medal value help

[Lg80]

Hello all,

 

I would appreciate a rough idea of the value of A british, Victory and Military medal and bar to a Sgt, who served in the 6th Northampton Regiment. The medals are grubby and the ribbons in tact and in good condition. The medals do have the soldiers name on the rims and he was killed in action in 1918 and buried in France.

 

I am not in possession of these medals but are inquiring on behalf of a colleague. I have seen prices ranging from £550 to £3000, so I'm confused over the true value. Also does anyone have a recommendation of where to sell them?

 

Thank you, I would appreciate any help

 

 

[tullybrone]

For the assistance of members I’ve searched  CWGC for likely candidates and this is the only 6th Northants  man listed with MM & Bar.

 

Steve 

 

https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/337761/richardson,-thomas-albert/

Edited 7 February , 2018 by tullybrone

[Jim Strawbridge]

It would depend on the desirability of the Regiment (if popular, more collectors chasing it and paying the appropriate price) and the type of "Boy's Own" gallantry for which the M.C;. and bar was awarded. So you are unlikely to get a definitive answer here.

[Lg80]

Thank you for looking and your replies. 

 

[Steven Broomfield]

2 hours ago, Jim Strawbridge said:

It would depend on the desirability of the Regiment (if popular, more collectors chasing it and paying the appropriate price) and the type of "Boy's Own" gallantry for which the M.C;. and bar was awarded. 

 

MM and Bar, Mr S.

[chaz]

5 hours ago, Lg80 said:

Hello all,

 

I would appreciate a rough idea of the value of A british, Victory and Military medal and bar to a Sgt, who served in the 6th Northampton Regiment. The medals are grubby and the ribbons in tact and in good condition. The medals do have the soldiers name on the rims and he was killed in action in 1918 and buried in France.

 

I am not in possession of these medals but are inquiring on behalf of a colleague. I have seen prices ranging from £550 to £3000, so I'm confused over the true value. Also does anyone have a recommendation of where to sell them?

 

Thank you, I would appreciate any help

 

 

is that three medals or two? a British , Victory and Military . British being British Victory or British War and Victory? if its as above his MIC is Albert Richardson, entitled to a pair.

also Military Medal or military medal and bar or just a ribbon bar?

 

as for price, depends where you want to sell.  ebay has world wide interest and market place, an Auction House has more dedicated collectors, obviously the price would depend on commission. the more commission at auction comes off sellers price also buyers premium.

a basic MM £350 with pair £400-450 but with died , regiment, action, citation........

imagine if he had rescued a VC to earn MM 5 figures?   is it definitely Albert Richardson?

 

oh and ribbons, most would replace them for display  is there any other paperwork? more the higher the price.

[Lawryleslie]

If the Medal ribbons are original and in good condition then I wouldn’t replace them. Original Medal ribbons of WW1 are made from silk whereas replacement ribbons are not unless you buy original spare silk ribbon which are quite expensive.

Edited 7 February , 2018 by Lawryleslie

[Lg80]

Hello yes it is Albert Richardson known as 'Thomas Albert Richardson'.

He enlisted at Ramsey and served with 6^th Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment in France

One of his gallantry awards is in the Gazette on 29^th August 1918, I could not find the other.

Sergeant Albert Richardson was killed in action on 18^th September 1918 at Ronssoy at the ‘Battle of the Hindenburg Line – Battle of Ephey’, aged 21.

Son of Stephen and Harriet Richardson of Ramsey St Mary’s, Huntingtonshire.

He is buried at Templeux -Le- Guerard British Cemetery, Somme France.

There are 3 medals:-  British war medal, Victory medal and the military medal and bar. They all have their ribbons not sure if they are original.

I can't find his service papers and there is no other paperwork with his medals. I could not find find any mention of why he got the military or bar. 

3 hours ago, chaz said:

is that three medals or two? a British , Victory and Military . British being British Victory or British War and Victory? if its as above his MIC is Albert Richardson, entitled to a pair.

also Military Medal or military medal and bar or just a ribbon bar?

