QSA OXFORD LI

[Jock Auld]

Guys,

As stated above, 3190 Pte B Davis Oxford LI.

Orange Free state and Cape Colony.

Regards

Jock

[Pylon1357]

Is this QSA his full entitlement, or was he entitled to the KSA as well?

I must say I do like the look of medals from this era, but way outside my collecting area. I have 1 QSA KSA pair, I picked up primarily to keep them together as they were being sold separately.

[peter monahan]

I would guess, from the condition of the edge and the fact that he has only the two 'been there' bars, no battle bars, that he likely only qualified for the single medal for SA and, depending on when he joined and left the army, perhaps only the one medal for his career, if he wasn't a regular army man.

Always liked the QSA, though its only tangentially related to my interests - a few were issued to the Indian Army, mostly to cavalry sowars who went out with remounts from India and a couple who served as 'aides' to Lord Roberts. It is an attractive design, however, and I've always liked the ribbon. And, of course, it marks a significant point and event in the course of Britain's imperial progress.

Peter

[Jock Auld]

Guys,

Its not really my bag, it was on its own ready to be melted down for scrap, so I bought it at scrap value.

Jock:)

[Michael Johnson]

He was a 3rd Battalion (Militia) man, attached with others from the 3rd Battalion to the 1st Battalion. He was entitled to a King's South Africa with both bars.

Michael

[Jock Auld]

Michael,

Thanks for the info, that was all that was there though from a local silver dealer at the flohmarkt.

Jock:)

[Michael Johnson]

Families often split up medals so everyone got a memento.

A nice medal with some good service.

Some history here: http://www.angloboerwar.com/unit-information/imperial-units/580-oxford-light-infantry

Michal

Edited September 28, 2013 by Michael Johnson

[Jock Auld]

Guys,

I know this is a bit rude but what would be a fair price for it?

I am determined to contribute something to Ricks fund.

Jock:)

[paul wood]

QSAs to the Oxford Light Infantry are quite infrequent on the market, a KSA sold for £65 in 2008. I would have thought that the unit is worth more than the medal so I would suspect a figure in the area of £100-120 would be in order (with the KSA I would reckon double). normal 2 clasp state medals would be about £70.

Hope this helps.

Paul

[Nelson1805]

I notice the laurel on the reverse is pointing to the 'R' which I think means it's an earlier version. Are there any 'ghost dates' in the space below the laurel? I can't quite see in your photo.

[Jock Auld]

I notice the laurel on the reverse is pointing to the 'R' which I think means it's an earlier version. Are there any 'ghost dates' in the space below the laurel? I can't quite see in your photo.

You are quite correct, there is a very feint 1899 and below that 1900, how odd?

Cheers

Jock:)

[peter monahan]

There were three strikings of the QSA:

1ST TYPE, with dates 1899-1900, is quite rare. A few, for example, were awarded to the first contingent of Lord Strathcona's Horse, a Canadian unit, and command big dollars over here. The unit also adopted the springbok, a SA antelope, which it still wears on its badges, during the Boer War

2ND TYPE: after it became clear that the war would not end by 1900, the dates were ground off the medal dies, but still show up on the second type, especially when the medals tarnish. Dealers advertise the ghost dates as if they were something rare, which they're not really.

3RD TYPE: new dies made without dates.

So, Jock has a second striking. Good eye, Nelson!

Peter

Edited October 29, 2013 by peter monahan

[QSAMIKE]

Good Morning Paul.....

I concur the Oxford medal that I have with just 2 bars was purchased in 2002 for the sum of $100.00......

Mike

QSAs to the Oxford Light Infantry are quite infrequent on the market, a KSA sold for £65 in 2008. I would have thought that the unit is worth more than the medal so I would suspect a figure in the area of £100-120 would be in order (with the KSA I would reckon double). normal 2 clasp state medals would be about £70.

Hope this helps.

Paul

[QSAMIKE]

Good Morning Jock.....

This comes up quite often on various sites and forums.......

