Starting to collect british medals pre 1920

[Ökenräven]

Hello guys,

I've come across a british South Africa medal with a Cape Colony-clasp and has found a lot of interest in starting to collect british medals from the colonial campaigns and also those awarded during ww1. My questions to you guys with a bit more knowledge than me is:

Do you got any suggestions where I should start? My budget per piece is at max somewhere around 2-300£ to start with.

Do you know the best places/websites where I can buy good quality items?

If someone on the forum has some items, preferably like a "starter-pack" of some items, please contact me at Oscar@stockholmia.se

Thanks in advance!

Best regards

Ökenräven 

[Alex K]

Hi welcome to the world of collecting,

You could start with these

Not always the cheapest but guaranteed originals

http://www.liverpoolmedals.com/British-Medals-and-Decorations/

plus

http://www.british-medals.co.uk/british-medals/single-campaign-medals.html

https://buymilitarymedals.com/collections/british-medals

https://london-medals.co.uk/british-medals-decorations/campaign-medals-singles

 

Have fun,

 

regards

 

Alex K

 

 

Edited August 21, 2018 by Alex K

[Ökenräven]

Hello,

Many thanks for the info! A lot of interesting items there!

If anyone of you guys want or would consider to sell some of your pieces, feel free to contact me.

 

Best regards

Ökenräven 

[Ökenräven]

Hello,

one more question guys, do you know any website or literature that is a must to read before I really get in to this? So I can minimize the risks of obtaining fake items.

 

Best regards

Ökenräven

[IrishGunner]

One thing you might want to consider is some sort of focus.  Colonial campaigns and WWI is quite broad.  You could end up become a "hoarder" versus a "collector" without some sort of focus to narrow that span down some.  For example, a particular regiment that you have some interest in; the Scottish regiments could be place to look since Scots have a history of serving the Swedish crown as mercenaries.  Or at least a branch or corps, like infantry, artillery, or engineers. 

My focus for British medals is the Royal Artillery and Irish regiments.  Of course, even that has expanded when an interesting Scottish or Welsh regiment piece has come along.  I've even a few Royal Army Medical Corps and Army Ordnance Corps pieces.  So, you see it can be difficult to stay focused even when you have a focus!

[Gunner 1]

Ökenräven wrote: "one more question guys, do you know any website or literature that is a must to read before I really get in to this? So I can minimize the risks of obtaining fake items."

I would make the following suggestions for any beginning collector of British campaign medals:

1. Join the Orders and Medals Research Society (www.omrs.org) and the Orders and Medals Society of America (www.omsa.org). They both publish first-class journals dealing with medals.

2.  Purchase some books about the medals you are going to collect: British Battles and Medals is a must for anyone collecting British campaign medals. Rather expensive but gives lots of information concerning the history, operations covered, correct naming, regiments present, etc. Considered the Bible on British Campaign Medals.  British Gallantry Medals does the same thing for decorations.

3.  Join the British Medals Forum: extensive discussions, questions and answers and research assistance relative to British medals. Also extensive topics of fake medals and medal naming.

4. Purchase a copy of the most recent addition of Medal Yearbook published by Token Publishing.  A price guide to British orders, decorations and medals. Also describes the naming, obverse, reverse and details of each medal with photos and any clasps awarded. Published each September.

5.  Read about medals, examine medals and comments on dealers' websites and handle as many medals and possible.

Good luck on your collection and ask as many questions as necessary on this forum and others.

Regards, Gunner 1