 2009 Share Posted 12 December , 2009 Just to add my two pence worth about collectors been profit hungry etc etc I collect and carry out detailed research on the medal recipients. I have bought numerous medals and unearthed some fascinating stories about the man behind the medal which in turn makes them more desirable to collectors which then increases the price I will get if I sell. Q. Have I ever been offered a price for a medal/group that is much higher than what I paid. A Yes Q. Have I ever sold any for more than what I paid ? A. No I buy medals purely because they fascinate me. To have a DCM or Military Cross (or any medal at all) in my hand that was awarded for bravery all those years ago is an honour and a privelage. To research these remarkable men and think about what they went through to win it is very humbling. I often sit looking through my collection and read my research on the individuals. I don't sit there thinking - I know I'll buy some medals so I can sell them to make some money. That's a pathetic statement to make. Surely you must realise that ? Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philtaylor Posted 12 December , 2009 Share Posted 12 December , 2009 There are many factors that impact on the price of medals and nowdays it is very easy for dealers to research and add the premium for example 1st july casualties. if the SDGW disc and CWGC info was available in the 70's as it is now I have no doubt the prices would have gone up then. In 1990 I had the complete set of SDGW and used to take the KOYLI and Essex Regt volumes with me to fairs. I'm fairly certain that the money I have made from medals has more than paid for the research materials. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBettsMCDCM Posted 12 December , 2009 Share Posted 12 December , 2009 Ah it so good to see the return of the "evil medal collector " theme, Ive missed it for at least 2 months. Yep we've not been insulted so forcefully for a few months now... Having been collecting now for 50 + Years; I am still awaiting those massive profits!!!{there is no profit on a Collection~~ only upon its disposal....},{Though I do hope I will have left a legacy for my NoK to capitaize on,on my demise}, my enjoyment for the forseeable future is to care for the rows & rows of "Pip,Squeak & Wilfreds" & "Mutt & Jeffs",interspersed with the odd MM,MSM,DCM, et al, that reside in my ongoing Collection,all identical but all are unique as they individually represent one persons Service;That I research,file,& preserve for future generations that might just be interested enough to care about them!!!;We are admittedly an odd bunch but there is nowt wrong with being different!!~love us or hate us we are going to be around for a long long time!!. In response to the initial post I doubt very much if many "Collectors" disposed of Silver Medals by definition Collectors collect!!,more likely inspired by "Nationwide" & the "Tonight" programme reports of the '70s; Joe Public saw an oppourtunity to make a couple of quid on those old medals @ the back of the drawer & took them off down to the silver buyer in the local Market Place {A tad like the Plastic Bags being touted on TV today?????},even given that many of those flogged off were salvaged by enterprising persons who realised the Medals they were buying for ££ were ripe to increase dramatically & sat on them until the Market changed. That said everyone is entitled to their opinion, they are as someone much more erudite than myself like A********,everybody has one!!I may not agree but I will defend to the death your right to express it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wulsten Posted 12 December , 2009 Share Posted 12 December , 2009 and stretch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBettsMCDCM Posted 12 December , 2009 Share Posted 12 December , 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Blonde Posted 12 December , 2009 Share Posted 12 December , 2009 So what if the medals are split up, destroyed etc. The only ones that are concerned about this is medal collectors, who, for some unknown reason want a wall festooned with dozens of the same Pip, Squeak and Wilfred. Seen one seen them all. My view on medal collectors is that they are only in it for the money that can be gained buying and selling (only for a profit mind you). The men who really earned these medals from my reading didn't give a monkeys toss about them. Three of my rels who served just tossed them into the chest of drawers unmounted and forgotten. I also have a photo of the Anzac day march in Warrnambool Victoria in 1939 and surprise, surprise not one marcher is wearing a medal., Plenty of RSL badges though. Would appear the further away from 1914-18 the more these items become desirable - in the hands of collectors anyway. David What tosh, you Sir, seem to be mixing up Collectors, with Dealers, to quite distinct groups of people. "Dozens of the same" Except to a collector, the soldiers number, rank, name, and Unit are different on every one, and offer a great chance for the collector to research the items. For most, if not all collectors, the historic value will always supersede the perceived monetary value. Connaught Stranger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richardIII Posted 12 December , 2009 Share Posted 12 December , 2009 dycer, There are many more reasons why groups were split in the past other than 'to feed the family'. For instance when a man was killed and his medals were awarded to his next of kin, they may have been split so that each member of the familly got one or more. In this instance I consider it perfectly reasonable that when they are eventually sold by a caring distant relative, attempts are made to reunite them as a more complete group, Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilEvans Posted 12 December , 2009 Share Posted 12 December , 2009 I once gave a Death Plaque away for nothing! That said, I'll still keep collecting medals and i'll keep selling medals. I'm hardly a dealer, but i buy medals to sell at a slightly higher amount. The money i make goes into a fund for buying KSLI or Shropshire Yeomanry medals . Can't say i feel like i'm doing anything wrong. Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dycer Posted 12 December , 2009 Share Posted 12 December , 2009 Somme, I know. I should have added I am the current Custodian of two Trios. One Trio,was given by my Father(the Brother of the Casualty),to his Daughter,my Sister,on her Marriage,in the early 1950's. It was happy accident,that I named my Son,after my Father's Brother,and that my Sister,felt her Uncle's Medals should be returned to me,in the late-1990's,for safe-keeping for her Uncle's Great-Nephew. You work that one out!It made sense when I typed it. George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wulsten Posted 12 December , 2009 Share Posted 12 December , 2009 I once gave a Death Plaque away for nothing! That said, I'll still keep collecting medals and i'll keep selling medals. I'm hardly a dealer, but i buy medals to sell at a slightly higher amount the money i make, goes into a fund for buying KSLI or Shropshire Yeomanry medals . Can't say i feel like i'm doing anything wrong. Neil Im after a 15 star to the Essex Regt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilEvans Posted 12 December , 2009 Share Posted 12 December , 2009 You know you're too late. Twas posted on Monday, to Essex Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wulsten Posted 12 December , 2009 Share Posted 12 December , 2009 drat & double drat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lees Posted 12 December , 2009 Share Posted 12 December , 2009 You know you're too late. Twas posted on Monday, to Essex Neil Oh no! I was hoping to purchase that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wulsten Posted 12 December , 2009 Share Posted 12 December , 2009 Oh no! I was hoping to purchase that. careful could be double bluff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen White Posted 12 December , 2009 Share Posted 12 December , 2009 To late, you sold it, oh dear South Staffs Pals meetings will never seem the same again Stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilEvans Posted 12 December , 2009 Share Posted 12 December , 2009 It did do the rounds in Wolverhampton and Chester. It has now been replaced by a RAMC 1915 Star to an R. Evans Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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