0:00:03 > 0:00:06For many years, you've trusted the Flog It! team to value
0:00:06 > 0:00:10and sell your unwanted antiques and collectibles.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13I'm sure we're going to find a new home for it.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15And to date, we've sold £1 million worth.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20And during that time we've learned a great deal about the objects
0:00:20 > 0:00:22that have passed through our hands.
0:00:22 > 0:00:24In this series, I want to share some of that knowledge with you
0:00:24 > 0:00:27so standby to hear some of our trade secrets.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59In the latter part of the 16th century,
0:00:59 > 0:01:02William Shakespeare wrote, in the Merchant of Venice,
0:01:02 > 0:01:05"Everything that glisters is not gold."
0:01:05 > 0:01:08His meaning - everything that looks valuable isn't necessarily so -
0:01:08 > 0:01:11gold or not.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15The brilliant thing about antiques is everything has a good value
0:01:15 > 0:01:17because of the wonderful stories they tell.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21So today's show is perfect for all you magpies out there,
0:01:21 > 0:01:24as we're looking at all things sparkly.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28Coming up on today's show, Mark uncovers a hidden gem...
0:01:28 > 0:01:30Wow!
0:01:30 > 0:01:34..Anita reveals the secrets of a very special stone...
0:01:34 > 0:01:38This little baby here is worth its weight in gold.
0:01:38 > 0:01:42- ..Charlie needs to do some more homework...- Shoot the valuer!
0:01:42 > 0:01:46..and Will tries his hand at the precise art of medal making.
0:01:46 > 0:01:48No, no, no. We've got a misclip, Will.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50That's a misclip? How did that happen?
0:01:50 > 0:01:55Not my fault?! I'm so glad I got you to check it.
0:01:57 > 0:02:02We humans are always looking for ways to adorn ourselves.
0:02:02 > 0:02:06These days the wedding ring is about as bejewelled as a man would get
0:02:06 > 0:02:11but history tells us the richest and most fabulous people
0:02:11 > 0:02:14advertised their status by adorning themselves
0:02:14 > 0:02:16with precious metals and jewels.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20So what do our experts think you should take with you
0:02:20 > 0:02:22when looking for a quality piece of jewellery?
0:02:22 > 0:02:24Make sure you look at it objectively.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27Don't just fall in love with it cos it's sparkly and glisteny
0:02:27 > 0:02:30because all that glistens might not be gold.
0:02:30 > 0:02:34I would always advise you to take a magnifying glass, take a little
0:02:34 > 0:02:40look so you can examine the hallmarks and the stones for any flaws.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42Look for inclusions in the stones
0:02:42 > 0:02:44because they do have a detrimental effect on the value.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47The flecks of carbon in diamond, for example,
0:02:47 > 0:02:49they can be a big problem.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52Always take your loupe because you can be very disappointed when
0:02:52 > 0:02:56you get home and you haven't taken it, you find out why it was cheap.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59Now, diamonds might be a girl's best friend,
0:02:59 > 0:03:03but there's nothing to say we fellas can't enjoy some bling.
0:03:03 > 0:03:08Anita came across something for the chaps that put a twinkle in her eye.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11I bought them for my husband for a special anniversary,
0:03:11 > 0:03:14probably in the '80s some time.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17- Were you madly in love with him at the time?- I think so.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21- Are you still madly in love with him?- Yes!
0:03:21 > 0:03:23These are gorgeous.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27Now, they are 18 carat gold, so they are high carat.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30You bought him the best.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33We have this lovely central panel of lapis lazuli.
0:03:33 > 0:03:35'Isn't that a beautiful word?'
0:03:35 > 0:03:41Lapis lazuli is so easily identified by its colour.
0:03:42 > 0:03:44Isn't it beautiful?
0:03:44 > 0:03:47It's that mouthwatering singing blue,
0:03:47 > 0:03:49mined from the bowels of the earth
0:03:49 > 0:03:52and brought into the light to gladden our eyes
0:03:52 > 0:03:54with this vibrant colour.
0:03:54 > 0:03:58So what we've got is high carat gold, a beautiful stone
0:03:58 > 0:04:00and lovely diamonds.
