davidckahn Posted 23 July , 2013 Share Posted 23 July , 2013 This is my first collection, so while I recognize it's not a difficult one to form, I'm proud of it. The only ones I am missing are Siam and Brazil (and Poland, if you count that one)...given the price range on those, I'm going to content myself for now with finding quality copies. First 4: Great Britain, United States, Portugal, Belgium Second 4: Italy, Czechoslovakia, Cuba, Greece Third 4: Romania, South Africa, France, Japan I obviously need to get replacement ribbons for some of them, which I'll do when I'm getting ready to have them mounted. You may also notice that the Cuban one is missing its suspension...that's how I was able to get it for $100, rather than the usual $1000 that I've seen it for. Any suggestions about how to mount it? I hate to do something like superglue a new suspension onto it, but I'm thinking maybe some kind of putty will do the trick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lees Posted 23 July , 2013 Share Posted 23 July , 2013 Interesting collection, thanks for posting. Are the other nation's Victory medals issued named or un-named? Here is my (slightly different) collection of Victory medals - all to the 9th Bn. King's Liverpool Regiment: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidckahn Posted 23 July , 2013 Author Share Posted 23 July , 2013 Ha, and here I was so proud of my paltry 12. Only Britain and South Africa are named. I decided to go with one from each country, rather than focusing on a certain unit, because I'm much more a person who sees the forest rather than the trees. I like learning about the big, sweeping moves of certain historical topics, and don't have much of a brain for the flanking maneuvers of individual battalions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khaki Posted 23 July , 2013 Share Posted 23 July , 2013 Forgive my ignorance on this topic, but I realise that collecting victory medals is very popular due to the different nations variations of 'victory' on the obverse, and also as shown other collectors prefer one regiment or a variety of regiments, but please tell me in the grand scheme of collecting them as a complete set of differnt nations do Australia and New Zealand form part of the 'set' or do they come under the banner of Britain. By the way I think those two countries named their VM's, As to repairs I would consult a jeweller Nice collections regards khaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidckahn Posted 23 July , 2013 Author Share Posted 23 July , 2013 My understanding is that the British medal also includes the commonwealth countries. In other words, they are indistinguishable, except perhaps by the unit that the recipient served in. The South African medal is almost exactly the same thing, except that the reverse side is bilingual in English and Afrikaans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepoy Posted 23 July , 2013 Share Posted 23 July , 2013 Well done, I also have a collection of Allied Victory Medals, with the exception of Siam and Brazil, which can be seen at this link. Have you just collected the main official types or do you also collect the unofficial variations. With regard to the British Commonwealth Victory Medal issue, I have also been trying to build a collection of all Empire Units. This has some considerable way to go, but so far covers Australia, New Zealand, Canada, India, East Africa, Palestine, West Indies etc. Sepoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidckahn Posted 23 July , 2013 Author Share Posted 23 July , 2013 I've gone for official where I can, but my ones from Romania and Greece appear to be unofficial. Greek ones are common enough that I could easily get an official, but I snatched the Romanian one up as soon as I saw it, because they're so rare...didn't matter much to me if it was official or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepoy Posted 23 July , 2013 Share Posted 23 July , 2013 Strangely, the one VM which gave me the greatest difficulty in finding was Portugal. I note that yours is complete with buckle, so I still have examples to look out for. (when the bills let!) Sepoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidckahn Posted 23 July , 2013 Author Share Posted 23 July , 2013 Yeah, along with Romania, that was the toughest to find. I got Romania from eBay (waking up in the middle of the night to ensure I won the auction) and found Portugal on jkmilitaria.com. I had never found Portugal or Romania online before, and have seen neither since. Portugal was by far the most I've spent on a single medal thus far, and will likely remain so until one day I decide to splurge for a Siam or Brazil (if that one can even be found.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lees Posted 23 July , 2013 Share Posted 23 July , 2013 If you're pockets are deep enough, there is a Brazilian one for sale: http://www.liverpoolmedals.com/BRAZIL-official-issue-very-rare.