Specimen Medals

[Captain Dave]

I don't really collect medals, but I do have a WW1 BWM marked speciman on the rim. My questions are,

How common are they.

Why were they marked this way.

(As far as the rest of my collection goes, I also have a SA VM, and that's it!)

[Guest Brock]

Medals marked "Specimen" were usually given to museums for display purposes.

Specimen medals are uncommon but aren't as desireable to collectors as a medal named to a person who served in the war.

[Guest Pete Wood]

I know a memorial plaque is not classed as a medal. But the specimens were made for the departments who had an interest in them: War Department, Admiralty, Colonial Office etc.

These are worth considerably MORE than named plaques.

If anyone has a SHE DIED plaque with Specimen on it, I think you could swap it for a small house in France.

[Guest Ian Bowbrick]

It depends on the collector. I am sure that someone like Howard Wilkinson would be interested in it as would others based around the East Anglia area.

Ian

[Tom Morgan]

I know a memorial plaque is not classed as a medal. But the specimens were made for the departments who had an interest in them: War Department, Admiralty, Colonial Office etc.

Pete could you describe these plaques further? Did they have a made-up name, or was the box for the name left blank? Or is that where it said "Specimen"?

Tom

[Guest Pete Wood]

The name box stated which department the specimen was made for. I have also seen one which just says 'SPECIMEN.'

All the ones I have seen have the roman numerals for 1919.

Photo courtesy of DM (Thank you).

[Tom Morgan]

Fascinating to see this. We don't normally get the chance to think about all the background work which went into the various commemorations which we take for granted now.

Tom