Identify Military Medals, Badges & Awards
Welcome to identifymedals.com. This is a free educational site that hopes to inform people about military medals, awards, badges, and orders from around the world. I created this website to help people identify medals in their collection and learn more about the stories behind some of the different insignia, orders of knighthood, and other decorations. I hope that, together, we can keep the memory of those who earned them and their actions alive. After all, we are more than medal collectors; we are guardians of history.
Explore Military Medals and Awards by Time Period:
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Latest Site News & Articles
Created new page for U.S. Coast Guard Medals
Created new page for Mongolian medals
Created new page for US Health Service
Created new page for Portuguese medals
Medal Makers: The Royal Mint, United Kingdom’s Principal Medal Maker
The Royal Mint is the United Kingdom’s historic state mint and the principal maker of British official medals and decorations.
What Are Campaign Medals and Gallantry Medals?
Two common types of awards are campaign and gallantry medals. Although they may look similar, they represent different forms of recognition.
Learning More About US Military Devices: The Arrowhead Device
Learn more about the Arrowhead Device, established in June 1944 as a respected mark of direct assault involvement in combat operations.
All the Medals of the United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard’s medals tell the story of courage, dedication, and service across sea and shore. Explores every one of them.
First World War Medal Identification Guide
The First World War (1914–1918) resulted in a wide variety of medals being awarded. Here is a guide to help you identify yours.
WW1 – The Great War
Years 1914 – 1918
Many military medals were awarded during WW1, or The Great War. Some of the most commonly given include Pip, Squeak, and Wilfred (the affectionate name of three campaign medals), the Victoria Cross, the Distinguish Service Order and Cross, and the Military Cross. You can click on the link below (or any of the displayed medals) to learn more about the different awards given by the countries involved in the First World War.
The Distinguished Service Cross
The Distinguished Service Cross is the second-highest United States Army military award and is given for extreme gallantry and risk of life.
The Silver Star Medal (USA)
The Silver Star Medal is the United States Armed Forces’s third-highest personal decoration for gallantry and valor in combat.
The Iron Cross (EK 1914)
The Iron Cross (Eisernes Kreuz or EK) is a military decoration established by King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia in March 1813.
The Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest United Kingdom honors system award. It is given for gallantry in the presence of the enemy.
The Inter Allied Victory Medal (Great Britain)
The Victory Medal (also known as Inter-Allied Victory Medal) is a United Kingdom and British Empire First World War campaign medal.
WW2 – Second World War
Years 1939 – 1945
Similarly, a large number of military medals were given to combatants and people who participated in the Second World War, or WW2. These include the Medal of Honor, the Navy Cross, the 1939-1945 Star, the Pacific Star, and many more. In this section (which you can access from the link or any of the images below), you will find all the medals awarded during World War II by all the countries involved in the conflict.
The Dunkirk Medal
The Dunkirk Medal is an unofficial commemorative medal established om 1 May 1960 and created by the town of Dunkirk for the area’s defense.
The Coburg Badge
The Coburg Badge (Das Coburger Abzeichen in German) was the first badge recognized as a national award of the Nazi Party or NSDAP.
The German Cross (Nazi-Germany)
The German Cross (Deutsches Kreuz) was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 28 September 1941 and awarded in gold and silver.
The Pacific Star
The Pacific Star is a British military campaign medal instituted by the United Kingdom in 1945 for those who served in the Pacific Campaign.
The 1939-1945 Star
The 1939–1945 Star is a military campaign medal instituted by the United Kingdom on 8 July 1943 for operational service overseas.