 

as for price, depends where you want to sell.  ebay has world wide interest and market place, an Auction House has more dedicated collectors, obviously the price would depend on commission. the more commission at auction comes off sellers price also buyers premium.

a basic MM £350 with pair £400-450 but with died , regiment, action, citation........

imagine if he had rescued a VC to earn MM 5 figures?   is it definitely Albert Richardson?

 

oh and ribbons, most would replace them for display  is there any other paperwork? more the higher the price.

Hello yes it is Albert Richardson known as 'Thomas Albert Richardson'.

He enlisted at Ramsey and served with 6^th Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment in France

One of his gallantry awards is in the Gazette on 29^th August 1918, I could not find the other.

Sergeant Albert Richardson was killed in action on 18^th September 1918 at Ronssoy at the ‘Battle of the Hindenburg Line – Battle of Ephey’, aged 21.

Son of Stephen and Harriet Richardson of Ramsey St Mary’s, Huntingtonshire.

He is buried at Templeux -Le- Guerard British Cemetery, Somme France.

There are 3 medals:-  British war medal, Victory medal and the military medal and bar. They all have their ribbons not sure if they are original.

I can't find his service papers and there is no other paperwork with his medals. I could not find find any mention of why he got the military or bar. 

[ForeignGong]

Hi

 

MM https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30873/supplement/10132 MM heading P10113

 

Bar https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31227/page/3414

[Lg80]

2 minutes ago, ForeignGong said:

Hi

 

MM https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30873/supplement/10132 MM heading P10113

 

Bar https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31227/page/3414

That explains it. I suppose he must have got the bar around the time he died. Thanks for that.

[Kitchener's Bugle]

Is your friend just curious about the price or his is thinking about it for insurance purposes?

[ForeignGong]

Here is one on that web site

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/112791315910?ul_noapp=true

only has 10 hrs to go but is Irish

 

Peter

[depaor01]

5 hours ago, ForeignGong said:

 

Edited 9 February , 2018 by depaor01
Removed as I was wrong

[Lg80]

On 2/9/2018 at 00:44, Kitchener's Bugle said:

Is your friend just curious about the price or his is thinking about it for insurance purposes?

Hello, It is to sell not for insurance.

[Stebie9173]

The MM was probably for actions in the opening days of the German Offensive (by cross referencing other awards to 6th Battalion in the same Gazette), the Bar was for crossing the river  Ancre with CSM Radley on 22 August 1918 as mentioned in the 54th Brigade history.

 

Page 173: "Some gallant work was done at the [Ancre] river crossings. On the right a company of the Northamptonshire Regiment was held up for some time by heavy machine-gun fire. In the face of this, Company Sergeant Major L. Radley and Sergeant A. Richardson succeeded in getting across and the enemy then withdrew. The courage of this W.O. and N.C.O. was largely the means of enabling their company to get forward.

 

C.S.M. Radley was was also awarded a bar to his M.M. in the same Gazette issue. His M.M. was from 1916.

 

 

Steve.

[Coldstreamer]

The bar it's self is worth a couple of hundred.  I've sold a single mm due a bar for 700 recently with no bar

It's worth asking a few dealers for a price as well as bigger auctions like dnw or spinks

No idea on the popularity or collectability of the regiment but IMHO worth north of 1300.

 

[Lg80]

5 hours ago, Stebie9173 said:

The MM was probably for actions in the opening days of the German Offensive (by cross referencing other awards to 6th Battalion in the same Gazette), the Bar was for crossing the river  Ancre with CSM Radley on 22 August 1918 as mentioned in the 54th Brigade history.

 

Page 173: "Some gallant work was done at the [Ancre] river crossings. On the right a company of the Northamptonshire Regiment was held up for some time by heavy machine-gun fire. In the face of this, Company Sergeant Major L. Radley and Sergeant A. Richardson succeeded in getting across and the enemy then withdrew. The courage of this W.O. and N.C.O. was largely the means of enabling their company to get forward.

