Last updated on October 23rd, 2025 at 12:17 pm
Last Updated on October 23, 2025 Posted by Colonial Acres Coins
is a pastime that many individuals enjoy. War medals date back several decades, even centuries and collectors like to have pieces in their collection that spark conversations as well as have value. In the past, many war medals were created from silver and gold which gives them a certain value. Some like to sell war medals after collecting them, though there are those who feel this is unethical due to the nature of the medal being received.
In Canada, campaign medals were awarded during wartime to service personnel but these medals were not Canadian. British medals were given in the millions to soldiers in the British Empire/Commonwealth. At the time of World War II, war and campaign medals were given to Canadians but they remained unnamed. The recipient was not recognized on the medal which made it difficult to know if the wearer or holder of the medal was the true owner.
While medals are given for valor, most were provided as participation medals, showing that the soldier took part in a particular battle or war. There is a market for military medals as collectors wish to have a complete collection to document an event or a medal type. Gallantry medals seem to be the most sought-after.
Value is added to a medal by the collector doing research and having the ability to associate the medal with a recipient as well as the circumstances surrounding the award. With documented research, the value is added which will increase the sale price of a medal.
Individuals who collect war medals enjoy getting to know the story behind the piece. Families were ripped apart due to war and some do not wish to hold on to memories of the trying times of war. This is why some pieces are not kept by family members. Others may lose their medals or just not see any reason to hold on to the piece. Whatever the case may be, there is a huge market for collectors and such items can raise a pretty penny when in high demand.
The value of a piece can increase during anniversaries of wartime. Many collectors choose to place items for sale when anniversaries are near, to draw interest in a particular piece. Take for example World War II. Medals from this era are sought after with searches increasing during certain times of the year based on historic battles. The same can be said for other wars as well.
Collecting and selling war medals basically breaks down to personal beliefs. While some see the collecting of such medals as a retaining of history and monetary investment, others see it as sacrilege to the sacrifice that was made by the men and eventually women who took the battlefield.
If you enjoy collecting war medals, find out more about the worth of your collection or add pieces by contacting Colonial Acres. View the war medals section to see what medals are on offer.