0:04:00 > 0:04:05I like these very, very, very, very much and if I had some lovely chap
0:04:05 > 0:04:09that wore cuff links I would buy them as a present as well.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12But I haven't so I won't bother.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16'Sometimes the older pieces, especially if it's carved,'
0:04:16 > 0:04:21will be more sought after than modern examples
0:04:21 > 0:04:24and our cuff links were fairly modern.
0:04:24 > 0:04:31- Now, I would put a value on these of £250 to £350.- Yes. Lovely.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33Thank you again for bringing them along
0:04:33 > 0:04:35- and I'll see you at the auction.- Thank you, Anita.
0:04:35 > 0:04:40620 is a pair of 18 carat gold lapis lazuli and diamond cuff links.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44Start with 250 on the cuff links. 250. Bid 260.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47270. 280. 290. 300.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49320. 340.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52- Oh, my goodness!- No, it's 340. In the corner. 360.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57380. 400. 420. 440.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59Online at 440.
0:04:59 > 0:05:04- Are you done at £440? - Yes! The hammer's gone down!
0:05:04 > 0:05:07- Good result!- Isn't that wonderful!
0:05:08 > 0:05:10It's a fashion thing.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14Fashion changes all the time and we follow the fashion
0:05:14 > 0:05:17and we pluck from the past items
0:05:17 > 0:05:20which will suit the fashion of today.
0:05:20 > 0:05:24And this is why these cuff links, as well as being very good quality,
0:05:24 > 0:05:28were fashionable and desirable in today's market.
0:05:28 > 0:05:33Lapis lazuli, spiked with gold, can be found on all sorts of pieces,
0:05:33 > 0:05:35and the older ones can be very valuable.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38The Egyptians used it on their scarabs and,
0:05:38 > 0:05:42since medieval times, artists have taken the ground down pigment
0:05:42 > 0:05:46of lapis, called ultramarine, to use in their paintings.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49So look out for that telltale vibrant blue
0:05:49 > 0:05:51and you could be as rich as a king.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55From Anita's modern minimalist cuff links,
0:05:55 > 0:05:59to an altogether more ornate piece from a fascinating era.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03- Wow! Where did you get that from? - It belonged to my grandma.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05- Do you know anything about it at all?- Not really.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08- Just that it belonged to her. - Well, it's fantastic, isn't it?
0:06:08 > 0:06:11It's actually a little brooch, of course,
0:06:11 > 0:06:16and these are diamonds in here. And it's mounted, I think, in platinum.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20- Right.- It's what we call Belle Epoch jewellery.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23'The Belle Epoch era really typifies, for me,'
0:06:23 > 0:06:27the late 19th and very early 20th century.
0:06:27 > 0:06:32So we're going from that quite heavy, chunky Victorian jewellery
0:06:32 > 0:06:36to a very fine, more European French style.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39It's very light, the stones are very good quality.
0:06:39 > 0:06:44It was probably made somewhere between 1900 and 1915.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48From 1900 onwards, platinum became much more widely used.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52When you're mounting a stone like diamonds,
0:06:52 > 0:06:56they're much better to be mounted in a white metal.
0:06:56 > 0:07:01'They reflect the inner beauty of the diamonds and just the quality,
0:07:01 > 0:07:04'even though it wasn't marked, meant it was platinum, not silver.'
0:07:04 > 0:07:08- Have you ever worn it?- Never? - Not once?- Not once.- That's a shame!
0:07:08 > 0:07:11What do you think of it, Alex?
0:07:11 > 0:07:15I like the shape of it, the way it looks a bit like a flower.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18Yes, it does, doesn't it? The petals on the outside.
0:07:18 > 0:07:22It's super quality and it's actually quite valuable.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24I think if we were putting it in for auction
0:07:24 > 0:07:26we should put somewhere in the region of £400 to £600 on it.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30- Wow!- That's wonderful, isn't it?
0:07:31 > 0:07:34The Belle Epoch was a time of freedom and hope
0:07:34 > 0:07:36at the dawn of a new century.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38Were the bidders just as optimistic?
