08-30-2011, 11:53 AM
This depends very much on the award, the case and the ribbon. If you are offered an award with a modern red plastic case this will add only the value of the case to the award. Many older awards are put in this more modern cases with modern ribbon bars to try and trick the customer out of more money. Having the correct ribbon bar with the correct award adds a trivial value to the pairing. If however you find a "custom made" wooden case for a specific award (such as an early Soviet made Order Of The National Flag 1st 2nd or 3rd Class of which all are different sizes) with the correct variation order and correct period ribbon bar I can see the combined value increasing 20-30%. The common unmarked plastic cases are a rather "universal" case and any award that can fit in it will have been issued in it. When I get my hands on a camera I will do a study on the plastic cases.
"Signed with his own rubber stamp"
