The campaign stars

[2dresq]

Greetings,

I have become interested in wanting to obtain the star medals: The Atlantic, Air Crew, France and Germany, Italy, Pacific, etc...

My question is this: Is there any construction differences on a re-issue vs. the wartime non-addressed model?

I have seen such a difference in price for some and others seem to have an almost bronze/copper look and then there areothers that have a more shiny, and polished look. Is there a significant price difference between the war time vs a reissue? I ask because I continually see some stars, such as the Atlantic Star have an elevated price, but in my novice opinion, they appear to be not of that period. Can anyone guide me in this area? Were there different makers for these awards; is that the explanation for the varied appearances? Did the material to construct change due to war time requirements for certain metals/alloys in these pieces?

Can anyone share some advice for someone who is looking to expand their collection?

Regards,

JustinG

2dresq

Here is my only two examples so far.

Thank you for your time

[Ulsterman]

Hmmmmmm BIG question. Do a search on British campaign stars and you'll scratch the surface.

Two things:

1. The MOD is still issuing these stars today (see the MOD site under medals). Newer stars are inferior in quality to the older ones (issued in late 1940s-early 1950s).

2. I do not think the stars themselves were made during the war (although I have seen reference to Churchill awarding the first Africa star to a general in North Africa in 1943)...but, like the US campaign medals, only ribbons were awarded up to 1945.

Ed Haynes has written quite a bit regarding Indian made stars and these also are different in quality and other subtle ways.

These stars have also been faked/copied...most notably the Air Crew Europe star, which was copied as early as 1965.

[Mervyn Mitton]

Justin - if you have any trouble obtaining British issue un-named Stars, I can help with most of them. Air Crew Europs - as Ulsterman has said, is an expensive one and great care has to be taken to check it out. When you buy one make sure there is a guarantee of authenticity.

[Odin Mk 3]

I know the man who was the last head of the Army Medal Office before it closed down. He has frequently said that the stars produced over the years since the war have varied quite a bit, because multiple sets of dies have been used in their production. Also there are some stars that were made with various 'differences' like larger rings and others with the rings not soldered together. So apart from the numerous copies that have been produced, there are also variations in the officially issued stars.

On the other point raised. The stars were not manufactured until after the war but two ribbons were issued while the war was still going on. These were the 1939-43 Star (later renamed 1939-45 Star) and the Africa Star. So soldiers etc were permitted to wear these ribbons before the actual medals were even produced. The initial ruling was that servicemen would receive either the 1939-43 Star or the Africa Star but not both (so they could only receive one ribbon initially). This was later changed and the awards were not mutually exclusive.

[Ulsterman]

Good stuff. Any chance the Army medal office chap can give us details about the variations and dies?

[Odin Mk 3]

I believe this is a genuine Air Crew Europe Star awarded to F/Lt N V Borland who was kia 23/4/1945 whilst serving as a pilot with 266 Sqdn. The medal has been privately engraved.

[Odin Mk 3]

Ulsterman

No sorry, but believe it or not he also struggles to tell whether a star is genuine or not. So what hope is there for us? Also the Army Medal Office never had any definitive records / information on the dies used in the manufacturing process. They merely issued the stars that were sent to them.

I know he complained when the stars with larger rings started arriving and he got them to revert back to smaller rings. However recently I have seen officially issued stars with unsoldered rings (he probably would have sent those back as well if the Army Medal Office were still open with him in charge).

Edited September 23, 2009 by Odin Mk 3