0:07:38 > 0:07:42450 on the floor. Any advance on 450?
0:07:42 > 0:07:46460 on the phone. 460.
0:07:46 > 0:07:47- On the telephone.- 470. 480.
0:07:47 > 0:07:52- 490.- Brilliant.- 490. 500 on the phone.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55520. 540. £540.
0:07:58 > 0:08:02All done at 540? All done at 540? 540.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04And it's gone down. We'll take that, won't we, 540?
0:08:04 > 0:08:06- Yes!- Happy?- Happy, happy.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09What a great example of how a piece of jewellery
0:08:09 > 0:08:11can convey a mood and a time!
0:08:11 > 0:08:16You can learn to "read" the design to help identify the age of an item.
0:08:16 > 0:08:20The cameo as a motif was highly prized by the Georgians.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23Elaborate jet pieces found favour with the Victorians
0:08:23 > 0:08:25after the death of Prince Albert.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28And, as we've seen, flowers and natural images
0:08:28 > 0:08:33were the touchstones of jewellers at the turn of the 20th century.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36Sometimes the story behind a piece of adornment can be
0:08:36 > 0:08:38just as valuable as the item itself.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42Our expert with the Midas touch, Michael Baggott, struck gold
0:08:42 > 0:08:45when he came across a very special watch.
0:08:45 > 0:08:49The watch comes from my grandfather, who was called Eli Pope.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51- This is his picture, there. - Oh, right.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54He built this five wheel bicycle
0:08:54 > 0:08:59and he raced with it on road and on the old Crystal Palace track
0:08:59 > 0:09:03and he won...he got this medal for winning a race.
0:09:03 > 0:09:07- So rather than a cup he got a watch. - Gold watch, yeah.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10We've got an inscription, which is nice.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13It says, "1 mile bicycle handicap won by E. Pope."
0:09:14 > 0:09:17When you've got a piece that someone will bring to Flog It!
0:09:17 > 0:09:20and say, "This belonged to my grandfather and he did this."
0:09:20 > 0:09:23If it hasn't got that inscription,
0:09:23 > 0:09:27you're taking that story on trust and however sincere and truthful
0:09:27 > 0:09:31that is, in the antiques business you have to be able to prove things.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35I think he possibly used to carry it around when he was racing
0:09:35 > 0:09:37- because it's got a fair few dents in it.- Yes.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41But it's appropriate to a cyclist and someone that is timed
0:09:41 > 0:09:43because it's got a special feature to it.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46- Do you know what that special feature is?- I know it's a stopwatch.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49It is. Any idea of what the watch is made of?
0:09:49 > 0:09:53- I think it's gold plate or something. - Gold plate.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56The back plate is plated for strength
0:09:56 > 0:10:01but actually, the case and the bezel are 18 carat gold.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04So it was a worthy thing to win
0:10:04 > 0:10:06and it's marvellous to have the history with it.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10It's very difficult to value this because it's got a little chip
0:10:10 > 0:10:13to it which knocks the value of the watch per se.
0:10:13 > 0:10:17Condition is always very important so the condition of this watch,
0:10:17 > 0:10:21without its story, would have impacted greatly on its value.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24The story actually equalised that and did it a little bit better
0:10:24 > 0:10:26but you should always be aware of condition.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28Especially when buying time pieces.
0:10:28 > 0:10:33We should be in the region of about £150 to £250 on it. Would that be...
0:10:33 > 0:10:36- Yes, yes. Thank you. - A great pleasure to see it.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43I have got to start the bidding here at £300.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46- Fantastic!- £300.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48320 on the phone. 340.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51360. 380. 400.
0:10:51 > 0:10:55- 420. 440. 460.- Can't believe it!
0:10:55 > 0:10:58480. 550 now. 580.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01580 on the phone. 600, can I say?
0:11:01 > 0:11:04At 580, then, if you're done?
0:11:04 > 0:11:07- Oh, pedal power! £580!- Wowee!
