Gold in the original Saudi given Kuwait Liberation Medal ???

[waterboy3575]

Does anyone know for sure if the original Saudi Arabia - Kuwait Liberation Medal has any precious metals in it such as gold or silver? At the time I was given mine, rumor had it that there was pure gold in it and silver was a possibility to! I have been researching this across the internet and have not received any solid facts on this. Just curious, now with the cost of gold going up, etc... plus with the downfall of the economy. Ugghh!! I just dug it out of my old military stuff and remembered the RUMORS of gold! I did take a magnet to it and nothing stuck, which is good. I guess I need to buy an Acid Test kit or take it to a Coin Collector or reputable goldsmith to check it out.

Served 3 years (7/89-7/92) Army
Ft. Campbell, Ky
101st - 2/327 Infantry
In the Gulf War: 9/90 - 4/91

Thanks ...

Any "No Slack" brothers from the 101st out there?

[wdroberson]

Sadly.... No Gold.

The only value they hold is to military paraphernalia collectors and that is not much. They are still obtainable, the original issued ones that is, through collectors. You can do a search on ebay as well and see people selling the original ones for $30.00 to $60.00. You will see the occasional seller claiming it to be gold yet no one buys it because it is not gold.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kingdom-Saudi-A ... 500wt_1260


What pisses me off is that I bought a gold ring and a gold bracelet for my wife while I was there. They made their gold jewelry out of a higher karat than we do in the states. I think this stuff was 20 karat gold. I know it was much softer than the gold here. Anyway I spent a little under $350.00 at the time for the jewelry. The price of gold then was a little under $400.00 an ounce. Now it is over $1,600.00 an ounce.

Well my wife lost them both a few years after she had them!

Now I can't help but think Damn! ... That was easily a $1,000.00 now....Maybe more.

[lmsnh]

The gold sold in most of those shops was 21 karat Italian gold. I still have some pieces that I won't wear because it is so soft. Wish I had bought more when I was there.....
The original issued Kuwait medals did cost $250 each. I was a Supply Sergeant and had to order them through the supply system. They were issued differently than other awards because of the cost. I lean towards the idea that there is some precious metals in the real originals. Just sayin'

[waterboy3575]

Thanks for the quick response. I to did see some for sale across the internet but wasn't sure if they were the original one's (claim to be) that were handed out or replica's (U.S. Made). What I am going to do this week is take it to a Numismatic shop in the next town over and have him do a gold test on it. Two area's of it. First off, the gold colored area on the silver globe and then the gold colored area with the wreath and crossed sabers. Might as well have him test the silver colored areas to. Why, because I have yet to come across anyone with concrete facts that it is or isn't gold / silver. No one has posted any factual gold / silver testing on it. Unfortunately just hearsay... When it is complete, I will post up here to let you all know the results by the end of the week. Hang tight!
Hoo Raah!

[waterboy3575]

Also, I do remember supply handing them out to us and we also had to sign for them as well, I believe. How ironic would it be if there was GOLD in it and it was worth a little something! I tell ya what, I would be buying up a lot of originals to cash in! haa...

[wdroberson]

What I am going to do this week is take it to a Numismatic shop in the next town over and have him do a gold test on it. Two area's of it. Hoo Raah!

I welcome your results.

The original issued Kuwait medals did cost $250 each. I was a Supply Sergeant and had to order them through the supply system. They were issued differently than other awards because of the cost. I lean towards the idea that there is some precious metals in the real originals. Just sayin'

I can't argue what you say about the $250.00 ..... That was the rumor that was going around when we were issued ours and we did have to sign for them as well. I am curious to get the results from waterboy's test's that he said he is going to have performed. Others in the past have supposedly had the same test's performed only to come back and say that there was no gold.

I hope those other people I read about on the internet that made the test claims were liers! lololol'

I still have my original issued Liberation of Kuwait medal and ribbon w/three gold stars sitting in a bag with all my other medals earned. I doubt I would sell it though anyway. But I am still very curious.

[waterboy3575]

Finally got the results on "If there is real gold in the medal." I brought it to two Jewelers whom both gave the same results. An acid test was performed as well as the scratch test. So was the electronic device performed on it. The results are there is a small amount of Gold Plating on it. That is all. Not worth much. Finally some actual proof.

Sincerely,
Waterboy

[Bakaruda]

Not suprised, thanks.

[wdroberson]

Finally got the results on "If there is real gold in the medal." I brought it to two Jewelers whom both gave the same results. An acid test was performed as well as the scratch test. So was the electronic device performed on it. The results are there is a small amount of Gold Plating on it. That is all. Not worth much. Finally some actual proof.

Sincerely,
Waterboy

Too damn bad! Oh well. I would imagine us being told we had to sign for them and they cost $250.00 / each had more to do with the $300.00 toilet eats or the $175.00 hammers. I've heard rumors that the government overpays for a bunch of stuff...

[Redleg13f2h]

I always figured it was the little palm tree on the ribbon that was suppose to be gold? I also remember signing for it and being told they were expensive, but should have been paid for by Kuwait. Initially they weren't gonna let us wear a foreign medal, but changed their minds.

[majorbeats]

I still have mine, we were told that they cost $345 at the time. It is REAL GOLD!! Not the the whole medal just the center Arabian Peninsula portion

[redfish]

G.I. rumors is what it has come out to be. If it can be proven differently I'd love to hear about. But, I think it has been proven just an old rumor. Wish I had started it

[kieva67]

I received my Kuwaiti Liberation Medal in 1992 just right after I had gotten out of the service and it was mailed to my house. I was informed that it had some gold in it, to think after all of the years I have been telling people about it, maybe I will get it checked anyway. I don't ever plan on selling it, it will be passed down to my kids when I am gone. Thanks for the info guys, have a nice evening. Former Paratrooper, Kevin L Kern.

Kevin L Kern
2nd platoon, Charlie Company
1/325th Airborne Infantry Regiment
Ft. Bragg N.C.
Home of the 82nd Airborne Division
"wind dummys"
Desert Shield/Storm (August 1990-March 1991)
1988-1992