"The one that got away", Medals you wish you'd bought, and can't get off your mind

[RDUNE]

I've missed out on a few medals recently, and several over the years either because I hesitated or didn't have funds immediately available. I know most people would say "move on to the next one" but for some reason they bug me. They either fit directly into a narrow niche I'm trying to fill, or they were something that just sort of spoke to me. Mods please delete if this is not OK, but I thought it might be nice to have a thread similar to the "Reuniting broken medal groups" where we could post medals we'd like a second chance at. Maybe one of us will get lucky and acquire a medal we have regretted missing out on. 

 

I'll start: I would love to have another opportunity to buy the WWI Silver Star named to Eben A. Farnsworth that was sold here on the forum a few years ago. I hesitated at a show and I wish I'd bought it because it ties two of my collecting areas together very nicely. I kick myself over that one often. I'd also like another opportunity to own the WWI Silver Star named to George A. Keyser that was sold on Floydmedals.com. It fit one of my collecting areas so perfectly I thought it was too good to be true. However, when I went for it, the medal had already been sold. 

 

So is there a medal or grouping you missed that still bothers you and would love another shot at? 

[Allan H.]

When I was much younger, I had the opportunity to purchase a cased Distinguished Flying Cross. It wasn't huge money at the time, but I didn't buy it because 1) the lining of the case was marked "August Frank" as was the medal. It was also numbered, but the number was on the back of the medal instead of on the rim. I didn't know what it was, so I passed. I would call it my great, white, whale as I don't know if I'll ever have a shot at one again. If I do, it won't be cheap like the one that got away.

 

I passed over a "Great Guns" medal that was a very reasonable price because I didn't know what it was either.

 

Allan

[Wharfmaster]

Forty years ago, I found a named & cased Silver Treasury Lifesaving Medal in an antique shop for 20 bucks (no kidding). I made an enormous trade for another scarce

medal that at the time I wanted more.  Incredible profit or not, I wish I had kept it.  

 

 

W

[manayunkman]

In 1975 I found a 15 medal bar and a box full of medals to a US admiral who retired after WW1.

 

I traded it away to George Marinos.

[kristoffer]

One medal I think of from time to time is a Purple Heart that was sold on this forum a few years ago.

 

Oscar G. Johnson KIA in July 1944 in France. This is exactly what I collect and missed it by a few minutes. 

 

He was from Sweden aswell. Just an hours drive from where I live. I hope to one day be able to get it.

 

Kristoffer 

[BigDogMilitaria]

There was a KIA Purple Heart that belonged to a Michigan man who served on the Samuel B Roberts. I had not read the "Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors" and it had not yet become my favorite military book. Sold several years ago on the forum. Always hopeful to see it show up again

[scottplen]

LZ X-ray Kia sold a few years ago on the forum and I missed it by seconds! 

[mkite93]

Like others I tend to try and not think about the ones that could of been however I do have only one that comes to mind for me... missed out on a EBay listing out of Gainesville FL A few years ago which is right near me for a KIA Purple Heart to a F51 Mustang pilot, Chauncey Bennett, that was killed in Korea. 

[Rakkasan187]

There was a USS Arizona Purple Heart that was here a few years ago that I was just to slow in replying to the seller.. I have regretted it ever since, but I did instead get a nice WIA Pearl Harbor Purple Heart for a Sailor on the USS Pennsylvania...

 

 

[kcmo]

My main issue is the stuff I sold/traded that I wish I would have kept.  The one item that always comes to mind is the first KIA Purple Heart that I ever bought.  Got it at an local auction for very cheap but I didn't collect them at the time.  I didn't research the name and ended up including it with a silver star I sold on ebay.  It didn't have the ribbon or broach but the medal itself was a USN Type 1 engraved.  All I remember is I think the first and last initial were both M.  I would love for it to show back up one of these days. 

[RDUNE]

17 hours ago, kcmo said:

I didn't collect them at the time

That's been a problem of mine as well. I found something, it didn't fit into my area at the time so I moved it along. The one that hurts the most is a pre-WWI medal grouping named to a major. It had everything, his dog tags, numbered and rim engraved campaign medals, (including a china relief expedition), trench art, etc. I got it from a co-worker who was helping the family sell it. I got it cheap and didn't realize what I even had at the time. I sold it two days later at a show because I was entirely focused on WWII helmets at that point. What I would give to have that group back now that I have shifted almost entirely to medals... 

[Jim T]

An original Specially Meritorious... .....$1200. 

 

Price seemed a little high.

 

Oh well.

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