Rare medals sell for more than double the price

The medals Captain Patrick Campbell was awarded for his military service during Britain's tussles with Napoleon fetched more than double their estimate price at auction. Picture: James Hardisty (JH1010/47c)

A RARE pair of medals awarded to a military captain who served in both the British Army and Royal Navy during the nation’s skirmishes with Napoleon have sold for more than double their estimated value at auction.

The family heirlooms, presented by the York-based descendents of Captain Patrick Campbell, were expected to sell at Tennants Auctioneers’ militaria sale in Leyburn this morning for up to £7,000, but instead fetched a total price of £17,000 from a private buyer.

Oonagh Drage, Tennants’ military specialist, said: “Given how rare these items were as a pair, they generated a competitive bidding process which eventually saw them sell for way beyond our initial expectations.”

Captain Campbell was a British Army captain of the 48th Regiment of Foot under the command of the 1st Duke of Wellington, and an Able Seaman as a member of the Royal Navy under the leadership of Admiral Lord Nelson.

Unusually Captain Campbell switched from naval service to the infantry during the Napoleonic Wars in which Napoleon fought to expand France’s empire, and was awarded the two medals - the Naval General Service Medal 1793-1840 and the Military General Service Medal 1793-1814 - for his service.