0:11:08 > 0:11:11The fact that this watch was a presentation
0:11:11 > 0:11:16for a very unusual sporting event is always going to add interest.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19It's not just for a watch collector, it's not just for someone who
0:11:19 > 0:11:22values the gold, it's for someone who values the story.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25Watches are a potential gold mine for collectors
0:11:25 > 0:11:27and our experts are brimming with tips.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30Go for the flashy ones and the rare ones
0:11:30 > 0:11:33and the movements that do all sorts of things.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36And there are some major makers to go for, of course -
0:11:36 > 0:11:41Rolex, Patek Philippe, Omega, Longines -
0:11:41 > 0:11:43good Swiss makes that we see regularly.
0:11:43 > 0:11:47Just because it says Rolex doesn't mean to say it is a Rolex.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50With high quality watches the finish is absolutely superb.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53If you've got any doubts about it at all,
0:11:53 > 0:11:55if it doesn't feel right, walk away from it.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58Pocket watches are incredibly undervalued,
0:11:58 > 0:12:00particularly 18th century ones.
0:12:00 > 0:12:01So if you wanted to start a collection,
0:12:01 > 0:12:04start a collection of those.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08Phillip Serrell also found a shiny trinket which had a story to tell -
0:12:08 > 0:12:10though not one you'd expect.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14Everybody at home is watching this and thinking that's a bangle.
0:12:14 > 0:12:18- Is that what they're thinking? - Probably.
0:12:18 > 0:12:19We know different. Dog collar.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22'If you want a bit of bling for your dog,'
0:12:22 > 0:12:25I mean, today you might put him in the latest designer coat
0:12:25 > 0:12:28or cover but 100 years ago,
0:12:28 > 0:12:32you'd have bought him a really ritzy collar, wouldn't you? And they did.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36You can just see there how the clasp operates and it's almost...
0:12:36 > 0:12:41It's silver plated. You've got some marks here which are plate marks.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44And then we've got in script around the border,
0:12:44 > 0:12:48- Lady Constance Trentham, which is very Gosford Park, isn't it?- Yes!
0:12:48 > 0:12:51I think it's a very, very rough rule of thumb -
0:12:51 > 0:12:54anything that's inscribed or decorated
0:12:54 > 0:12:56is going to be worth more than a plain Jane.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59Not always but most of the time.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02And I think that little bit of inscription around the collar,
0:13:02 > 0:13:05for me, that just added to it.
0:13:05 > 0:13:07And people collect dog collars.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11There is a big demand for these. You can have them in silver.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14You can get some really early 18th century ones that are in brass
0:13:14 > 0:13:19- with sort of really Walt Disney spikes coming out.- Poor dogs!
0:13:19 > 0:13:21But they're good, they're attractive things
0:13:21 > 0:13:24when they've got a lovely patina.
0:13:24 > 0:13:29I reckon that this will make between £60 and £90 at auction.
0:13:29 > 0:13:34And I think if you get two people who are really avid,
0:13:34 > 0:13:37then it could go and make well over £100.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43I love this. It's really, really cute.
0:13:43 > 0:13:47- We're looking at £60 to £90 for it. Great valuation.- It will sell.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51I like dog collars. Strange little thing I don't tell many people!
0:13:51 > 0:13:55679 is the electroplated dog collar. What a charming little thing there,
0:13:55 > 0:13:57engraved for Lady Constance Trentham.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59And she must have had a tiny little dog.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01Start with 50 bid. 55. 60. 65.
0:14:01 > 0:14:0570. 75. 80. 80 bid. Any more, now, at £80?
0:14:05 > 0:14:09At 80. 85. 90. 90 still here. At £90. Any more?
0:14:09 > 0:14:11At 95. 100. 100 still with me.
0:14:11 > 0:14:17Will take a ten. At 100. All done now at £100?
0:14:17 > 0:14:20Yes! Hammer's gone down! That's sold. £100.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23And bizarrely, I think that's one of those things
0:14:23 > 0:14:26that would be worth a good bit more today.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30Big area of collectability because it's different. It's different.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32People want different things.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35How many of your friends have you been to and they go,
0:14:35 > 0:14:37"Look at my silver plated dog collar."
