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19/03/2024 03:53am
The only place to identify, value and sell your medals online
The only place to identify, value and sell your medals online
The only place to identify, value and sell your medals online
The only place to identify, value and sell your medals online

Things you should know about using www.onlinemedals.co.uk...

If you are thinking about using this website to either value your medal(s), or, asking www.onlinemedals.co.uk to value your medal(s) on your behalf, or, you are simply wanting to sell (or buy) medals, there are certain 'things' that you should know. These 'things' are as follows:

Things you should know about the purpose of this website...

When developing this website, the intention was to put in place a single on-line location where those interested in identifying, valuing and subsequently selling (or buying) mainly British & Commonwealth medals, that they may have in their possession, could go to in order to undertake this.

We wanted to create a website that was simple to use, where you could easily identify your medal(s) for the purpose of gaining a valuation, (or 'contact us' to allow us to provide a valuation), and then, if you choose to, offer your medal(s) for sale for a 'fixed price', for a 'fixed period of time' for a modest 'one off' fee without having to worry about the 'final valuation' fees, 'transaction' fees or 'auction' (hammer) fees.

The website is there for the 'collector' who wishes to add to, or, 'thin out' their collection, medal 'dealers' who do not own their own website, and do not want to pay the charges traditionally associated with auction houses, or, auction websites.

This website is also there for 'everyday people' who have come into the possession of medals, that you may have inherited, or, have been previously awarded to yourself, that have simply been 'stuck in the drawer' for years and that you now wish to value (or have valued) and maybe subsequently sell.

So how much does it cost?

This is almost always the very first question people ask...so here are the prices.

Listing a 'Single Medal' for sale on this site, will cost:

£1 for 1 month,

£2 for 3 months, and

£3 for 6 months.

Listing a 'Medal Group' for sale on this site will cost:

£2 for 1 month,

£4 for 3 months, and

£5 for 6 months.

PLEASE ENSURE YOU READ OUR TERMS & CONDITIONS.

Things you should know about valuing medals using the information on this website...

When reviewing the 'Medal Encyclopaedia ' to determine the value of your medal(s), there are a great number of factors that you will need to consider.

Most obviously, is the type of medal, as some medals are more valuable than others. 'Gallantry Medals', for example, are generally more valuable than 'Campaign Medals' and within this, certain 'Gallantry Medals' are more valuable than others and the same rule applies to 'Campaign Medals'.

Medals to officers, are also generally more valuable than those issued to the 'rank and file' and certain 'actions' – denoted by the medal itself, medal 'bars' or 'clasps' – are more sought after than others and consequently, this also increases the value of a particular medal and associated medal groups.

Some collectors choose to base their collection on a specific issuing country, a specific time frame, a specific war, or even a specific regiment or branch of the military and the value of these medals may be directly associated to the scarcity of the medals in regards to those parameters.

Some regiments or branches of the military are more collectable and therefore more valuable than others. Generally speaking, regiments like the Royal Engineers and the Royal Signals (Corps) will not be as hard to find, and as such, the value of these medals will be lower than those of the elite British regiments such as the Guards, the Parachute Regiment, the Royal Marines and special forces such as the SAS and SBS.

Associated ephemera sold with a medal(s), will also add to their value, for example, a set of WW2 RAF pilots medals sold along with his logbooks, (which will include details of which military action he participated in), will undoubtedly be more valuable than the same set of medals sold without the logbooks.

Equally, the condition of the medal(s) will have a direct bearing on their value. For example, a fire damaged medal with no ribbons or a 'well-polished' medal with lots of 'wear', or, one with 'edge knocks' or other 'blemishes', will not be as valuable as medal(s) in a 'good' condition sold along with their original ribbons.

In regards to the 'condition' of a medal, within the medal fraternity, there is a standard way of describing (or grading) a medals' condition, the following classification (or grading) may be referenced in the description of the medal(s) that are 'listed' for sale on this website:

  • F. (Fine) showing slight wear overall, surface marks and perhaps edge knocks.
  • G.F. (Good Fine) worn but showing clear signs of wear.
  • V.F. (Very Fine) showing little wear but clear wear on high relief of medal. Some medals are described as N.V.F (Near Very Fine).
  • G.V.F. (Good Very Fine) with very few blemishes or marks, and or deeply toned.
  • E.F. (Extremely Fine) showing little if any wear. Some medals are described as N.E.F (Near Extremely Fine).
  • MINT. Close to the condition as issued by the Mint.