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidckahn Posted 23 July , 2013 Author Share Posted 23 July , 2013 Wow, that's more than I would have thought...I thought they went for around $1500-2000 US, when they came up. For that kind of price, I'd probably set up a separate savings account and save a little bit each month, until I can eventually buy one out of that account--which would obviously take several years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bombadier Posted 24 July , 2013 Share Posted 24 July , 2013 Knowing absolutely nothing about this, can someone explain why there are official and unofficial medals. Thanks Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rflory Posted 24 July , 2013 Share Posted 24 July , 2013 Don't forget to include the Type I British Victory Medal along with the Type II (normal British issue). Both are official issues (see "The Type I Victory Medal", The Journal of the Orders and Medals Research Society, September 2009, pages 152-159). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepoy Posted 24 July , 2013 Share Posted 24 July , 2013 Good question Nigel The basic style of these medals was agreed at an Interallied Commission held in March, 1919. This was to stop a mass exchange of medals between the Allies, by each Nation issuing a similar commemorative medal to its own forces. The design of each Medal was left up to each Nation, but it was agreed that the Medals would incorporate a figure of Victory and be suspended from the same double rainbow ribbon. Unfortunately, not all of the Countries were very quick at producing the "Official" Medals, which led to various companies producing their own variants/designs to sell to the Veterans prior to the "Official" issue, or afterwards as replacements. These variants are known as the "Un-Official" Medals, which in some cases follow the issue designs, but in others such as in France are completely different. This is why, together with die variations and ribbon emblems/bars (issued by some Countries), it is an interesting series of Medals to collect. As a word of caution, there are also a number of reproductions/fakes which I try to avoid. Sepoy NB The main reference work on the subject is "The Interallied Victory Medals of World War 1" by Alexander Laslo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khaki Posted 25 July , 2013 Share Posted 25 July , 2013 In the US there were also issued State, County, City and Town victory medals, quite attractive medals and collectable in their own right. I only have New York and New Jersey but I am very tempted to expand. Occasionally they are found named. khaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bombadier Posted 25 July , 2013 Share Posted 25 July , 2013 Thanks for that Sepoy. All is clear now. Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthony osborne Posted 26 July , 2013 Share Posted 26 July , 2013 David/all, Fascinating collections - I never knew there were differences in VM for different Allied countries - you learn something every day! As a part Pole, I should know the answer but why would Poles be entitled to a VM - I've always thought that as Poland did not officially exist as an independent country during WW1 Poles would have fought on both sides - Germany or Russia? I must give this subject some more attention - my ancestors would not excuse my ignorance I'm sure! All the best, Ant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Burns Posted 26 July , 2013 Share Posted 26 July , 2013 David/all, Fascinating collections - I never knew there were differences in VM for different Allied countries - you learn something every day! As a part Pole, I should know the answer but why would Poles be entitled to a VM - I've always thought that as Poland did not officially exist as an independent country during WW1 Poles would have fought on both sides - Germany or Russia? I must give this subject some more attention - my ancestors would not excuse my ignorance I'm sure! All the best, Ant Hi Anthony, The Polish victory medal is a modern (1970's) fantasy. Polish troops fought on all sides (as you know) to issue a victory medal to only part of you veteran populations would be divisive to say the least. If anyone is seriously interested in this topic I recommend Alexander J. Laslo's "The Interallied Victory Medals of World War I" an excellent work both for the collector and those interested in the background of each countries/ medal. Hope this helps, Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Burns Posted 26 July , 2013 Share Posted 26 July , 2013 In the US there were also issued State, County, City and Town victory medals, quite attractive medals and collectable in their own right. I only have New York and New Jersey but I am very tempted to expand. Occasionally they are found named. khaki Hi, See if you can find Richard L. Planck's "State, County, City and Organization Medals for World War One" last edition was the Third in 1995. It will give you a grasp of the breadth of these medals, illustrations are poor (essentially photocopies) but the book is invaluable although not complete. Hope this helps, Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khaki Posted 26 July , 2013 Share Posted 26 July , 2013 Hello Neil, Thanks for the 'tip'on Planck's book, I am not familiar with it, but I will try and find a copy, regards khaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthony osborne Posted 26 July , 2013 Share Posted 26 July , 2013 Neil, thanks for clearing up the "Polish VM" question. Ant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ritterk Posted 5 August , 2013 Share Posted 5 August , 2013 I have a Italian medal group from a soldier who served in WW1 and WW2...but the Italian Victory Medal is missing.... Was it banned from being worn during the 1930s under the Fascist Government? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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