0:14:37 > 0:14:39It doesn't happen, it's different.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43Charlie Ross's eye was caught by a bit of sparkle
0:14:43 > 0:14:48that could so easily have been overlooked as old costume jewellery.
0:14:48 > 0:14:50- You don't like it, do you? - No. I don't.- I can tell.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52It's been sitting in a box somewhere, presumably.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55- Yes, actually. In the teapot. Yeah. - Right.
0:14:55 > 0:14:59It's first half of the 20th century.
0:14:59 > 0:15:021920s, 1930s, I think. Do you know where it comes from?
0:15:02 > 0:15:04No. I know nothing at all about it.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06Looking at all of those stones, I think
0:15:06 > 0:15:10probably what is now Sri Lanka, what was Ceylon.
0:15:10 > 0:15:15Because those stones were indigenous to Ceylon or Sri Lanka,
0:15:15 > 0:15:19as it is now, and I'm lucky enough to have been there.
0:15:19 > 0:15:25That it was likely that piece of jewellery was made there
0:15:25 > 0:15:28because all those stones, or the majority of those stones,
0:15:28 > 0:15:31'would have been natural to Sri Lanka.'
0:15:31 > 0:15:34We have got a citrine and a garnet, then a smokey quartz,
0:15:34 > 0:15:36really rather a splendid sapphire.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39Then we've got a cabochon amethyst.
0:15:39 > 0:15:44By cabochon it's rounded. It's in the form, really, of a bead.
0:15:44 > 0:15:46Amethyst.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48Then we've got the zircon and then,
0:15:48 > 0:15:51although it's a slightly different colour,
0:15:51 > 0:15:54- we've got another garnet at the end. - Right.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57Garnets come in different shades of orangey red.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00So how did Charlie know he was looking at the real thing,
0:16:00 > 0:16:03and not a worthless glass imitation?
0:16:03 > 0:16:05Have I got a bit of glass in my hand?
0:16:05 > 0:16:10Have I got a semiprecious stone in my hand? What do I do?
0:16:10 > 0:16:13Pick up a piece of glass, put it into my hand,
0:16:13 > 0:16:17semiprecious stone in that hand, close your eyes
0:16:17 > 0:16:22and ipso facto you will find the glass warming up
0:16:22 > 0:16:26and the semiprecious stone will remain cold.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29- Have you had it insured?- No.- No.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31No, I didn't think it was worth anything.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34- Did you think it was a bit of costume jewellery?- Yes.
0:16:34 > 0:16:36So you thought it was worth £10, I suppose?
0:16:38 > 0:16:40Didn't think it was worth anything at all.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42- Anything at all?- No.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44So, it will come as a pleasant surprise to be
0:16:44 > 0:16:48- told that it's worth £100-£150. - Lovely, yes. Thank you.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51Charlie knew a semiprecious bracelet when he saw one,
0:16:51 > 0:16:56but it quickly proved to be more precious than even he expected.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59220. 230, 240,
0:16:59 > 0:17:01250, 260,
0:17:01 > 0:17:04270, 280.
0:17:04 > 0:17:06- Oh, they love it.- 290, 300.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09310, 320.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11330, 340.
0:17:11 > 0:17:12Oh, crumbs.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15350, 360, 370, 380.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17And we're still going.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19390, 400.
0:17:19 > 0:17:21At £400. With the lady at 400, now. At £400.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23- Are we all done?- Oh, gosh.
0:17:23 > 0:17:24At £400.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27Bang, that hammer's gone down.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30£400!
0:17:30 > 0:17:32Shoot the valuer!
0:17:32 > 0:17:35If you're going to sell a bit of jewellery, for goodness' sake,
0:17:35 > 0:17:36make sure you know what it is.
0:17:36 > 0:17:40Yes, and any good auction house, of course, will give you a valuation
0:17:40 > 0:17:46prior to sale and will tell you whether something is genuine or not.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48So, how can you tell a diamond from the rough?
0:17:48 > 0:17:51As well as Charlie's warmth test, try the breath test.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54If you breathe on glass, it will fog up,
0:17:54 > 0:17:57but a diamond will remain clear as day.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03What else should you bear in mind?