After considering all of this, the 'seller', will ultimately 'value' the medal based not only on what has been described above, but also on what they actually want to achieve from the sale.

The 'buyer', by contrast, will ultimately only pay what they are willing to part with – this is one of the reasons why the 'sellers' contact details are included in the 'listings' that feature on this website – it does not harm to 'negotiate'!

PLEASE ENSURE YOU READ OUR TERMS & CONDITIONS.

Things you should know about selling medals on this website...

All medals offered for sale on this website are 'self-listed', and as such, the 'seller' has 'control' over what details and what images are used to describe the medal(s).

In doing this, the 'seller' should ensure that the descriptions and images are a true representation as to what is actually being offered for sale.

The 'seller' can 'list' an item for sale at whatever price the 'seller' wishes to gain, but the 'seller' should ensure that they are asking for a 'realistic' price otherwise your item is unlikely to sell.

The 'short description' found on the 'listing' should be clear and to the point – i.e. WWI Victory Medal To Manchester Regiment.

The 'detailed description' should give as much information as is possible about the item being 'listed', for example, more detail on what the medal(s) are, who they belong to, their history and the history of the original recipient of the medal and a description of any associated items that are included in the sale – i.e. 'Service History' papers.

Obviously, you should also ensure that your correct contact details are present in the 'listing', the potential 'buyer' does need to know how to contact you, and you might want to add to your 'listing' any thoughts you may have about postage and delivery costs along with any details regarding any 'returns policy' that you may wish to consider.

Images should be clear and illustrate important points such as the 'front' (obverse) and 'rear' (reverse) of the medal(s) along with images of any naming on the medal(s) – usually found along the 'rim' (edge) or upon the reverse of the medal(s).

If you feel that you will be 'listing' many items for sale on our website, then, please use the 'contact us' service FIRST, and purchase a 'promotional code' (we will offer you a discount).

Red Badge I.T. Services Limited trading as www.onlinemedals.co.uk takes no responsibility for the accuracy of the descriptions and the associated images used by the 'seller' on this website, however, we will monitor all 'listings' to ensure that the 'terms and conditions' for using this website have not been breached. As such:

PLEASE ENSURE YOU READ OUR TERMS & CONDITIONS.

Things you should know about 'listing' medals for sale on this website...

The process to follow to 'list' a medal for sale on this website is as follows:

1. If you have not yet 'opened' an account, please go to 'Register An Account' at the top right hand corner of the 'Page' - and follow the 'registration' process.

If you go directly to the 'List Your Medals For Sale' service from the top of the 'Home Page', or, equally from the left hand side of the 'Home Page' without first 'opening an account' or 'signing into an account', the website will direct you to the 'Sign in/Register An Account' service first.

2. After you have 'signed in', or, you have completed the 'registration' process, you can, either, from your 'Account Page', or, from the 'Home Page', access the 'listing' service by 'clicking' on the 'List Your Medals For Sale' button.

From the 'List Your Medals For Sale' service page:

3. Populate the 'short description' box with a title for your item(s). A 'short description' example would be; 'WWI Victory Medal To Manchester Regiment'. Please observe the 'site standard' and do not capitalise whole words in the short description, so for example: Aircrew Europe Star should not be written as AIRCREW EUROPE STAR. 

4. Then complete the 'detailed description' section, (please follow the guidelines as described in the 'Things You Should Know About Selling Medals From This Website…' section, and, ensure you are not breaching our 'Terms & Conditions').

5. Having completed your 'descriptions', then populate the 'price' box and add/upload up to 5 (five) supporting images.

Please Note: The first image you 'load' will appear as the 'gallery photo', the others will only appear when a 'buyer' reviews your 'listing'. For more information regarding images used on this web-site, please read the comments described in 'Images - The Science Bit!' - detailed below.

6. Once this is completed, then select which category you wish to sell your item(s) from, either 'Single Medal' or a 'Medal Group' - please see the note for non medals that are listed in the 'Everything Else' section.

