Articles > Medal Collecting
For veterans and their families, military award display cases occupy a place of honor in the home as a testament to personal achievements and career, as well as an object of historical significance. There are several ways todisplay a medal collection, and each person or family can choose one that best adapts to their need – or create one themselves.
Shadowbox display casesphysically protect medals and awards and come in different shapes and sizes. There are wall-mounted display cases with space for medals and awards, as well as memorial boxes that can incorporate skill badges, patches, company insignia, and flags. Further enhancements can be achieved by using mementos such as photos, dog tags, and signed letters of commendation.
How to Use Medal Display Cases
According to the generalprotocol for displaying medals, the highest honors should be placed to the top left in order of precedence. It’s also advised to assemble medals of the same category together. For example, all the stars, with the highest-ranking to the top left, and then patches, pins, and ribbons.
Making your Own Medal Display Case
There are several videos online with detailed instructions on how to make your own medal display cases. These are some of our favorites:
Buying a Medal Display Case
Wall-Mounted Medal Display Cases
Wall-mounted cases are a good way of displaying large quantities of medals and became a feature in your home. It’s important that you plan your display of medals and awards beforehand, so you know how large a display case you may want. Wall-mounted cases come in different styles and are made of different materials. Here are some of our recommendations:
- Military Coin Hanging Display Case$57.33Get it from Amazon
- Pin and Badge Display Case with UV Protection$73.20Get it from Amazon
- XS Display Case Cabinet Box with UV Protection$33.99Get it from Amazon
- XL Case Cabinet Shadowbox$69.99Get it from Amazon
Frame Display Cases
Frame display cases are perfect for smaller collections of medals. They usually come in two styles: Transparent (ideal to be able to see both sides of a medal) or with a back layer made of cloth, plastic or wood (for displaying one side only). A lot of coin display frames can be used for medals, so we’ve included some below as well.
- 3D Floating Display Case for Multiple Medals$13.88Get it from Amazon
- Floating Frame Transparent Shadow Box$5.95Get it from Amazon
- Solid Wood Medal Box Fits Three Awards$43.99Get it from Amazon
Memorial Display Cases
Memorial display cases for medals and awards usually include space for other objects and the flag. Flags need to be folded in a specific (but generally shared) way.Here’s a video on how to do it.
- Memorial Display Case Storage Square$89.95Get it from Amazon
- Large Memorial Frame Cabinet Shadowbox$65.99Get it from Amazon
- Small Memorial Display Case Storage$79.95Get it from Amazon
- Memorial Display and Flag Case Storage$139.27Get it from Amazon
Display Boxes
Horizontal display boxes are also ideal for larger collections of medals and awards. With a glass top, they can be used to display objects, but can also potentially be stacked and stored. These boxes can be made of wood, metal or plastic. Here are some of our favourite ones:
- Flat Stackable Tray Drawer Organizer$39.99Get it from Amazon
- Lockable Storage Box with Glass Top$23.98Get it from Amazon
- Medals Display Box in Natural Wood$19.99Get it from Amazon
More Articles About Collecting Medals
How to store and display your medals, what to collect and how to find out prices for your collections, and the meaning of being a medal guardian.
How to Start Collecting Medals, Badges and Awards
If you’ve been reading the articles on Identify Medals, there’s a good chance that you fit into one of two categories: 1)you are a medal
Read More »
Resources Guide: How to Identify Military Medals and Badges
In this detailed guide, I explain the different ways in which you can identify some of your military medals, badges, or awards online.
Read More »
Military Medals Display Cases: How to Showcase your Medals
For veterans and their families, military award display cases occupy a place of honor in the home as a testament to personal achievements and career,
Read More »
What’s the Worth, Value and Price of Military Medals?
The reason many of us collect military medals is because they allow us todiscover not only major historical events, but also people’s experiences in such
Read More »
See All Articles about Collecting >
More General Articles
The Battle of Verdun, the Frenco-German Bloodbath and its Medal
British Medals: Order of Wear, How to Apply and Request Records
Top 10 Flying Aces of the United States During World War II
The Maginot Line: A Defensive Barrier for World War II
Florence Nightingale: The Life and Medals of the Lady With the Lamp
Sergeant Stubby and Sergeant Reckless, Decorated Dog and Horse
See All Articles >
