Medal News

We must remember them too BACK in the summer it was announced that there was to be a new “Office for Veterans’ Affairs” launched to provide lifelong support to military personnel. That launch officially took place on October 16 when it was also announced that the new head of the OVA will be...

It's almost time for the Midland Coin Fair! Our last of 2019! Sunday, December 8 sees the larger Midland Coin Fair at the National Motorcycle Museum just by the NEC, Birmingham. The fair is actually a regular one that takes place every second Sunday of the Month but four times a year (March, June,...

Don't forget the Britannia Medal Fair this Sunday, November 17 (9.30 am - 2.00pm). Held at the usual venue of the Carisbrooke Hall, Victory Services Club, 63/79 Seymour Street, London W2 2HF. Once again the show is being run by DNW (under the experienced direction of Mark Carter) and it is...

Just a quick reminder that the next Aldershot Medal Fair will be held this coming Sunday, November 3, at the Princes Hall, Princes Way, Aldershot, Hampshire, GU11 1NX. The Token Team will be stalling out (well Phil will) with the BRAND NEW MEDAL YEARBOOK in both standard and deluxe formats - as...

Fading away IT hardly seems credible that it was a year ago that I was writing about some silly students who were campaigning to ensure that Cambridge University Student’s Union didn’t promote Remembrance Day commemorations as such things “glorified war” (see “Editor’s Comment”, November 2018...

Well what do you know? MEDAL collecting is different from coin collecting in one very important way. Whilst the subjects of both hobbies are (generally) little circular metal disks, often made at the same place, there is one crucial difference. A coin is collected, is appreciated for itself,...

Stolen in a burglary at Haverhill, Suffolk earlier this year Family group stolen in a burglary earlier this year. 1) Basil Oliver Bradley, RA: 1939-1945 star, Africa Star, Burma Star, Defence & War, Territorial Efficiency, Police long service and the Dunkirk medal. 2) 1343 (later...

The recent OMRS convention in Nottingham proved a great success and congratulations must go to all who made the effort to exhibit this year -  the standard was exceptionally high. The list of exhibits, exhibitors and awards made is as follows: In the Open Class: Christopher Bacon -...

Yes it's that time of year again - the Orders and Medals Research Society Convention is almost upon us and, once again, we will be there at the Medal Fair on Sunday to launch the BRAND NEW MEDAL YEARBOOK 2020 - which, as per 2019, comes in two formats: the standard paperback book for the British...

Stop Thief Stolen in a burglary last year, the theft only coming to light recently, a very rare collection of Burma medals including: The Macgregor Medal awarded to 50201 Lance-Naik Sein U, 2nd Burma Rifles In box of issue with original ribbon and 1939-45 Star, Burma Star, Defence Medal...

OMSA and the numbers game I MUST CONFESS, I was wrong. Last month I said that I could probably list all the attendees at the forthcoming OMSA Convention were I to put my mind to it. Having just finished at the event I can confirm that whilst many of those in attendance were familiar faces and...

Stolen during a burglary in Hertfordshire recently:   Worshipful Company of Tylers and Bricklayers’ Renter Warden’s Badge Inscribed on reverse ‘ ‘Worshipful Company of Tylers and Bricklayers’ and ‘Renter Warden’ on a shield Waterloo medal issued to John Hamilton of the First Regiment...

The personal touch I SHALL apologise to regular readers in advance as I am about to go off on my semi-annual rant/plea regarding medal fairs and medal shows! I am writing this “comment” two weeks before the Orders and Medals Society of America (OMSA) Convention but I already know what it will...

Don't forget that there is no separate MEDAL NEWS for July - the last issue being a "double". The next one is out on August 1! 

Stolen in a burglary/scam on June 10 - the bronze Albert Medal for gallantry in saving life at sea awarded to The Rev Christopher Champlain Tanner.  Any information to 101 quoting crime reference number 031270/19. The citation for the medal reads as follows: “ The Reverend Christopher...

  As many of you will know Michael Maton, author of the acclaimed "Honour" series of books that we have had the privilege to publish over the last decade and a half, passed away in April. The very last in the series, Honour the Recipients of the medal of the Order of the British Empire was...

Look to the future, acknowledge the past IT was my intention to write this month about D-Day and the 75th anniversary of Operation Overlord; whilst this magazine goes on sale before the anniversary itself, it is safe to assume that on June 6, across Normandy and beyond, hundreds of thousands of...

It is with great sadness that we have to report the death of one of the medal hobby's most influential figures - John Hayward - after a long illness. John will be known to many of you through his work as medal consultant for Spink and latterly DNW but he was also one of the most important...

Sadly Michael Maton didn't live to see the last of the HONOUR series in print. The very last book - HONOUR THE RECIPIENTS OF THE MEDAL OF THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE 1917-2019 - the 16th volume in a project that has spanned 15 years, will be launched this weekend at the Yate Medal fair - come...

The fourth Salisbury Collector’s Show takes place May 17–18, 2019 at its now established venue of Salisbury City Hall (off Fisherton Street), Salisbury, SP2 7TU. Organised by the Salisbury-based and highly respected stamp dealers Dauwalders, the fair has seen visitor numbers increase year on year...

A homeless pair LIKE many of you, I suspect, I have “alerts” set up on my computer so that I’m told when there are mentions on-line about areas of interest to me and also, through a couple of specialist services, when items of interest come up for auction. Through Invaluable-alerts.com and...

  It is with great sadness that we announce the death of one of our most prolific authors, Michael Maton, who died, aged 85, on April 13 after a short illness.  Michael Maton is known to many of you as the author of a number of books on orders, medals and decorations. His first book THE...

Always a story FORMER curator of the Lord Ashcroft collection, Michael Naxton, one of the people who has handled more Victoria Crosses than you or I could ever dream of, has submitted a very interesting letter for publication this month on the subject of the Victoria Cross featured in the...

Still in the wilderness IT has been over a year since I reluctantly bid farewell to my collection of medals to chaplains and men of the cloth. Financial necessity was the only reason behind the sale: a desire to secure the building in which Token Publishing Ltd now resides (for the next 991...

Falling in love again HAVING just come back from the York Coin Fair (there is generally a good selection of medals there too—always worth attending, the next one is July 19–20) I was struck by the plethora of new people coming in. These weren’t the traditional coin collectors of old but...