This is a mirror of my personal blog, statred 5/25/2009. I have added it to the Military Neighborhood, as I feel this impacts us all.

Opening Topic Discussion on eBay and the Sale of U.S. Medals

In 2005, the US Congress passed the Stolen Valor Act. The purpose of the law was to clarify the penalties for wrongfully claiming entitlement to higher US valor decorations. The law also, but unfortunately, was very ambigious about the sale (the intent was to make illegal the intentional sale of medals to enable fradulant acts) of the Medals of Honor (Army, Air Force, and Navy/Marines), the Distinguished Service Cross (Army), Air Force Cross (Air Force), the Navy Cross (Navy/Marines), and the Purple Heart (all Armed Forces Branch) (I will refer to these medals hereafter as the DSC, AFC, NC, and PHM). Since I posted this blog, it now appears that I must announce, with deep regret, the passing of the Silver Star Medal from eBay's rolls. It appears it became illegal to sell the Silver Star Medal on eBay-USA sometime around May 25th, 2009. It now appears likely to me that eBay will eventually be banning the sale of ALL United States Medals in order to "protect the eBay community".

With the promogulation of the SVA, eBay has chosen to immediately ban the sale of those medals on their site. This ban has continued, even though clarification has been sent out that the legitimate sale of all medals, save for the Medals of Honor, ARE legal within the United States. As a matter of fact, from time-to-time, you will see in the 'Sponsors' at the bottom of some eBay webpages direct links to sites that ARE selling the DSC, AFC, NC, and the PHM! Other web auction sites, such as OnlineAuction are also openly allowing the sale of the DSC, AFC, NC, and PHM.

I believe its time for eBay to end its self-imposed ban on the sales of these medals. Not only are they hurting the collector's access to these medals by not offering the services of the nation's largest internet auction site to locate medals they desire to obtain. eBay is also hurting the owners of these decorations who wish to legitimately dispose of those medals for cash, as the inability to use the widest exposure market available also means that they will be limited in the the price they will obtain for their medals whan they sell them.

Of course, you may feel that the 'protection' to the service personnel's honor eBay is providing by not allowing the sale of the DSC, AFC, NC, and PHM outweigh the collector's right to purchase those medals. That the prevention of false claims of honor predominates the free market. And it is truly sure, that someone will abuse these medals in the future for their own advancement, but if such is their goal, why would a person intent of fraud spent $150.00+ for a WWII DSC whan a currently manufactured one is available for as little as $35.00?

What's your opinion?