Here is one of my stock answers......

As a collector of QSA's for over 35 years I will not pay any extra for a Ghost Date medal.... I went through my collection a number of years ago and I found the breakdown of 37% type 1a and had Ghost Dates, 63% were type 2 and 3..... Note: not including my Three Dated medals LOL..... In checking prices there was no real difference between the two so far as price was concerned..... I have seen dealer lists where they have 2 medals one Ghost and one not to the same regiment with the same bars and the Ghost medal is 30% higher and all I do is shake my head.....

Mike

You are quite correct, there is a very feint 1899 and below that 1900, how odd?

Cheers

Jock:)

Edited October 29, 2013 by QSAMIKE

[Jock Auld]

Good Morning Jock.....

This comes up quite often on various sites and forums.......

Here is one of my stock answers......

As a collector of QSA's for over 35 years I will not pay any extra for a Ghost Date medal.... I went through my collection a number of years ago and I found the breakdown of 37% type 1a and had Ghost Dates, 63% were type 2 and 3..... Note: not including my Three Dated medals LOL..... In checking prices there was no real difference between the two so far as price was concerned..... I have seen dealer lists where they have 2 medals one Ghost and one not to the same regiment with the same bars and the Ghost medal is 30% higher and all I do is shake my head.....

Mike

Mike,

As usual I have gone about things the wrong way, since this is not my bag I just compared it to some of the similar listed items with same bars, while I appreciate evreyones input the price has been adjusted downward to €75 with me picking up the postage, it is not for my gain but for a good cause in that it would go to Rick NOK fund, I fear I have missed the boat on that but you never know? I think given all of the information now €75 is a good price, preferably for a young/new collector in this field? if some-one out there thinks I am way off then tell me and I will adjust further but that won't help Ricks relatives.

Jock:)

Edited October 29, 2013 by Jock Auld

[QSAMIKE]

Hello Peter.......

In answer to your list......

I think and it is my opinion that there were possibly four strikings of the QSA:

1ST TYPE, with dates 1899-1900, is quite rare. A few, for example, were awarded to the first contingent of Lord Strathcona's Horse, a Canadian raised unit..... Was originally and officially called during the Boer War as Strathcona's Horse, the "Lord" did not come into effect until just before WW1.....

THERE ARE 64 KNOWN EXAMPLES OF THE RAISED DATE QSA..... BUT NOT ALL WERE AWARDED TO THE STRATHCONA'S.....

Other Known Dated Queen's South Africa Medals.

Lt.Hon. F.H.S. Roberts, V.C., Natal, Relief of Ladysmith, Killed-in-Action, Colenso December 15th, 1899. This medal is stated to be Un-Named and is located at the National Army Museum.

Col. C.F. Mooses A.S.C., Belmont, Modder River, Relief of Kimberly, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Wittebergen, South Africa 1901.

19467 QMS H. S. Smith, RE, Cape Colony, Paardeberg, Johannesburg.

25837 Driver E.J. Budd, 66th Battery Royal Field Artillery, Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal, Orange Free State.

Un-Named medal in Collection in South Africa - No Bars on Medal but has raised dates

Un-Named medal in Collection in Canada - Natal, Orange Free State, Belfast, South Africa 1901

THE UNIT THAT ADOPTED THE SPRINGBOK AS A CAP BADGE WAS "THE FIRST CANADIAN MOUNTED RIFLES" WHICH BECAME "THE ROYAL CANADIAN DRAGOONS" .......

I HAVE ATTACHED A PHOTO OF THE STRATHCONA CAP BADGE.....

1a TYPE (aka TYPE 2) IS THE GHOST DATE MEDAL

2nd TYPE (aka TYPE 3) IS WITH THE ARM TO THE "R" WITH NO GHOST DATES

3rd TYPE (aka TYPE 4) IS WITH THE ARM TO THE "F" IN AFRICA

Anyway that is my humble opinion as there has always been an argument about 3 or 4 dies.....

Mike