 

C.S.M. Radley was was also awarded a bar to his M.M. in the same Gazette issue. His M.M. was from 1916.

 

 

Steve.

Thank you for this

4 hours ago, Coldstreamer said:

The bar it's self is worth a couple of hundred.  I've sold a single mm due a bar for 700 recently with no bar

It's worth asking a few dealers for a price as well as bigger auctions like dnw or spinks

No idea on the popularity or collectability of the regiment but IMHO worth north of 1300.

 

Thank you for your help

[Ivor Anderson]

Further to the above thread I add the following (MM & Bar with Trio) sale prices for future information/reference (neither sale has any connection to me!):

 

1) 25-05-2020 (on ebay) MM & Bar with trio - Corporal John Paterson RAMC 45476                   £1435

2) 06-06-2020 (on ebay) MM & Bar with trio - Sidney H. Whiting 21993 Herts. Regt, later MGC - £ 975

 

 L/Cpl Sidney Whiting's MM (LG 29th August 1918):

 

Edited 14 June , 2020 by Ivor Anderson

[Ivor Anderson]

I recently acquired a copy of 'The Medal Collector' by Stanley C. Johnston (pub. 1921). I was interested to read on p.233: 'We have seen an occasional specimen of the Military Medal offered for sale at prices averaging twenty-five shillings' (£1.25) - a few years post WW1. £1 was then a gold sovereign, which currently sell for £360+, putting the average price of a MM at £450 in pounds today. That's inflation (government money printing) for you! 

It sadly proves that some MM winners (or their families) felt it necessary to sell their MMs so soon after WW1!

 

[Keith_history_buff]

42 minutes ago, Ivor Anderson said:

It sadly proves that some MM winners (or their families) felt it necessary to sell their MMs so soon after WW1!

 

I was told by a family member (now deceased) that it was common, in a 'land fit for heroes' with its moribund postwar economy, for medals to end up in pawnshops. Whilst I got the impression that the finances raised were paltry, there was a plausible "sentimental value" associated with them, with the result that there was a higher likelihood of the medal recipient would redeem the loan. 

[Coldstreamer]

Surprised ramc sold for so much more

[Ivor Anderson]

1 hour ago, Coldstreamer said:

Surprised ramc sold for so much more

It may be a special interest reason due to his becoming a Baptist minister post WW1:

 

 

[Alan24]

5 hours ago, Ivor Anderson said:

: 'We have seen an occasional specimen of the Military Medal offered for sale at prices averaging twenty-five shillings' (£1.25) 

 

4 hours ago, Keith_history_buff said:

or medals to end up in pawnshops. Whilst I got the impression that the finances raised were paltry, there was a plausible "sentimental value" 

You would think that the MM would have, in 1921, a similar intrinsic value to that of the silver Crown, which is slightly larger than the MM.

So at £1.25 for the MM compared to 25p for the Crown (5 shillings) there does seem to be quite a bit of added value.

 

I wonder what price the BWM was selling for in 1921?

 

Regards

Alan.

[Ivor Anderson]

The book does not mention a sale price for the BWM post WW1. The BWM was still being issued by 1920/21 whereas the MMs had probably all been issued by then. The reputation and relative rarity of the MM as a gallantry medal probably commanded a higher pawn price, just as it does today. Sadly, many BWMs sell close in price to the silver content even today.

Edited 15 June , 2020 by Ivor Anderson

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

On 14/06/2020 at 20:16, Alan24 said:

 

You would think that the MM would have, in 1921, a similar intrinsic value to that of the silver Crown, which is slightly larger than the MM.

So at £1.25 for the MM compared to 25p for the Crown (5 shillings) there does seem to be quite a bit of added value.

 

I wonder what price the BWM was selling for in 1921?

 

Regards

Alan.

The BWM "price" in the 1960s was around 7/6d, the 1st Spink's catalogue, (which I bought then) shows WW1 medals at around that sort of price! An MM was listed at £4!!, The DCM irrc was around £16:00, for comparison in the 1920s a soveriegn was currency at a £1, they were only £4 each in the 1960s!