Something we buy a lot of here at Attic Antiques are military medals! But, they also tend to be the most confusing for sellers!
Britain has been issuing medals to soldiers since the Napoleonic War but the most were issued during WW1 and WWII.
The first thing to do if you have medals is to check the edges. Many will show a soldiers serial number, rank, name and who he was fighting with.
Things that make medals more valuable might be a a lower serial number, higher rank, more unusual name or rarer unit. For instance, the Royal Flying Corps only existed for four years during WW1 before becoming the RAF and medals from their servicemen are sought after!
Another good rule of thumb is, the more medals, the better! Also, if your medals come with bits of uniform, diaries, weapons or anything to do with that person's service - keep it! Every medal is a person and collectors relish the history. Furthermore, WWII medals are not marked on their edges so paperwork is vital!
Of course, the best thing you can do if you have medals is to get in touch with us! Not only do we deal in militaria but we also have a large collection ourselves and so we love finding new pieces.
See above for a WW1 War medal marked for 3578 Private G Thom of the Gordon Highlanders...
