How To Store And Display Awards.

[yolkin]

Folks,

I also checked with my home insurance agent, who told me that the medals collection is covered under the homeowners insurance in the category of fine arts. The protection is against TOTAL LOSS (i.e. theft, fire, etc.). The protection does not cover damages to broken pieces. The price is dependent on the amount that you wish to insure for. I figure that because the values are constantly on the rise, you can assess your collection for a 6-month timeframe, and in 6 months re-assess and raise the coverage amount.

She stated that the only neccessity is to document (spreadsheet) every piece in the collection and keep that file up-to-date and off-site (at a friend's house or in a safety deposit box in a bank)

Oh, and guess what??? She brought up the old "safety deposit box in a bank" conversation, saying that some of the more expensive pieces may need to be in a bank because they may not recover their cost in a total loss due to their rising price.

There is a light at the end of this tunnel!!!

Eric

[otlichnik]

Ron,

I got the same answer from my Canadian insurer too. I was surprised that they treat medals like general goods and not like coins and stamps. It just comes under your total. That is ok if the house burns down and you claim it all. I suspect it would be a bit of a fight if somene broke in and stole just my collection, which would fit into a car trunk but is worth way over $50,000 in theory.

I used to be really worried about uniforms. They consider them just clothes and I thought that claiming thousands for a missing uniform would be met with skepticism. Then I saw what women (or the kind of men who wear genuine Armani's) pay for modern clothes and it is not too unreasonable.

Shawn

[Dave]

This is pretty cool that most home insurance companies list the collection with the rest of the house... Unfortunately, mine has decided to lump everything in a category of "coins, jewelry and objects made of rare materials" (i.e. silver, gold, etc...) Sooooo... They required an appraisal of every piece they insured. That would have required me to take my entire collection to PMD (the only person I know "qualified" to make an "official" appraisal) and pay for it. I like Paul, but I don't have too many plans in packing up the 'ol collection and dropping it off! What a pain that would be!

Thus the reason I went with the other guys.

--Dave

[otlichnik]

Appraisals are a pain. But insurers do not know who is qualified or not so you can get almost anyone to do it. Mine wanted me to use the same person who did the rest of our valuable home contents - i.e some old woman who might know her Ming from her Meissen but would have no clue how to value anything Soviet.

I got a felow forum member (who is a dealer) to do it and I actually sent a list already filled in. He just changed the odd entry if he had a better idea than mine and signed it.

The main thing is to get a list showing exactly what you have and get photos or videos to prove it. In most policies you are not locked into the appraised valuation anyway. If the value for something has changed greatly you can often fight it. Not if you were getting a lump sum for a large list of lost goods, but if you had one or a few items taken you can try to get actual replacement value.

After all, if they steal your 1999 computer which you paid $2000 for the insurance company would say sorry bud it is only worth $200 now!

Shawn

[Stephende]

I've been working with an artist to develop a logo for my collection, what do you think?

[dannybou]

Since I've been collecting only 6 weeks now, I am using a glass picture frame up on a wall. That's good for the medals but the few Orders I have don't fit. I like the idea of jewelry boxes though. Might give it a try.

[rboomsma]

I managed to just recently find an oak with glass display case in an 2nd hand shop for $30. The glass alone would have cost that. It was just perfect.

I re-stained it, built a false wall to attach the medals of that foam and plastic stick pin board, covered it in black velvet. Put on soom new brass hardware and mounted it on the wall of my den. Now all my collection is all in one display, looks very impressive.

Soviet medals are so beautiful and so much history behind them, to not have them on display would be a shame.

Since I've been collecting only 6 weeks now, I am using a glass picture frame up on a wall. That's good for the medals but the few Orders I have don't fit. I like the idea of jewelry boxes though. Might give it a try.

[HuliganRS]

Ron,

How big is this case or your collection?

Got pictures to share?

Rusty.

[rboomsma]

Hello Rusty

The case is about 4' x 3', my collectoin is now over 100 + medals and orders.
I will try to post a photo later, at work now.

Ron,

How big is this case or your collection?

Got pictures to share?

Rusty.

[Dolf]

Ron,

Yes please, post some pics.

I wonder, it must be a huge display case to hold all your collection!

Best,

Dolf

Hello Rusty

The case is about 4' x 3', my collectoin is now over 100 + medals and orders.
I will try to post a photo later, at work now.

Ron,

4' x 3' ? What does the ' sign means? Not inches " , I guess !

Dolf