If you have chosen to sell an item(s) from, either the 'Single Medal' or 'Medal Group' category, you will then be asked to select an 'era' in which to have your 'listing' appear, the available options are as follows:

  • Pre-World War I Medals - which deals with medals mainly issued to servicemen and women in the Victorian ‘era’ - 'the age of Empire' up until the start of World War I.
  • World War I Medals - which deals with campaign medals that were issued to servicemen and women between the years of 1914 and 1920, and all Allied 'Victory Medals' that were issued at the end of the war to all the different allied countries that participated in the conflict.
  • World War II Medals - which deals with campaign medals that were issued to servicemen and women between the years of 1939 and 1945 – and a number of subsequently issued World War II commemorative medals.
  • Post-World War II Medals - which deals with campaign medals that were issued to servicemen and women from the year 1946, until the present day.
  • Orders, Decorations & Other Medals - which deals with Gallantry, Long Service & Good Conduct, Territorial, Coronation and Jubilee medals etc. that were issued to servicemen and women since the start of the reign of Queen Victoria.
  • Everything Else - which deals with any item that does not logically fit in any of the era's above or are medal related, but not actually medals - i.e. medal ribbons. Please note if it is a medal related item, but not actually a medal, if its a single item that is being listed in this area please class as 'A Single Medal', if its mutiple items, please class as a 'Medal Group'.

IF YOU ARE UNCLEAR AS TO WHICH SECTION TO ADD A MEDAL TO, THEN PLEASE CONSULT THE 'MEDAL ENCLYCLOPEDIA', OR, 'THE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SELLING MEDALS ON THIS WEBSITE…', OR, THE 'FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS' SECTION ON THE WEBSITE - if all else fails, please use the 'contact us' service to seek advice.

8. Then select how long you wish for your 'listing to appear for, either 1, 3 or 6 months.

9. Next, check that your personal details are correct - these will have automatically been populated from your 'account details' - If you need to change them then you will have to 'edit your account' using that service from the 'Home Page'.

10. Once you have completed populating all the details regarding your 'listing' you can then do one of two things.

You can either A). 'click' on the 'Review And Checkout' button, this will allow you to see how your 'listing' will appear, where you can then edit as required and then 'post' your 'listing' and complete the checkout process, or,

B). 'click' on the 'Save And List Another Medal’ button, and list additional items by following the 'listing' process as described above. You can do this as many time as you like, to 'list' as many items as you wish. Once you have finished, you can then 'click' on the 'Review And Checkout' button.

If you have 'listed' several items they will appear in a 'list' form and you can select and edit each one individually. Once you are happy with your 'listings' you can then 'post' your 'listings' and complete the checkout process which completes the transaction.

DON'T FORGET, DISCOUNTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR MULTI LISTINGS - PLEASE 'CONTACT US' FOR DETAILS.

Images - The Science Bit! - If you have taken photographs of items that are going to be listed on this website using a standard camera or phone camera, then the way that the website is configured will ensure that these images are automatically resized to provide the best resolution.

However, if you are 'cropping' photographs, then please be aware that in order to get the best results, then ensure that the 'cropped' image remains in proportion to either a standard 'portrait' or 'landscape' image. 

The web-site system will automatically select the 'middle' portion of Images that fall outside of these proportions which may result in some of your image not being shown when viewed in the gallery.

However, all images, regardless of proportion, will be shown in full when any user of this web-site 'clicks' to view an 'exploded' size image.

If you have any queries regarding this, please contact the site administrator using the 'contact us' service and we will be pleased to explain this further. A COMPLETE USER GUIDE - WHICH INCLUDES A STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO LISTING MEDALS ON THIS SITE - IS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.   

Things you should know about collecting or buying medals from this website...

Collecting medals appeals to many people. It is one way to learn more about our own history and the history of others and it also honours the soldiers who have fought in wars both past and present.

In all countries, medals are only issued to soldiers and civilians for certain reasons or actions. By collecting the medal(s), a person can learn the story behind each one. This offers a glimpse into history in general as well as a glimpse into an individual’s role within it.

Additionally, military medals offer an attractive display item. When placed in display cases or stands, they offer beauty for a room as well as an instant talking point.

Military medals have been provided as badges of honour since before the time of Nelson and the Battle of Trafalgar. For this reason, there are a high number of medals to choose from spanning all countries and many time periods. Collectors choose medals based on the type (British medals or World War I medals, for example), the historical significance, (those issued to soldiers who died on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, for example).

Some collectors choose to base their collection on a specific issuing country, a specific time frame, a specific war, or even a specific regiment or branch of the military.

