Nigel Marshall Posted 18 May , 2010 Share Posted 18 May , 2010 Since the surviving service papers and papers from the Dept of Pensions have been made available online, have the medal collectors among us noticed any difference in the prices asked for medals which have papers available, and those which don't? It's been a while since I have closely looked at medal prices, but recently I've noticed that for my regiment of interest, there seems to be fewer medals offered that have paperwork available online. Could this mean that people are off-loading the medals they have which are proving to be a little less easy to research? Are some people attaching a premium to the medals they have because a set of papers is in existence, and is this the right thing to do? I have found some very rewarding information about a number of 'my men' for whom there is no official paperwork left, and so, for me there is nothing off-putting in the absence of a service record. What are your thoughts? Cheers, Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnr.ktrha Posted 18 May , 2010 Share Posted 18 May , 2010 Hello, I do not think the service papers add too much value to a medal, in general. But the value is affected by what is contained within the papers. If there is a good story behind a mans service ie, wounded on the first day of the Somme/Loos/Gallipoli etc,or wounded more than once, then I think there are collectors out there who will pay more for the item. It is good when there are surviving service/pension documents, but like you, I find it more interesting when you hunt down information about the person in local newspapers, books etc. Regards, Stewart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1690philip Posted 18 May , 2010 Share Posted 18 May , 2010 I would disagree with Stewart, I think having records really does add value but agree that a good story behind the soldier or being wounded in a major battle would add value but hey I spend my cash on visiting the Battlefields. Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinhat47 Posted 3 June , 2010 Share Posted 3 June , 2010 They personaly to me add value as they tell the story of the man's life beyond a simple name on a lump of metal. For instance, I was reading the records of one R.E. pioneer whose BWM appeared on Ebay. He was a hairdresser with an undescended testicle who was remustered as a sapper with a proficiency as a road construction foreman. Another I'd seen recently was an Engineer who was part of the East African Campaign. Things like this make the medal even more interesting to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rksimpson Posted 4 June , 2010 Share Posted 4 June , 2010 I agree with you, Matt - helps to tell the story regards Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinhat47 Posted 4 June , 2010 Share Posted 4 June , 2010 The papers may actually raise monetary value for RE, RA, ASC and Labour Corps medals, as there are no regimental recruiting areas for units like these and trying to find where the man was from can be a lot harder when all you have to go on is a name and number block theories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
27thBN Posted 4 June , 2010 Share Posted 4 June , 2010 The papers may actually raise monetary value for RE, RA, ASC and Labour Corps medals, as there are no regimental recruiting areas for units like these and trying to find where the man was from can be a lot harder when all you have to go on is a name and number block theories. Could not agree more .so hard to get info on these units hence valued less in pure cash terms. With service record will be valued higherMC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinhat47 Posted 6 June , 2010 Share Posted 6 June , 2010 And just to illustrate, I've picked up a medal today from a man who was discarged as being medically unfit after breaking his leg in a company football match! His major was a good man though, and wrote that his injury was definitely part of his war service and thus eligible for pension. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Marshall Posted 6 June , 2010 Author Share Posted 6 June , 2010 Yes. I recently won an online auction for a pair of medals to a Gallantry MSM winner. If the papers had not been available online Iwould still have bid for them but probably got them for a fraction of the price I paid. I'm still pleased with my purchase though. Cheers, Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
27thBN Posted 7 June , 2010 Share Posted 7 June , 2010 Yes. I recently won an online auction for a pair of medals to a Gallantry MSM winner. If the papers had not been available online Iwould still have bid for them but probably got them for a fraction of the price I paid. I'm still pleased with my purchase though. Cheers, Nigel Good example of Information being worth more .I have had similar ,but as most people have access to getting info of the net its getting very hard to find that something special without everybody else knowing about it as well :angry2: . MC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchtrotter Posted 7 June , 2010 Share Posted 7 June , 2010 Although I have noted prices are generally falling papers or not. TT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nulli Secundus Posted 2 August , 2010 Share Posted 2 August , 2010 I agree with Stewart that the value of the actual medals does not rise with papers. The papers do help you get a feel for the man behind the medal. I've been collecting for 20 years and have had some really interesting stories. Someone killed by lightning in India. Another who joined at 18 and eventually made RSM Then of course there are all the medical records and the usual list of "recreational illnesses" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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