Why no Hallmark on British War Medals, Silver War Badges etc?

[DuncanBro]

Hello, a question that's been on my mind, why wasn't the British War Medal, Silver War Badge, and other silver medals, hallmarked? I thought a hallmark was required by law on all silver items?

[depaor01]

There's a specific exemption for precious metal coinage of the realm or foreign coinage. I would imagine military medals would maybe come under a similar exemption,  although I can't find an official reference to back this up.

Dave

[CorporalPunishment]

1 hour ago, DuncanBro said:

Hello, a question that's been on my mind, why wasn't the British War Medal, Silver War Badge, and other silver medals, hallmarked? I thought a hallmark was required by law on all silver items

As I understand it a hallmark is required on items made for sale.  The BWM and the SWB were not made for sale.      Pete.

[DuncanBro]

4 minutes ago, CorporalPunishment said:

As I understand it a hallmark is required on items made for sale.  The BWM and the SWB were not made for sale.      Pete.

Ohh, that would explain it, thanks.

[fellop]

It is my understanding, and this may not be the final or even correct answer to your question, but I have been under the impression that regulations for Hall Marking state that:

Anything which is to be described as Gold, Silver or Platinum must be Hall Marked as such if it is to be sold as such unless it falls below the appropriate exemption weight of 7.78 grams.

The opt out here is that the BWM was not for sale, it was awarded only to those who qualified for its award under regulations set out by authorities.

The same applies to the Silver War Badge. This was not for sale and only awarded to those that qualified for its award under a set of regulations.

My thoughts and understanding only, as always interested to read other views.

Regards

Peter

Edit I see Pete [above] has posted the same, sorry. Makes note to self, type faster you fool. 

[Alan24]

The 1937 to 1942 ARP badges were hallmarked. I wonder if the wearers had to pay for their badges?

Edited 13 August , 2023 by Alan24

[DuncanBro]

3 hours ago, Alan24 said:

The 1937 to 1942 ARP badges were hallmarked. I wonder if the wearers had to pay for their badges?

Ohh yes, forgot that one. Thought the idea that medals and the SWB weren't made for sale so no hallmark needed answered the question, but this rather contradicts that. May be you're right in that the wardens badge had to be purchased. 

[chaz]

hmmmm. that now makes me wonder. As the medals and badges are now on the resale market do they need stamping retrospectively?

 

watching Antiques Roadshow, they often mention about old silver needing full marks to comply with new laws on silver.

 

as there is no exemption on 500 year old silver chalices etc, why would there be on 100 year old medals.

Edited 14 August , 2023 by chaz

[depaor01]

Maybe because they are government issued there is no need to officially declare the silver purity. An old sovereign would have a similar guarantee of purity and aren't hallmarked even though they are traded.

Dave

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

Because they were struck by the Royal Mint,  Awards struck by Private Concerns, such as DSC and OBE/MBE, by Garrards were hallmarked!

[collectorsguide]

The silver bullion for the BWM was sourced from melting Victorian coins,so no hallmark needed. [There's not many people know that !! ] ATB Headmaster xx

[Alan24]

4 hours ago, collectorsguide said:

The silver bullion for the BWM was sourced from melting Victorian coins,so no hallmark needed. [There's not many people know that !! ] ATB Headmaster xx

In 1920 the silver coinage was debased from .925 silver to .500, primarily, as I understand it, to pay off war debt to America*.

I suppose there was a great recovery operation going on at the time.

History repeats itself in 1946 when the Americans* got the other half!

* other countries may have been involved.

[depaor01]

5 hours ago, collectorsguide said:

The silver bullion for the BWM was sourced from melting Victorian coins

 That is a gobsmacking fact. It's a wonder there are any Victorian coins left in existence!

I know you're a leader in the field of British medals research, but is there a source for this?

Thanks,

Dave

[collectorsguide]

Yes,of course,the good old TNA/R MINT Files. I think the coins used were the florins,but possibly and,/ or also ;half crowns.ATB Headmaster.

[depaor01]

1 hour ago, collectorsguide said:

Yes,of course,the good old TNA/R MINT Files. I think the coins used were the florins,but possibly and,/ or also ;half crowns.ATB Headmaster.

Amazing. Many thanks.

Dave

[Ivor Anderson]

5 hours ago, Alan24 said:

9 hours ago, collectorsguide said:

The silver bullion for the BWM was sourced from melting Victorian coins,so no hallmark needed. [There's not many people know that !! ] ATB Headmaster xx

In 1920 the silver coinage was debased from .925 silver to .500, primarily, as I understand it, to pay off war debt to America*.

I suppose there was a great recovery operation going on at the time.

History repeats itself in 1946 when the Americans* got the other half!

* other countries may have been involved.

 An amazing historical fact. I read somewhere that 90M ounces of silver from the 50% silver coins was sent to the US as part payment of war loans post WW2.

I will look at each BWM with even greater reverence now, as a reminder of the debasement of our currency over the past 100 years.

Each BWM contains around an ounce of sterling silver from our former sterling coinage!

Now even our coppers aren't copper, just copper plated steel since the early 1990s. We just swap shrapnel in payment today.

Our coins have been debased, like those of the Roman Empire, as have those of other Western nations, inc. the USA. National bankruptcy beckons.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pound_sterling

Edited 6 September , 2023 by Ivor Anderson

[Alan24]

1 hour ago, Ivor Anderson said:

Now even our coppers aren't copper, just copper plated steel since the early 1990s.

Copper coins ceased in 1860.

When gold was discovered in Australia in the late 1850s the copper miners went after the gold creating a shortage of copper and the inevitable price increase. 

The addition of 4% tin to the copper produced bronze. Being a much harder metal than copper allowed bronze coins to be thinner and smaller in diameter, thus reducing the copper content further. 

In around 1990 the scrap value of a 2p coin came very close to exceeding 2p. 

As Ivor has said, since 1992 we've had copper plated steel for 1p & 2p and we also have nickel plated 5p & 10P. 

Edited 6 September , 2023 by Alan24

[Ivor Anderson]

5 hours ago, collectorsguide said:

I think the coins used were the florins,but possibly and,/ or also ;half crowns

  A Florin was c.11.3g of sterling silver (4/11ths of a troy ounce), so the silver of getting on for 3 Victorian florins (3 x a 2 shilling piece) was used to make one BWM!

  I assume all 92.5% silver coins in the Mint's hands were melted down and used to make the BWMs or 50% silver coins from 1920.

[depaor01]

6 hours ago, Ivor Anderson said:

I will look at each BWM with even greater reverence now

I will be pondering the many Victorian hands the silver in my medal collection passed through before it was reborn as an award. This is still slightly blowing my mind!

Dave