WW1 medal groups...

[Chris Boonzaier]

I am at some stage going to buy myself a WW1 group.

From what I hear, a regular group will just be the Victory medal, Purple heart and maybe silver star coming in the 1930s...

Just what would a group like this cost? ie. named silver star with purple heart and a victory medal.

Then a simple purple heart and victory?

Thanks

Chris

[hunyadi]

A rough guess would be about $1000-1500 if you have a SS, PH, and Victory with documents. Could even go for more as WW1 PH are hard to get and desired by almost all of us. In reality it was a small number of individuals that actualy saw combat in WW1 - but those that did suffered fairly high casualty rates - the Marines particularly

[Dave Danner]

The most "typical" WW1 US group, as opposed to just single medals, is a Victory Medal, state Victory Medal and maybe dogtag group, with maybe some other items - pins, rank insignia, etc. - thrown in. Groups with decorations - wartime issue ones like the DSC or DSM or post-1932 ones with the Purple Heart and/or Silver Star - are, as hunyadi notes, rather expensive.

As we've discussed before, the US Victory Medal came with bars, unlike the British one. Like the German 1870/71 KDM, though, since the medals aren't named, with any combination of bars the best you can usually figure out is what division, in some cases what regiment, a particular combination would have gone to.

For example, here on eBay is a Victory Medal with four bars: Aisne-Marne, Oise-Aisne, Meuse-Argonne, and Defensive Sector. This particular combination would normally indicate service in the 32nd "Red Arrow" Division, a division made up mainly of Wisconsin and Michigan National Guard soldiers. It could, I suppose, also be for a 28th "Keystone" Division soldier from Pennsylvania who wasn't around from 15-18 July 1918 and did not qualify for the Champagne-Marne clasp.

Having something else for attribution, though, helps. I have a 28th Division group with the Victory Medal, Pennsylvania Victory Medal and a dogtag to a private in K Company, 110th Infantry Regiment. With the dogtag I have his name and service number. The 110th Infantry was mainly from southwestern Pennsylvania, around Pittsburgh. Because he was wounded on July 29, 1918, he was not with the division for the Oise-Aisne (18 Aug-11 Nov 1918) or Meuse-Argonne (26 Sept-11 Nov 1918) offensives. Thus he only has the Champagne-Marne, Aisne-Marne and Defensive Sector clasps. If he ever applied for and received his Purple Heart, it was later split from the group. He was discharged in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania but based on Social Security records lived in New Florence, a tiny borough near Johnstown (site of the famous flood) east of Pittsburgh. He lived from 1894 to 1980.

For a little broader context, the 110th Infantry was founded as the 10th Pennsylvania in 1873. It served in the Spanish-American War, the Philippine-American War, on the Mexican border in 1916, in World War I, and in World War II (Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes-Alsace, Rhineland and Central Europe campaigns). In World War II, it fought in the Huertgen Forest, the Battle of the Bulge and the reduction of the Colmar Pocket, among other battles. A reinforced company served in Kosovo from July 2003 until February 2004. The 110th deployed to Iraq in June 2005.

[Ed_Haynes]

To get a rough idea, you may want to glance at the catalogue and results from the last (16 November 2006) FJP auction -- http://www.fjpauctions.com/ -- though, in these days, no one can say how these results from happier days will relate to what, if anything, will happen in the future. Looking at results from a good auction house like FJP will be a better guide to reality than e$cam.

[Ralph A]

[Jacky]

THAT is a really nice group....

Even named???

Kind regards,

Jacky

[Rocky]

THAT is a really nice group....

Even named???

Kind regards,

Jacky

Ralph,

Outstanding group & case. WOW! :

[Dave Danner]

Here is the more basic group, the group to PFC Durbin of Pennsylvania to which I referred above.

[Ralph A]

THAT is a really nice group....

Even named???

Kind regards,

Jacky

Yes, it is named, and to a person meaningful to myself on several different levels (not a relative - a casual, much-removed connection). I'll make it the subject of a separate thread, and soon.

[IMPERIAL QUEST]

They can be quite pricey, (low 4 figures in this case) unless you find someone you can trade with....

[IMPERIAL QUEST]

Original corresponding numbered boxes to the issue/official seen in the display.

Edited June 21, 2007 by IMPERIAL QUEST

[Chris Boonzaier]

WOW!

How about a lesson in what all those medals are... I recognise.... two.... (Blush)

[Andwwils]

There are only three official US government issued medals in that last group. As an aside, the original issue-boxes for those medals are harder to find than the medals themselves! Well, except the Victory Medal box...but you' ll go a long, long time before you see a blue-boxed 1930's or 1940's issued Mexican Border Service Medal or Purple Heart.

My experience with WWI groupings has been limited to what has generally been said above. The most you can hope for when going to some of the older estate auctions around here is to turn up a lone Victory Medal with MAYBE some dog-tags, buttons, etc. from the same man.

Edited June 22, 2007 by Andwwils

[IMPERIAL QUEST]

WOW!

How about a lesson in what all those medals are... I recognise.... two.... (Blush)

Hi Chris,

This grouping is in transit to me, so I will have to decipher what the very last medal is when I get it. The others, starting at the top, from left to right are as follows:

1. Purple Heart Medal w/one OLC. Officially engraved and numbered to the recepient.

2. Mexican Border Service Medal. Officially numbered.

3. WW I Victory Medal w/Champagne Marne, Aisne-Marne, (unofficial) Chateau Thierry, Oise-Aisne, and Defensive Sector

clasps.

4. State of Pennsylvania Mexican Border Service Medal.

5. State of Pennsylvania WWI Victory Medal.

6. French Chateau Thierry Commerative Medal.

7. French Verdun Commerative Medal.

8. USA Veterans of Foreign Wars Membership Medal.

9. American Legion Membership Medal.

10. ?

The corresponding ribbons are for all of the above except for the Verdun Medal (I do not believe there was ever a ribbon bar for this medal)

I would like to add that I have found that Sgt. Lomison was in the 28th "Keystone" Division, as well as the 12th Cavalry. He was a police officer Pennsylvania from 1925-1958, and he lived to the ripe old age of 100; he passed in 1992.

Edited June 27, 2007 by IMPERIAL QUEST

[Bill Brouillard Jr.]

On 01/02/2007 at 12:58, Ralph A said:

A very nice group !! - Is the Society of American Military Engineers Medal named on the reverse?

Edited May 31, 2022 by Bill Brouillard Jr.
additional question

[Bill Brouillard Jr.]

Here is a grouping to a Seagoing Marine from WWI

 

 

Edited August 11, 2022 by Bill Brouillard Jr.