International bidders battle at coins, medals and militaria auction
WITH more than 700 bidders lined up waiting on the internet alone, Richard Winterton’s Coins, Medals and Militaria Sale on Monday, April 30, was a rollercoaster ride right from the start.
The sale featured a vast family collection of medals covering virtually every conflict in which the British Army and Navy have been involved since the early 1800s.
The huge array of medals was built up over many years by members of the Tudor family – Arthur Tudor originally saw military service in the 1800s and Edward Harold Tudor served in the First World War.
An impressive collection of Irish Victorian medals and a period set of miniatures saw bidders online, in the room and over the telephone push the price up and up before a buyer in the room sealed the deal at £1,300.
Five Americans were among those online battling for two Turkish/Ottoman medals, pictured above, which eventually sold for £640 online.
The following lot also saw fierce bidding for two 1915 Ottoman Gallipoli Stars, pictured above, which sold over the telephone for £640 to a buyer in Turkey.
The family's archive of medals and associated documents sold for £1,800 – again exceeding the estimate.
In the coins section, two dozen gold sovereigns all sold well before a group of early silver coins – including a 1667 Charles II crown – sold for £620.
Meanwhile, a one-kilo bar of silver fetched £440.
A United Kingdom year set collection went for £500, a box full of coins and coin albums (Lot 230, pictured above) fetched £700, an incomplete 1902 specimen set sold for £620 and over five kilos of pre-1947 silver coins, pictured below, made £780.
The final lot, Lot 262, was two boxes of coin commemoratives and metal detector finds – it went for £440, smashing the estimate of £160-180.
Also going under the hammer were a collection of almost 800 British military cap badges and militaria ranging from WW1 rifle bayonets and war diaries to radio receivers, binoculars and a WW2 US major’s dress uniform jacket – the latter selling for £45.
Due to a huge increase and interest in medals, Richard Winterton Auctioneers' medal expert Nick Thompson will now be carrying out weekly valuations at The Lichfield Auction Centre from 9am to noon every Tuesday.