0:18:03 > 0:18:05Remember to take your loupe,
0:18:05 > 0:18:07which will help you to identify the four Cs...
0:18:15 > 0:18:18Colour and clarity define the quality of a gem
0:18:18 > 0:18:21and how many faults or inclusions it has.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24Have a go at studying the gem through your loupe,
0:18:24 > 0:18:26but, it is a specialist field,
0:18:26 > 0:18:28so ask an expert if you are in doubt.
0:18:28 > 0:18:30With a little research, you can
0:18:30 > 0:18:34learn to identify one of the hundreds of cuts out there,
0:18:34 > 0:18:37from the traditional rose, to the curved cabochon.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39You can learn about the carat,
0:18:39 > 0:18:41which is the weight of your gemstone,
0:18:41 > 0:18:45by using a simple and inexpensive card to measure it.
0:18:45 > 0:18:49And by examining the four Cs, along with the quality of the design,
0:18:49 > 0:18:51you could be going for gold.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58Nothing fires the imagination of the Flog It! experts more than
0:18:58 > 0:19:02a military medal and the stories associated with them.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05But why is one medal more desirable than another?
0:19:05 > 0:19:09Expert and auctioneer Will Axon has seen a fair few in his time,
0:19:09 > 0:19:12and he jumped at the chance to visit the place that's been
0:19:12 > 0:19:15responsible for striking them for more than 200 years.
0:19:20 > 0:19:21Well, they've let me in.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23Here I am. The Royal Mint.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25Everyone thinks coins, don't they,
0:19:25 > 0:19:27when they think of the Royal Mint, but I am here to
0:19:27 > 0:19:30look at something that interests me more than coins - medals.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33But, before Will got to handle the medals
0:19:33 > 0:19:35awarded for service in the Armed Forces,
0:19:35 > 0:19:40he met one of the foremost experts in the field of mint medals,
0:19:40 > 0:19:44Kevin Clancy, curator of the Royal Mint Museum.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47It really began about 200 years ago with the Waterloo Medal.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50And you have an original Waterloo Medal here?
0:19:50 > 0:19:53Cos I know, from my auctioneering background, that they
0:19:53 > 0:19:56- are highly collectable, aren't they?- We do.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58- The Royal Mint made all the Waterloo Medals.- Well, come on.
0:19:58 > 0:20:03Let's get down to it. Let's have a look at them in the flesh.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06All sorts of medals flashing there in front of me.
0:20:06 > 0:20:07Wow, look at this. There, of course,
0:20:07 > 0:20:11is the Waterloo Medal.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13And you've got various versions, is that right?
0:20:13 > 0:20:16That's right. The nature of our collection is about how
0:20:16 > 0:20:17a coin or medal has been produced.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20But to think, how would you commemorate Waterloo?
0:20:20 > 0:20:21What device would you use?
0:20:21 > 0:20:24That's a creative problem that someone's got to solve.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27And, in this instance, it's the winged figure of Victory.
0:20:27 > 0:20:28Which we can see here.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31With the word Waterloo underneath and the date.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34And it's become an extraordinarily
0:20:34 > 0:20:38potent symbol of campaign medals.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40This is the start, this is where it all began.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43Now, if we're talking medals for bravery or gallantry,
0:20:43 > 0:20:46there's one that tops the list, isn't there, the VC.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48Now, tell me you've got one of those here.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51We have an example of a Victoria Cross in the collection.
0:20:51 > 0:20:53Wow, look at that!
0:20:53 > 0:20:55From our point of view it's one of the only official
0:20:55 > 0:20:59- medals that the Royal Mint hasn't made.- It was made by Hancocks?
0:20:59 > 0:21:03By Hancocks. It was from the word go, 150 years ago, and still is.
0:21:03 > 0:21:07This is as high as it gets as far as the gallantry awards are concerned.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10Let me just see. What do you reckon? Do you think I could...
0:21:10 > 0:21:13Do you think they'd notice if I sneaked out with that?
0:21:13 > 0:21:18Now, Kevin, I'm no medals expert, but you've seen and handled so many,
0:21:18 > 0:21:22you must have some top tips that you are able to pass on to our viewers.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25Condition is hugely important in anything you're buying,
0:21:25 > 0:21:27of course, particularly medals, I would say, and coins.
