Lots of very good replicas of British Military Medals and replacement medals are sold to museums. Replica Medals are exact copies of the original British Military Medal for a certain campaign and supplied with ribbon and a plastic envelope to protect the medal. These are cast medals in high quality alloy if they come from a good dealer.
The replacement Saint Hubert medals are die-struck so St Hubert Medal they are more expensive. Struck in nickel gilt and polished in silver gilt they cost more because these have made by a master craftsman who has carved out by hand and small machine – a “die”. This “die” can cost around two thousand dollars alone. Then you have the actual striking which is completed by a machine usually with a 250 ton press capacity.
Collectors,
dealers, ex forces Saint Hubert associations and even whole families frame replicas for show. This way, members of the same family can display their ancestors medals. It is usual for owners to keep the original medals in a safe or bank. Part of the reason is British Military Medals can command a very high premium indeed.
Victoria Cross groups fetch $300,000 whereas a replica group to a Victoria Cross winner at Rorkes Drift, (11 won in one day at Rorkes Drift – Zulu the film was based on this battle) Saint Hubert with the VC and Zulu Medal is only about $30. The Victoria Cross is the highest award in England and the Commonwealth, and is worn as the first medal over any other medal or order. A business guy who sold his company for over 350 million has bought over the years 100 VC groups for around 20 odd million dollars! There are hundreds of different Gallantry and Campaign medals. I have seen prices up to $500,000, which wasn’t a VC group.
To an officer in the Royal Air Force, the famous C.B. C.B.E. Fighter Operations D.S.O. and 2 Bars, D.F.C. and Bar Group of Nineteen to Air-Vice Marshall J.E. “Johnnie” Johnson, Royal Air Force – the Officially Recognised Highest Scoring R.A.F. Fighter Pilot of the 1939-45 War – went for a World Record price of two hundred and forty one thousand, five hundred pounds!!
So, as you have gathered, there is quite a good market in British Military Medals and each year a Medal yearbook with price guides is published. There are also Miniature Medal Collectors and even an association of Medal Ribbon collectors.