Inherited Military Medals: What Should You Do with Them?

Inherited Military Medals: What Should You Do with Them?

Finding military medals among a relative's belongings can raise questions. Who were they awarded to? What do they represent? And could they be worth anything?

Whether you have inherited one medal or an entire collection, taking a little time to identify and preserve the items can help you understand their history and potential value.

1. Keep the Medals Together

If several medals appear to belong to the same person, avoid separating them. A complete group may provide a clearer picture of their military service and can be of interest to collectors.

Keep any original boxes, ribbons, photographs, certificates and paperwork with the medals.

2. Look for Names and Other Details

Some British military medals have the recipient's name, rank, service number or regiment impressed on the rim. These details can provide a starting point for researching the individual.

Second World War campaign medals were generally issued without recipient naming, so accompanying documents and family records can be particularly useful.

You do not need to identify everything yourself before seeking advice.

3. Avoid Cleaning the Medals

Do not polish or attempt to restore inherited medals. Cleaning can damage their original surfaces, while alterations to ribbons or mounting arrangements may affect their appeal to collectors.

Store the medals somewhere dry and handle them carefully. Take a look at our helpful guide on How to Store and Care for your medals.

4. Find Out What They Could Be Worth

The value of inherited military medals depends on factors such as the type of award, rarity, recipient, condition and supporting evidence. Some common campaign medals have modest values, while certain gallantry awards and well-documented groups can attract greater interest.

A specialist assessment can help you understand what you have before deciding whether to keep the collection or sell it. Here at Sell My Medals, we are the experts at Medal Valuations.

Get Your Inherited Medals Assessed

If you have inherited medals and would like to explore their potential value, Sell My Medals can help you take the next step with a FREE valuation.

Get in touch for a FREE Medal valuation today. Snap a few photos of your collection along with a little history behind the medals and one of our Specialists will be in touch with a free valuation.

You may have inherited more than a family keepsake. Find out about your medals before deciding what to do with them.