NATO Medals

Medals are mounted in accordance with the latest Tri-Service regulations (single uniform code) unless you specify otherwise in the “Additional Comments” section of the order form.  This is especially important if you are still in uniform.

There are two styles of medal mounting available.

• SWING STYLE
• COURT STYLE

Medal mounting swing style is the more traditional method of mounting medals. Swing Style or ordinary style mounted medals are mounted on a medal brooch bar which can then be pinned to your tunic directly, through becketts or attached to a pocket holder. This style of medal mounting allows the medals to move or ‘swing’ when worn. Over time, the edge of the medals can become damaged due to the medals “clinking” together.

Medal mounting court style is alleged to have began during the reign of  Queen Victoria.  Those attending the Queen would wear medals court mounted to stop them “clinking”. Other sources suggest that the Cavalry first adopted the practice. Either way, this style of medal mounting is becoming more popular. Court mounted medals are fixed to a rigid backing material called buckram. The buckram is then covered in a felt material before the medals are mounted on their own ribbon length. This style of medal mounting holds the medals firmly in place and prevents them ‘clinking’ together and damaging each other when worn.

Please note – Commemorative medals manufactured by Bigbury Mint are presented “ready for wear” already swing mounted. There will therefore be nil additional cost when swing style as a single medal is selected.

Bigbury Mint mount medals in accordance with the latest guidance from the Central Chancery Of The Orders Of Knighthood, as listed in the London Gazette.

A basic pictorial representation is given as follows;

Please note – medals not to scale and are for illustration purposes only.

Commemorative medals should not be mounted on the same row as Official medals.

The following guidance is taken from the London Gazette, Supplement 1 dated 17th March 2003

The following guidance is taken from JSP761 – Honours and Awards in the Armed Forces – (V4.0 Dec 14);

Pt1. page 12-1. paragraph 12.02. United Kingdom emblems may be worn on the ribbons of service medals awarded by the United Nations and NATO.

Pt1. page 12-3. paragraph 12.19. In a change introduced in 2014 and made retrospective to all Level 4 awards received after 1962, up to three Level 4 emblems of any award may be worn on any one ribbon. On the ribbon and full-sized medal, they are to be full size emblems worn vertically in chronological order from the bottom of the ribbon. However if a number of clasps are already worn on the medal, then miniature forms of the emblem may be used. When only ribbons are worn, a single emblem is to be the full-sized emblem but miniature emblems are to be worn spaced horizontally across the ribbon when two or three are worn. The miniature form of the emblem is to be worn on miniature medals. Only one Level 4 award of each type may be worn on a single medal ribbon if the Level 4 award was received prior to 1962.

If a medal has more than one clasp they are mounted with the most recent campaign furthest away from the medal.

For example : General Service Medal with Northern Ireland, Cyprus 1963-1964 and Lebanon clasps;

On one hand, the clasp order could be;
1. Cyprus 63-64 – nearest the medal
2. Northern Ireland
3. Lebanon – Furthest from medal towards the top of the ribbon.

On the other hand the clasp order could be;
1. Cyprus 63-64 – nearest the medal
2. Lebanon
3. Northern Ireland – Furthest from medal towards the top of the ribbon.

depending on when the recipient served in Northern Ireland.

The following guidance is taken from JSP761 – Honours and Awards in the Armed Forces – (V4.0 Dec 14);

Pt1. page 12-3. paragraph 12.19. …..On the ribbon and full-sized medal, they are to be full size emblems worn vertically in chronological order from the bottom of the ribbon…..

Pt1. page 12-4. paragraph 12.22. …..Irrespective of the date of each award, when 2 or more different emblems are worn on a single riband, the order of precedence to be applied from the top is:

• MiD
• QCB
• QCBA
• QCVS

Bigbury Mint are extremely well practised in the care and restoration of medals.

If you are sending your medals in to be framed, mounted or cleaned please ensure they are suitably protected (bubble wrap or “Jiffy” envelope).

Please send your medals to;

Bigbury Mint Ltd
Unit 1
River Park
Ermington
Devon
PL21 9NT
United Kingdom

Please ensure you include your contact details with the medals!

We strongly recommend that your medals are sent using Royal Mail Special Delivery or International equivalent⁽¹⁾ as they can be tracked and traced for peace of mind. We will always return medals using a Special Delivery Service. When we receive your medals we will contact you to confirm receipt and to discuss the work you require. We will always clean medals and renew ribbons at no extra cost unless we are specifically asked not to.

Should you have any questions about sending your medals, please CONTACT US

(1) Bigbury Mint will not be responsible for any customs charges. Please ensure you complete customs forms correctly such that any charges incurred are paid by the sender.

For medals that were issued prior to January 1st 2009 we engrave them as follows using capital letters and full stops as appropriate;

SERVICE NUMBER  RANK  INITIALS  SURNAME  SERVICE or ARMY REGIMENT

For medals that have been issued after January 1st 2009⁽¹⁾ we engrave as follows;

RANK  INITIALS  SURNAME (Post Nominal)  SERVICE  SERVICE NUMBER

PLEASE NOTE – IF YOU DO NOT WISH US TO ENGRAVE THE MEDAL USING THE ABOVE PROTOCOL, THEN YOU MUST SPECIFY EXACTLY HOW YOU WISH US TO ENGRAVE THE MEDAL IN THE “Additional Comments” TEXT AREA AT THE END OF EACH PURCHASING FORM.

Engraving on medals is limited to 45 characters including spaces and full stops.

Bigbury Mint use the diamond drag method of engraving, an example of which is shown here.

(1) JSP761 – Honors and Awards in the Armed Forces V4.0 Dec 14 – Annex C to Chapter 12

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