Because of its rarity, the VC is highly prized, and the medal has fetched over £400,000 at auctions. A number of public and private collections are devoted to the Victoria Cross. The private collection of Lord Ashcroft, amassed since 1986, contains over one-tenth of all Victoria Crosses awarded.
How much is the Victoria Cross medal worth?
His medal was sold at auction for £930,000 (€1,075,000) by Noonan’s auctioneers in London on Wednesday — more than twice the guide price of between €350,000 and €400,000.
What is the highest price paid for a Victoria Cross?
The auctioneer said the £930,000 paid for the gallantry medal given to Irishman Thomas Kavanagh is a new world record.
What is the rarest medal?
The Victoria Cross is the ‘holy grail’ for medal collectors because there are only 1,357 in existence. Bearing the inscription ‘For valour’ and known as a VC, this medal was first awarded for ‘conspicuous bravery’ in 1856 and later backdated to the Crimean war of 1854.
How many Victoria Cross medals have been awarded?
1,358 VCs
Since its inception in 1856, there have been 1,358 VCs awarded. This total includes three bars granted to soldiers who won a second VC and the cross awarded to the Unknown American soldier. During the First World War (1914-18), 626 VCs were awarded and in the Second World War (1939-45) 181.
Can a Victoria Cross be sold?
A “nationally important” Victoria Cross is banned from being exported after it was sold at auction for £680,000 to a foreign buyer. The gallantry medal was one of 22 awarded to the RAF during the Second World War and the only one for action in the Far East.
Which war medals are worth money?
Order of military medals: what are the most important?
- Victoria Cross.
- George Cross.
- Conspicuous Gallantry Cross.
- Royal Red Cross (Class I) (awarded for nursing duties)
- Distinguished Service Cross.
- Military Cross.
- Distinguished Flying Cross.
- Air Force Cross.
Who owns the most Victoria Crosses?
Over the past three decades, Lord Ashcroft has purchased more than 180 VCs, making it the largest collection of its kind in the world. The new website provides a mass of information about each VC and its recipient.
Do you salute a Victoria Cross winner?
There is no official requirement that appears in the official Warrant of the VC, nor in Queen’s Regulations and Orders, but tradition dictates that this occurs and as such the Chiefs of Staff will salute a Private awarded a VC or GC.
Who has the largest collection of Victoria Crosses?
The Lord Ashcroft Gallery is situated at the Imperial War Museum London. It houses the Extraordinary Heroes exhibition containing Lord Ashcroft’s unrivalled collection of Victoria Crosses (VCs), the largest in the world.
What are the top 3 medals?
- Medal of Honor.
- Navy Cross.
- Silver Star.
What medals are illegal to sell?
“The only award that we cannot and will not sell is the Medal of Honor,” Hansen said. It is illegal to buy, sell or fraudulently possess a Medal of Honor within the United States and the FBI keeps a sharp eye out. “The only person who can possess a Medal of Honor is the recipient or a designee,” Sanborn said.
What are the top 5 Army medals?
The five highest-ranking military medals for bravery in combat include the Congressional Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC), the Navy Cross, the Air Force Cross and the Silver Star Medal.
Is the Victoria Cross better than the Medal of Honor?
While there are many ways in which Britain and the US honour their Armed Forces personnel, the most prestigious must be the awarding of two medals: the Victoria Cross (VC) and the Medal of Honor (MOH.) These are the highest awards for gallantry displayed during combat and are therefore very close equivalents.
Is Victoria Cross higher than George Cross?
In the British honours system, the George Cross, since its introduction in 1940, has been equal in stature to the Victoria Cross, the highest military gallantry award.
Has anyone won the Victoria Cross three times?
He was the most recent of only three people to receive the VC twice, the only one to receive two VCs during the Second World War and the only combat soldier to receive the award twice.
Charles Upham.
| Charles Hazlitt Upham | |
|---|---|
| Awards | Victoria Cross & Bar Mentioned in Despatches New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal Order of Honour (Greece) |
How much is a Victoria Cross worth at auction?
The auctioneer said the £930,000 paid for the gallantry medal given to Irishman Thomas Kavanagh is a new world record.
What metal are Victoria Crosses made from?
bronze
Medal Design
The Victoria Cross is a Maltese Cross, cast in bronze from cannons captured during the Crimean War (1854-1856). There is sufficient metal for a number of new medals to be cast from these cannons. They are each handmade by Hancocks and Company (Jewellers) of London.
Can an American get the Victoria Cross?
5 men from the United States of America received the Victoria Cross, Britain’s highest award for gallantry, during the First World War.
How to sell war medals?
The following steps should always be taken when you are looking to sell your military medals.
- Do your research.
- Check you can sell it.
- Get a valuation from a trusted dealer.
- Set reserves.
- Check to see if there are any fees where you want to sell war medals.
Should you clean old war medals?
Cleaning medals. You may need to clean or even polish your medal before storing it. However, we don’t recommend polishing unless absolutely necessary because the repeated abrasion of polishing will damage the sharpness of the medal’s design.