| Military medals are highly collectible and yet care | | | | enemy or conduct above and beyond the call of |
| needs to be taken when considering their sale or | | | | duty. |
| purchase. There are no restrictions in the sale of | | | | The highest award in the British Army is the Victoria |
| British Army medals, for example, and yet the same | | | | Cross and some of the more famous ones awarded |
| cannot be said of U.S. Army medals. A distinction | | | | can be seen in either the Imperial War Museum or |
| needs to be made between service medals and | | | | the National Army Museum. The sale of the Victoria |
| gallantry medals. The sale of service medals is legal | | | | Cross is not illegal under British Law and so there are |
| but the sale of gallantry medals, on the face of it, is | | | | some large collections of Victoria Crosses in private |
| not and could land you with a large fine and possibly | | | | hands. Rarely does a Victoria Cross come up for sale |
| even a prison sentence. | | | | at auction but when it does the hammer price will |
| Service medals are awarded to all servicemen in | | | | usually exceed $120,000.00. |
| recognition of their service in a particular theater of | | | | In the U.S. Army the highest award for gallantry is |
| war or campaign. Simply being there is enough to | | | | the Medal of Honor, awarded to a serviceman who |
| qualify for the medal although in saying that I should | | | | distinguishes himself "...conspicuously by gallantry and |
| clarify that I am in no way seeking to belittle the | | | | intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond |
| contribution made by all servicemen and women | | | | the call of duty while engaged in an action against an |
| when on active service. | | | | enemy of the United States." It can also be awarded |
| Gallantry medals on the other hand are awarded for | | | | to service women, of course. |
| acts of conspicuous bravery in the face of the | | | | |