Medals from the Collection of Warwick Cary
Warwick George Cary, E.S.M., M.St.J., J.P. (1949-2020)
Warwick Cary was born at Engadine in the Sutherland Shire, south of Sydney, New South Wales, on 29 July 1949. He grew up in Jannali, also in the Shire, attended the local primary school, and completed his schooling at Scots College, where he became a School Prefect and a Cadet Under Officer in the Cadet Unit. On leaving school Warwick completed a course in graphic design and went to work in an advertising agency. Always entrepreneurial he became a restaurateur, then turned his hand to furniture design, before turning to the medal business. Warwick had always been a collector of something, but it was his love of medals that launched a whole new career for him and for which he is best known.
Warwick is well remembered for the superlative medals and groups that have, over the years, formed part of his collection. At O.M.R.S. gatherings he would nonchalantly put a medal or group on the table and say something like “this bloke was killed in the charge of the Light Brigade” or “this chap was with Churchill at Omdurman and got the D.C.M.” However, as he was fond of saying, “we’re only temporary custodians” and it is now fitting that his collection is to be passed onto the next generation.
Aside from medals, Warwick joined the New South Wales State Emergency Service (NSW SES) in 1982, and was appointed to be the Service’s inaugural State Protocol Officer on 29 June 2001. His commitment to the community saw him awarded the Centenary Medal (2001), the NSW SES Director General’s Commendation for Service (2004), a NSW SES Director General’s Unit Citation (2006), a NSW SES Commissioner’s Certificate of Appreciation (2016), and the Emergency Services Medal (2008). In addition, Warwick was the City of Kogarah’s Citizen of the Year in 2011 and was awarded the Scott Morrison Cook Community Medal by the future Prime Minister in 2016. He led his unit through many local emergencies, including various storms, floods, and bush- fires. He also provided significant leadership in many major operations throughout the state, including the 2000 Sydney Olympics. As a founding member of the NSW SES Volunteers Association in February 1999, he was honoured with Life Membership on 18 May 2007, and Life Membership of the NSW SES on 28 January 2020. He died on 16 April 2020.
Despite all his achievements Warwick will best be remembered by his fellow collectors as a “great bloke”, one who would go out of his way to assist in any way he could. He always shared his expertise and constantly contributed to the collecting fraternity with his knowledge and fellowship. His knowledge of order of wear or matters of protocol meant he received many phone calls including calls from Government House, the Prime Minister's Office and Premier and Cabinet. He was always calm, even tempered and ready to help. We have certainly lost a true gentleman and he has left a void which will be impossible to fill. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him and is survived by his children, Esther and Matt, and five grandchildren.
John Burridge, M.G.
Collection Information
Other Collections Sold in 2020
- London 17th Century Tokens from the Collection of Quentin Archer
- British Tokens from the Collection formed by the late Jeffrey Gardiner
- English Coins from the Collection of the late Dr John Hulett
- The North Yorkshire Moors Collection of British Coins
- British Copper and Bronze Coins from the Collection formed by the late Hiram Brown
- Coins of Elizabeth I from the Collection Formed by Walter Wilkinson
- The David Kirch Collection of Jersey Paper Money
- A Collection of German Militaria
- The Collection of London 17th Century Tokens Formed by the Late Cole Danehower
- A Collection of Coins of the Indian Sultanates
- English and Anglo-Gallic Coins from the Michael Gietzelt Collection
- The Sutton Coldfield Collection of British Coins
- Charity Sale from the Archive of the AIB (formerly First Trust Bank)
- A Specialist Group of Milled Silver Coins
- Indian Coins from the Collection of the late John Roberts-Lewis
- Indian Coins from the Collection of John Rose
- Indian Historical Medals from the Collection formed by Michael Shaw
- The Yves Cataroche Collection of Guernsey Banknotes
- A Collection of Awards to the Q-Ship H.M.S. Penshurst
- A Collection of Army Gallantry Awards to the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, and the Royal Air Force
- A Collection of Waterloo Medals
- A Collection of Irish Coins, the Property of a Gentleman
- Irish Coins from the Michael Gietzelt Collection
- A Collection of Irish Historical Medals, the Property of a Gentleman
- The Brian Dawson Collection of British Tokens
- A Collection of Historical Medals, the property of a Gentleman
- A Collection of Medals formed by the Reverend Canon Nigel Nicholson, OStJ, DL
- A Collection of Police Medals
- The Collection of British Colonial Coins formed by the late John Roberts-Lewis
- The Antony Scammell Collection of British Coins
- A Collection of Queen’s South Africa Medals for the Relief of Ladysmith
- A Collection of 17th Century Tokens formed by a Gentleman Deceased
- Essex 18th Century Tokens from the Collection of the late Peter Spurdens
- Duplicate 19th Century Tokens from the Collection of the late Francis Cokayne
- The Malcolm Assistant Collection of Market Checks
- A Group of Tickets and Passes Related to Horse Racing
- Duplicate Southwark 17th Century Tokens from the Collection formed by the late Cole Danehower
- The Antony Scammell Collection of Roman Coins
- The Sarah Bernhardt Collection of Jewellery and Objects of Vertu
- The Culling Collection of Military Watches
- The Amherst Family Medals
- A Collection of Naval General Service Medals 1793-1840
- A Collection of Egypt and Sudan Medals for the Battle of Tel-el-Kebir
- A Collection of German Militaria
- An Interesting Collection of Bank of England Error Notes
- A Specialist Group of Milled Silver Coins
- A Collection of Queen’s South Africa Medals to the Royal Navy
- A Collection of Queen’s South Africa Medals for the Defence of Kimberley, Ladysmith and Mafeking
- A Collection of Queen’s South Africa Medals for the Relief of Mafeking and Kimberley
- A Small Collection of Medals to War Correspondents
- A Collection of South Atlantic Medals
- A Collection of Irish Tokens, Tickets and Passes, the Property of a Gentleman
- 18th Century Tokens from the Collection formed by the late David Barry Bailey
- Tickets and Passes of London from the David Young Collection
- Tokens of Cheshire and Lancashire from the Collection formed by Bob Lyall
- The Chislehurst Collection
- The Jack Webb Collection of Medals and Militaria
- A Specialist Group of Milled Bronze Coins
- The Collection of Scottish Coins formed by Michael Gietzelt
- A Fine Collection of Medals to the South Wales Borderers
- A Collection of Egypt and Sudan Medals to the Royal Navy
- The Maclaine Family Medals
- A Collection of Rupees of British India
- The Collection of British Tokens formed by John Rose
- Medals from the Collection of Warwick Cary
- A Collection of Egypt and Sudan Medals 1882-89
- A Remarkable Collection of Bank of England Errors - Part One
- A Collection of Medals to the Gloucestershire Regiment
- British Coins from the Collection of a Decorated Korean War Veteran
- A Collection of French Historical Medals, the Property of a Gentleman
- A Collection of Medals to the Royal Welsh Fusiliers
- English Coins from the Collection of the late Peter Spurdens
- The Don Kenefick Collection of Historical Medals
- The ‘Boys at the Lake’ Collection of Durand’s Famous People of the World Medals
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