Noonans

Judging by the number of coin proof sets that have been issued in Elizabeth II’s reign, they have become very popular with collectors. But these Royal Mint sets date much further back and are now sought-after at auction.

Victoria Crosses are not exactly that rare at auction, despite being the highest British award for gallantry. However, the unique tales of bravery ensure demand is always high, as evident from the auction record just set at London saleroom Morton & Eden.

If you want a gold coin to have rarity value, then an example from a monarch whose reign lasted only a couple of years is a good start.

Lot 1234 made it count for London auction house Dix Noonan Webb despite lurking towards the back of an extensive two-day sale.

Lord Ashcroft’s superb collection of medals on public display at the Imperial War Museum in London has grown even larger thanks to a George Cross bought at auction.

King Richard III is the Marmite Monarch. You love him or you hate him. On one hand he is regarded as a monster, on the other as misunderstood and unfairly maligned.

Lord Ashcroft has added another Victoria Cross to his mightily impressive and ever-growing collection. He bought the VC awarded to Yorkshire hero George Sanders for bravery at the first day of the Somme in 1916 and other honours Sanders had earned, including a Military Cross.

It ain’t rocket science: rarity adds value. While various other factors come into play, the number of a particular item in existence is a clear driver of auction prices, and in militaria the defence of Rorke’s Drift is a classic example.

Keep Calm and Carry On is the now famous instruction from the Second World War thanks to a plethora of copycat items inspired by the poster which was never officially issued.

“Zulus, Sir. Thousands of ‘em”  - one of the classic lines from the 1964 film starring Stanley Baker and Michael Caine that brought the heroic defence of Rorke’s Drift to public attention.