Memorial Cross to PT boat KIA

[pfrost]

This fellow was on the H.M.M.T.B. 417 and killed in 1944 attacking a convoy off the coast of France.

P. Frost

BTW, I find these memorial crosses to be just as interesting and important as the KIA officially engraved purple hearts, but it seems that they aren't as collectible. Am I just crazy or is that true??

[pfrost]

The back.

This fellow was on the H.M.M.T.B. 417 and killed in 1944 attacking a convoy of the coast of France.

P. Frost

BTW, I find these memorial crosses to be just as interesting and important as the KIA officially engraved purple hearts, but it seems that they aren't as collectible. Am I just crazy or is that true??

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Patrick, I can see why you are collecting these. They are attractive to look at and make great research items. I cannot say I was familiar with these until the other day as I am not a medal collector. Thanks for posting them.


Cheers, Ade.

[Greeves]

Hi Patrick: you probably won't find as much interest in these in the US as you would in Canada or Britain. They're considered very collectible here and I know several collectors in the UK who covet them as well as the New Zealand memorial crosses. It's just a matter of where you live - KIA Purple Hearts aren't as big here as they are down your way. If you like them - then that's your good luck! You won't have to pay the high prices that we see on them sometimes.

These also have a good potential for further research through the National Archives in Ottawa.

[Adam H]

A very nice Memorial Cross indeed...can't remember seeing one to the MTBs in ages.

I would say that Canadian Memorial Crosses rate as EXTREMELY collectible their popularity both here in Canada, as well as in the UK has skyrocketed in the past few years...along with their prices.

UK dealers has these on their lists for 20-30 GBP a few years ago...now difficult to find one of interest for anything less than 80 GBP...and that would be a low end cross.

Cheers,

Adam

[pfrost]

A very nice Memorial Cross indeed...can't remember seeing one to the MTBs in ages.

I would say that Canadian Memorial Crosses rate as EXTREMELY collectible their popularity both here in Canada, as well as in the UK has skyrocketed in the past few years...along with their prices.

UK dealers has these on their lists for 20-30 GBP a few years ago...now difficult to find one of interest for anything less than 80 GBP...and that would be a low end cross.

Cheers,

Adam

It must be a bias in location, then. For example, I really only do my collecting in the local flea markets (since the Great Western gun show closed down, it is pretty much the only way to collect). If a named purple heart or other engraved US medal (other than Army GC medal) shows up on a dealer's table, and you are lucky to see it, then you ONLY have one chance to buy it, because almost as sure as a bear is going to poop in the woods, it will be gone by the end of the day (excepting those medals that are so overpriced to be insane).

On the other hand, while British/Commonwealth items aren't common, when they do show up they usually don't move that fast. The PT boat cross, I got out of a jewelry dealer's case --she had no idea what it was, and I had become confused and thought it was a Military Cross medal (BUT it sat in the case for about 2 montsh--long enough for me to do some research on it before buying it for ~10 USD). The next memorial cross I found was also a long time stewing before I bought it out of a low end militaria dealer's case--posted below. Finally, I had been looking at the F/O memorial cross I posted on Easter weekend for about a year while it sat in the dealer's case...eventually, I just couldnt take the anticipation and finally bought it because it was RCAF associated. Basically, these medals just sat around in cases (at relatively cheap prices <50 USD)--something that WOULD NOT happen with an engraved PH or AM. SO I just assumed that people aren't into collecting them.

P Frost

[ROBB]

These always seem to sell for over £80 on ebay .Theres one illustrated in Lyndhursts militaria book (reccomended viewing for anyone who collects militaria) I covet a lot of things in his book that have caught my eye over the last 20 years or so .Rob.

[SHEARING-CROSS]

NICE THREAD ,thanks for showing ..its always nice to learn something new
Michael.
p.s .... i know what ya mean Rob ,i think that book got a lot of us hooked ??

I know this is sad but i once sat down and added up the aprox value of every thing in that book at todays prices....very frightening !!