Medals and Orders on sale

[Egorka]

Hello,

I am curious if it is legal and practiced in your country to sell military decorations: Medals and Orders?
Are there difference rules for decoration of different periods?
Are the WW2 decorations can be freely sold/purchased?

Thanks!

[Rising Sun*]

Hello,

I am curious if it is legal and practiced in your country to sell military decorations: Medals and Orders?
Are there difference rules for decoration of different periods?
Are the WW2 decorations can be freely sold/purchased?

Thanks!

No problems here so far as legality is concerned, and they're commonly sold.

The VC is our highest award, supposedly made from metal involuntarily supplied by your lot, but maybe not. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/12/28/nvc28.xml

Here's a couple of our VC's that were sold from old and new wars.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200611/s1797119.htm

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/06/20/1956210.htm

It's usually hoped, as in those cases, that very important medals like the VC or of someone with a great war history will go where they will be on public display, but the rest will usually fall into private collectors' hands.

[Egorka]

Thanks for the info!!!

[tankgeezer]

In the U.S. Medals, and ribbons, can be freely traded, with the exception of the Congressional Medal of Honor. There are severe penalties for one being in the hands of anyone other than the winner, or surviving family members.( Ft. Leavenworth isn't a very nice place.) They cannot be legally bought, sold, or transferred except as noted above.

[Egorka]

In the U.S. Medals, and ribbons, can be freely traded, with the exception of the Congressional Medal of Honor. There are severe penalties for one being in the hands of anyone other than the winner, or surviving family members.( Ft. Leavenworth isn't a very nice place.) They cannot be legally bought, sold, or transferred except as noted above.

Thanks. So as I understood the exception is only for the highest US decoration. Right?

[overlord644]

Thanks. So as I understood the exception is only for the highest US decoration. Right?

yes the medal of honor is the highest US military award out there, it should be noted however that even with medals that can be traded legally, it is a federal offense to claim you've earned them when you haven't

[tankgeezer]

Thanks. So as I understood the exception is only for the highest US decoration. Right?
That is correct, it is the only medal not legal to transfer or sell, and especially not wear. not even by family members. (in public that is.)

[Egorka]

That is correct, it is the only medal not legal to transfer or sell, and especially not wear. not even by family members. (in public that is.)
Спасибо! :)

[Egorka]

Apparantely the law now also applies for other decorations than "Medal of Honor":
Stolen Valor Act of 2005 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stolen_Valor_Act_of_2005#_note-living)