Pete1052 Posted 16 August , 2011 Share Posted 16 August , 2011 Recently The Journal of Martinsburg, WV had this story about a hoard of Great War medals found at a local veterans' organization. I believe the one pictured is a campaign medal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
River97 Posted 16 August , 2011 Share Posted 16 August , 2011 Having a quick look they seem to be the semi-official type issued by various states. Still, a rather large amount of history there. Reading the heading for the topic I was thinking a bag of Commonwealth campaign medals. Cheers Andy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Owl Posted 16 August , 2011 Share Posted 16 August , 2011 A nice find and great if they could be now given to the descendants of those to whom they were originally intended. These are, what I think we in the U.K. would call "Tribute Medals", and are quite collectable, particularly if they are named. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete1052 Posted 16 August , 2011 Author Share Posted 16 August , 2011 I doubt that many of those medals have much monetary value and some of the things I've read about valor awards being sold on E-Bay by families not giving a damn give me pause. Perhaps they should be mounted in a frame or frames and displayed in a museum or on a wall at that veterans' organization facility. However if any descendants want the medals back they should be given them. I have the impression that most of those awards were "I Was There" recognitions and not awards for heroic derring-do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Owl Posted 16 August , 2011 Share Posted 16 August , 2011 The medals described in the article are not awards for heroics, but simply a "welcome home and thank you for fighting on our behalf", from the local community or an organisation. These type of medals are found in the U.K. and can be made from gold, silver or bronze and are generally named to an individual serviceman. Apart from its intrinsic value, such a medal if named becomes immediately researchable and hence this adds to its value. Sadly, if the price of gold and silver continues to rise, then the scrap value can outstrip its collectable value and so there then becomes a danger of these items being melted down. Those described in the article are most likely to made from some type of copper alloy or base metal and hence are unlikely to suffer this fate. They will however have a collectable value Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete1052 Posted 26 August , 2011 Author Share Posted 26 August , 2011 Six of these medals have been returned to the families of the intended recipients. There's a follow-up story at this link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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