TOPIC:

I think they are quite expensive already!

I wonder how many were lost to the melting pot?

This snippet from www.researchingww1.co.uk/british-war-medal says:

Of all the medals awarded for service during the First World War, the British War Medal has had the toughest journey. In the late 1970s, the Hunt family tried to corner the silver market, sending the price of silver skyrocketing from $6 per ounce to $48.70 per ounce in 1979. The cost of the medal in the 1970s was far below its scrap value, and in consequence many were bought just to be melted down for their silver content. Though the silver bubble burst in March 1980, it was too late for an unknown number of medals which had already been melted down.

The consequence of the silver bubble can still be seen today, as many medal groups are missing the British War Medal or they are found with the suspender snapped off, due to this being made from an alloy, rather than solid silver.

Hello Meurig,

And nice selection you have acquired with some interesting recipients.
If only you could reunite

Regards
Paul

SWB wrote: I think the two bar KSA is a good medal to collect within certain parameters. The medal itself represents a minimum 18 months service during the latter part of the war, which was for many no picnic, and here the parameters start:

1. Unit awarded to - fighting, blockhouse or rear echelon (e.g. Cape Town)
2. Colonial/Navy KSAs scarcer than British Army
3. What did the recipient do to earn a QSA

This last parameter is the most interesting and where research pays off, I have single KSAs to:

Defenders of Mafeking = 2 (one wounded 31-10-1899 Canon Kopje (also Mashonaland 1897), BSAP, another to Herschel Native Police (27 KSAs))
Lindley POW = 1 (Johannesburg MR, previous service in IY)
Elandslaagte wounded = 1 (Manchester Rgt, QSA is Bf & E, an interesting combination, he bypassed the siege of Ladysmith in hospital I assume)

Of course with the price of KSAs collecting for something like the siege of Mafeking becomes very affordable.

Regards
Meurig

Hello Paul

Reunites are always a dream - but one set is out there for FC Newton, just waiting for them to resurface.

coldstream wrote: Hello Meurig,

And nice selection you have acquired with some interesting recipients.
If only you could reunite

Regards
Paul

SWB wrote: I think the two bar KSA is a good medal to collect within certain parameters. The medal itself represents a minimum 18 months service during the latter part of the war, which was for many no picnic, and here the parameters start:

1. Unit awarded to - fighting, blockhouse or rear echelon (e.g. Cape Town)
2. Colonial/Navy KSAs scarcer than British Army
3. What did the recipient do to earn a QSA

This last parameter is the most interesting and where research pays off, I have single KSAs to:

Defenders of Mafeking = 2 (one wounded 31-10-1899 Canon Kopje (also Mashonaland 1897), BSAP, another to Herschel Native Police (27 KSAs))
Lindley POW = 1 (Johannesburg MR, previous service in IY)
Elandslaagte wounded = 1 (Manchester Rgt, QSA is Bf & E, an interesting combination, he bypassed the siege of Ladysmith in hospital I assume)

Of course with the price of KSAs collecting for something like the siege of Mafeking becomes very affordable.

Regards
Meurig

Hi Everyone......

To those who went, will next year, to the O.M.R.S. convention how was it...... Lots for sale ???????

But to get back to thread.....

Was checking an auction today that was last week, estimated price vs realized prices of an auction here......

K.S.A. to 3024 Trooper J. Joyce, 3/N.S.W. I.B. was estimated at $1000.00 but sold for $650.00 which was a surprise......

Un-Dated QSA, estimated $650.00 sold for $1,800.00 which is still $400.00 cheaper than the last one I saw sold...... Maybe the economic downturn has hit the market.....

Mike