Rare Medals
Trends in the market can impact value as certain subject matter becomes topical or sought after for whatever reason, however, the value of a medal is largely dependent on two factors, it’s rarity and it’s condition.
Often the number struck of a particular medal is advertised, and certainly, in the late 19th century very large numbers of commemorative medals were produced for events such as the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria where over 7000 of the official medallion were struck.
However, some medals have only a small issue, and also older medals become rarer as versions are either lost or melted down. The list below is a selection of medals that have been labelled as rare by well-known reference books such as Medallic Illustrations (Spink & Son Ltd) and British Historical Medals by Brown.