Some regiments or branches of the military are more collectable and therefore more valuable than others, generally speaking regiments like the Royal Engineers and the Royal Signals (Corps) will not be as hard to find and so the value of these medals will be lower than that of the elite British regiments such as the Guards, the Parachute Regiment, the Royal Marines and special forces such as the SAS and SBS.

Whatever type of medals you choose to collect, you should always consider the following points before making a purchase or an offer:

Are the medal(s) named around the rim on the bottom edge or on the reverse of the medal(s)?

  • Does the medal(s) come with paperwork i.e. papers presented at the time of issue or those showing entitlement or engagements that the recipient of the medal(s) participated in?
  • Does the medal(s) come with original ribbons?
  • Does the medal(s) come with the correct ribbons?
  • Does the medal(s) come with a box of issue?
  • Does the medal(s) come with the correct box of issues?
  • Are the medal(s) damaged or chipped or contain blemishes?
  • Are the medal(s) in good condition?

In regards to the 'condition' of a medal, within the medal fraternity, there is a standard way of describing (or grading) a medal’s condition, the following classification (or grading) may be referenced in the description of the medal(s) that are 'listed' for sale on this website:

  • F. (Fine) showing slight wear overall, surface marks and perhaps edge knocks.
  • G.F. (Good Fine) worn but showing clear signs of wear.
  • V.F. (Very Fine) showing little wear but clear wear on high relief of medal. Some medals are described as N.V.F (Near Very Fine).
  • G.V.F. (Good Very Fine) with very few blemishes or marks, and or deeply toned.
  • E.F. (Extremely Fine) showing little if any wear. Some medals are described as N.E.F (Near Extremely Fine).
  • MINT. Close to the condition as issued by the Mint.

'Caveat emptor’ does not only apply to buying houses or cars – it applies to everything including medals. When considering purchasing something from this or any other website, make sure that you have asked all the ‘right questions’ and that you have carried out as much ‘due diligence’ as you possibly can.

To assist in this, there are a number of 'links' associated with this website to direct potential 'buyers' to additional medal and militaria source material, that will help authenticate the items that appear in the 'listings' on this website.

There is no automated payment functionality associated with this website. Each individual 'listing' shows the contact details of the individual who has ‘posted’ the item(s) for sale and a general location of where the 'seller' can be found - an important point if you’re thinking about collecting it in person. The potential buyer has the option to contact the seller and ‘negotiate’ a purchase price based on the details in the 'listing'.

Whilst undertaking this, the nature of delivery – and associated costs – should also be considered in the negotiation and if the items are to be posted then the purchaser should ensure that the cost price should include the cost of recorded, special or courier based delivery if it applies.

PLEASE ENSURE YOU READ OUR TERMS & CONDITIONS.

Things you should know about paying for the medals that you have purchased from this website...

Payment - In this day and age, there are many ways to pay, cash on delivery, bank transfer, PayPal, cheque and the list just goes on. In our experience, we have found that if you are a 'buyer', then ask the 'seller' to send you a 'scanned' copy of a utility bill or driving licence - but certainly something with an address on it prior to completing the transaction.

In 10 years of purchasing items over the phone or by e-mail, I've never had a problem in regards to suggesting this approach. In all instances, (unless it was a repeat purchase) I’ve been sent a document with an address on it, and I've sent my payment in the knowledge that I have an address to refer to the authorities should the need arise, in my experience it never has, but it is wise to be on the safe side.

In many instances, the seller will be a 'collector' or 'dealer' who has undertaken this type of transaction on many occasions. Because of this, they may well have already developed a 'way of working' that is suitable to all parties.

PLEASE ENSURE YOU READ OUR TERMS & CONDITIONS.

Things you should know about arranging to collect/deliver medals you have purchased/sold using this website...

Sending medals by post - If you are sending medals by post, always use recorded or special delivery, or, a courier service. Either-way, ensure that there is insurance in place relevant to the value of the items that you are posting.

The collection point, collection/delivery in person - If you are meeting someone at a pre-arranged location, make sure it is a public location, a public house, a supermarket cafe, a library or a restaurant for example. Never arrange to collect/deliver an item in an isolated location - particularly if you are paying 'cash on delivery', or, the item(s) you are 'handing over' are of a high value.

In my experience, indoor, populated public locations are the most suitable, they are a safe place to wait, there are plenty of people around, and they are warm during those long cold British winter days.

PLEASE ENSURE YOU READ OUR TERMS & CONDITIONS.