0:21:27 > 0:21:31The way in which you look after it subsequently
0:21:31 > 0:21:33is again very, very important.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36Beyond that, it is in some ways where your heart and, let's face it,
0:21:36 > 0:21:38where your pocket might lead you.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41Your interests could go in all sorts of directions
0:21:41 > 0:21:42in relation to medals.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44The stories are fascinating.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47It's something that can illuminate the past
0:21:47 > 0:21:49in a way that few other objects can.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55Here at the mint, they produce medals for present-day conflicts.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57But perhaps surprisingly,
0:21:57 > 0:22:00they're currently also making Second World War medals.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02One of these is the Arctic Star.
0:22:05 > 0:22:10From 1914 to 1945, Allied convoys sailed across the Arctic,
0:22:10 > 0:22:15to deliver four million tonnes of vital supplies to the Russians.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18Conditions were amongst the worst faced by any Allied sailor,
0:22:18 > 0:22:21with extreme cold and ferocious pack ice.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25The loss rate for ships was higher than any other
0:22:25 > 0:22:30Allied convoy route, with 3,000 sailors losing their lives.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32After a successful campaign,
0:22:32 > 0:22:35the veterans have finally been recognised for their heroism.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38It's estimated that 120,000 of them
0:22:38 > 0:22:43or their next of kin are eligible to receive the Arctic Star.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47Will had an unprecedented sneak look at the process
0:22:47 > 0:22:50of making this most deserved of all medals.
0:22:50 > 0:22:54When you think that these people have waited 68 years to be appreciated.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56- Exactly.- That's a long time to wait.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59So there must be a sense of honour amongst anyone working here.
0:22:59 > 0:23:00Yes, there's real pride here.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02People are really proud of what we make in the Royal Mint,
0:23:02 > 0:23:05especially the medals.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08I tell you what, is there any part of this process that
0:23:08 > 0:23:09I might be able to have a go at?
0:23:09 > 0:23:11You can have a go, if you think you're up to it.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14If you're going to trust me with a 360-tonne press?
0:23:14 > 0:23:16Yes, yes, you'll be fine.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21- This is it here, is it? - Yeah, don't forget your glasses.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24No, I've got my safety goggles. Right.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27- So I've got a nice stack here. - Nice, shiny blank.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29OK, you put it in the press.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31- Locate it in the die.- Yeah.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34- Locate the star now. - Locate the star...
0:23:34 > 0:23:36- That's fine.- I think that's about right.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39- Where's my hammer? Oh, no... - The green.
0:23:39 > 0:23:40- Just press once?- Yeah.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42Right, now press it again.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47- Oh!- There we are. Take it out, Will.- Is it safe?
0:23:47 > 0:23:49Yeah, yeah, it's fine, yeah.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52That's fine. No holes, no scratches.
0:23:52 > 0:23:53That's great, Will.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55So now it needs to go to the clipping?
0:23:55 > 0:23:57It needs to go to the clipping, yeah.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59Now I need to clip this excess.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02I'm assuming this has got to be pretty accurate, otherwise...
0:24:02 > 0:24:03Yes, it has.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06Make sure you locate properly, Will.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09- You happy?- You better check it.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11It's fine, now, Will.
0:24:11 > 0:24:13What you mean "fine now"? It wasn't before?
0:24:13 > 0:24:16- So down comes my safety?- Yeah.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18Press the foot pedal.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22- OK?- Slightly nervous, isn't it?
0:24:22 > 0:24:24I suppose you're pretty used to it.
0:24:24 > 0:24:26- My medal, in theory. - Your medal's coming out.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28Let's have a look. Front...
0:24:28 > 0:24:31- Yeah, yeah.- That's OK, Will. - Is that OK?- Yes, that's OK.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33It's got to be cleaned later. No, no.
0:24:33 > 0:24:35- We've got a misclip, Will. - That's a misclip.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37- We've got a misclip. - How did that happen? Not my fault!
0:24:37 > 0:24:39I probably didn't locate it...
