The highest price ever paid for a set of medals is £241,500 ($346,335) on 10 December 2001 for 19 medals awarded to Air Vice-Marshall ‘Johnnie’ Johnson who shot down 38 enemy aircraft during World War II and was the survivor of 700 Spitfire combat missions. The medals were sold by Spink, London, UK on instructions from the pilot’s will and purchased by an anonymous buyer.
The medals were sold along with five log books spanning the period 1939-94 and five photographic albums containing many unpublished war time images as it is common practice for medals to be sold with log books and other records documenting their history.
‘Johnnie’ Johnson, who died in January 2001, was the top scoring pilot of the Second World War.
The medals sold are as follows:
1) The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Companion’s (C.B.), Military Division, neck Badge, silver-gilt and enamel
2) The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Commander’s (C.B.E.), 2nd type, Military Division, neck Badge, silver-gilt and enamel
3) Distinguished Service Order, G.VI.R., silver-gilt and enamel, the reverse of the suspension bar officially dated ‘1943’, with Bars for Second and Third Awards, the reverses officially dated ‘1943’ and ‘1944’
4) Distinguished Flying Cross, George VI, the reverse officially dated ‘1941’ and privately engraved, ‘F./Lt. J.E. Johnson, 616 Squadron, 16th Sept.’, with Bar for Second Award, the reverse officially dated ‘1942’
5) 1939-45 Star
6) Air Crew Europe Star, with ‘France and Germany’ clasp
7) Defence Medal 1939-45
8) War Medal 1939-45
9) Queen’s Korea (Wg. Cdr., R.A.F.)
10) United Nations Korea
11) General Service 1962, one clasp, Radfan (A.V.M., R.A.F.)
12) Coronation 1953
13) Air Efficiency Award, G.VI.R. (Act. Wg. Cdr., R.A.F.V.R.)
14) Belgium, Order of Leopold I, Officer’s breast Badge, Military Division, silver-gilt and enamel
15) Belgium, Croix de Guerre, with palm
16) France, Legion of Honour, Commander’s neckl Badge, gilt and enamel
17) United States of America, Legion of Merit, Chevalier’s breast Badge, gilt and enamel
18) United States of America, Distinguished Flying Cross
19) United States of America, Air Medal