A militaria specialist says the piece “will doubtless be of great interest to collectors”.
A “scarce” medal will be put up for auction in Tamworth later this month.
The King Edward VII Imperial Yeomanry Long Service Medal was only issued for four years during the early 1900s to soldiers in voluntary cavalry units for long service and good conduct.
The example coming to auction in a dedicated Military Sale on Thursday 21 May is named to Staff Sergeant Major F Cramp of Prince Albert’s Own Leicestershire Yeomanry.
Struck in silver and in good condition with its original light-yellow ribbon, the medal is estimated to fetch between £300 and £400 at Richard Winterton’s Tamworth Auction Rooms.
Authorised by King Edward VII in 1904, and with an initial batch of 951 awards announced in early 1905, the Imperial Yeomanry Long Service Medal was bestowed on troopers and non-commissioned officers in the Imperial Yeomanry for 10 years’ service and attending 10 annual camps.
Issued with the recipient’s name, rank and unit impressed on the rim, the obverse of the medal depicts the bust of King Edward VII in uniform facing left, with the reverse bearing the words “Imperial Yeomanry For Long Service And Good Conduct”.
The decoration became obsolete in 1908, by which time some 1,674 medals had been granted to soldiers in more than 50 different Yeomanry regiments.
Jeff Clark, militaria specialist at Richard Winterton Auctioneers, said “relatively few of these medals were awarded and they rarely come on the market”.
It was a somewhat short-lived award – in 1908, the medal was superseded by the Territorial Force Efficiency Medal when the Imperial Yeomanry and Volunteer Force were transferred to the newly created Territorial Force.
This is a good example of a scarce medal from the reign of King Edward VII and will doubtless be of great interest to collectors.
The 21 May sale will start at 9:30am.
Comprising 220 lots, the auction also features medals groups, including the archive of a soldier who served during the First Boer War and World War One, plus militaria such as uniforms, hats and swords.
On the day of the auction, people can bid online, in the room or by prior arranged telephone bid.
The catalogue goes live online a week before the sale date via www.richardwinterton.co.uk/auctions/auction-calendar, and viewing in person at the saleroom in Church Street takes place on Wednesday 20 May, between 10am and 4pm.
For more information, or to book a free valuation of all types of medals and militaria with Jeff, call 01827 217746, or email tamworth@richardwinterton.co.uk.
Free valuations and home visits for large collections and house clearances are also available.
The Tamworth Auction Rooms is located at 34-35 Church Street, B79 7BX.