0:24:39 > 0:24:41- Oh, I'm so glad I got you to check it!- This is a reject.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44- We'll make another one.- Really? - We'll make another one, yeah.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49Just a few more to go, Will.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53Once Will's got that right,
0:24:53 > 0:24:55the medal is pierced and polished.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06Rhiannon, you're on the final process.
0:25:06 > 0:25:07- Yes, I am.- The ribbon.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09Well, I've got a medal here.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12- Any chance I could swap that for one with a ribbon on?- Course you can.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14That's very kind of you.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17I'm glad you are doing that fiddly work and not me.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20- And that's in the box it will be presented to, yeah?- Yes, it is.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23Wow, look at that.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25Stunning, isn't it? The finished product.
0:25:25 > 0:25:29To think that I've had a small part to play, even if it is
0:25:29 > 0:25:32just helping to strike a medal, that...
0:25:32 > 0:25:35You know, it's in some way respectful
0:25:35 > 0:25:38to what they gave for their country
0:25:38 > 0:25:4170 years ago, but still relevant, really
0:25:41 > 0:25:44and worth commemorating, certainly.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49With medal collecting, valour is the crucial element.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52If you're going to start your own collection, here's a tip.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55Home in on a battle or the era that intrigues you most
0:25:55 > 0:25:58and enjoy getting to know the stories of gallantry
0:25:58 > 0:26:00behind that scrap of metal.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08Anita Manning is probably the most
0:26:08 > 0:26:10stylish member of the Flog It! team.
0:26:10 > 0:26:15She loves colour and is also rather partial to a bit of adornment.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19MUSIC: "Theme from Jurassic Park" by John Williams
0:26:19 > 0:26:20I love jewellery.
0:26:20 > 0:26:25It doesn't need to be gold and it doesn't need to be diamonds.
0:26:25 > 0:26:27I love ambers.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30And for me, they're very, very, very special.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33Now, amber is a precious substance
0:26:33 > 0:26:38and it is made of the fossilised resin
0:26:38 > 0:26:41of giant and ancient pine trees
0:26:41 > 0:26:4640 to 60 million years old.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48And it's the type of thing which reaches
0:26:48 > 0:26:51very high prices in the auction.
0:26:51 > 0:26:57But, when something is very precious like that, we often find that
0:26:57 > 0:27:01things are copied and that there are imitations
0:27:01 > 0:27:04and we find these in the sale rooms and we also find them
0:27:04 > 0:27:07in my little collection of amber, as well.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09And I don't mind them too much.
0:27:09 > 0:27:11I mean, it's very handy
0:27:11 > 0:27:15to be able to identify the true amber.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18And, in this one here,
0:27:18 > 0:27:20it looks in the spectrum of ambers,
0:27:20 > 0:27:23but, in actual fact, it is a Bakelite.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26How do we tell the difference?
0:27:26 > 0:27:28There's first the hot pin test.
0:27:28 > 0:27:31If you heat a little pin
0:27:31 > 0:27:34and put it into the amber in a place where you can't see it,
0:27:34 > 0:27:38maybe near the string hole, if it's amber,
0:27:38 > 0:27:43it will emit this wonderful pine perfume,
0:27:43 > 0:27:46whereas, if it's plastic or Bakelite,
0:27:46 > 0:27:50the smell will be really horrid.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55People worshipped amber, because it was a sun...
0:27:55 > 0:27:59They called it a sun-reflecting stone.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01And, if we look at something like that,
0:28:01 > 0:28:04which has depth and colour
0:28:04 > 0:28:08and substance and great beauty,
0:28:08 > 0:28:10this is the real amber.
0:28:10 > 0:28:14And this little baby here
0:28:14 > 0:28:17is worth its weight in gold.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28So if you've been inspired by all these glistening treasures,
0:28:28 > 0:28:31then why not hunt out some bling on your own?
0:28:31 > 0:28:33That's the beauty of these antiques -
0:28:33 > 0:28:35they can be worn and shown off,
0:28:35 > 0:28:39not just left gathering dust on the shelf.
0:28:39 > 0:28:41Join us next time for more Trade Secrets.