Can You Sell a Medal of Honor?

The short answer is no, you cannot legally sell or buy a Medal of Honor. As the highest honor for military valor in the United States, the Medal of Honor‘s prestige makes it priceless to sell.

As someone fascinated by military history, I wanted to share more on why the Medals of Honor are so revered and what makes their sale so contentious. There‘s a lot of interesting history behind them!

The Immense Honor of Receiving a Medal of Honor

The Medal of Honor represents the pinnacle of sacrifice, courage, and patriotism. First awarded during the Civil War in 1861, it recognizes going above and beyond the call of duty "at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty."

To date, there have been 3,508 recipients of the Medal of Honor. It has been bestowed across all military branches:

Some fascinating facts about the recipients:

• The youngest recipient was 11 years old, while the oldest was 60.
• 19 men have received two Medals of Honor for separate acts of valor.
• 1,522 recipients, nearly half of all recipients, received the medal posthumously.

When you look at such figures, it becomes clear that earning a Medal of Honor requires demonstrating truly extraordinary sacrifice and bravery.

The Highly Selective Process

Receiving the Medal of Honor is no easy feat. It involves a rigorous process of nomination, review, and approval at the highest levels:

• Nominations typically originate from an eyewitness to the act of valor. This can be a fellow servicemember, officer, or commanding figure.

• Nominations undergo intensive review by successive panels of senior officers to confirm the merits.

• The President of the United States gives the final approval. Congress then passes legislation to formally authorize it.

Of the nominations submitted, only around 10% ultimately receive the Medal of Honor. Needless to say, it is not an award given out freely.

Protecting the Integrity

With the Medal of Honor‘s prestigious reputation comes the risk of fraudulent claims. Stolen valor – when someone lies about having earned military honors – unfortunately occurs all too frequently these days.

The internet has enabled a spike in stolen valor cases. Counterfeit reproduction Medals of Honor started appearing online in the 1990s. This led to the Stolen Valor Acts of 2005 and 2013 to ban their unauthorized sale.

I strongly believe keeping the integrity of the Medal of Honor intact requires vigilance and education. Those who try exploiting the medal‘s honor for profit or personal gain should face consequences.

At the same time, true recipients deserve all Americans‘ reverence and respect. Learning Medal of Honor recipients‘ stories of selfless sacrifice can inspire us all.

My Thoughts as an Enthusiast

As someone fascinated by military history, I find Medal of Honor stories particularly compelling. Reading about recipients‘ actions in the heat of conflict reveals the best of human bravery and character.

Some of my favorite Medal of Honor stories include:

• Sergeant Alvin York in WWI, who almost single-handedly took on an entire enemy battalion.

• Second Lieutenant Audie Murphy in WWII, who held off 250 German soldiers despite being severely outgunned.

• Lieutenant Michael Murphy in Afghanistan, who sacrificed himself to call in help and save his team.

Their courage motivated me to keep learning about the Medal and those who earned it. I believe honoring these heroes requires protecting the Medal‘s integrity at all costs. No dollar value could ever encapsulate what it truly represents.

• The Medal of Honor signifies immeasurable sacrifice and valor in service.

• It is awarded through a highly selective process, with less than 10% of nominations approved.

• Preserving its integrity requires countering those who try exploiting it for personal gain.

• True Medal of Honor recipients deserve respect from all Americans for their selfless dedication.

• While the medal itself may have monetary value, what it embodies – courage, honor, patriotism – remains priceless.