Court Mounting Versus Swing Mounting for Military Medals

There are two ways in which medals in Australia are worn these are the “Court Mount” style or the “Swing Mount” style.

Swing Mount Medals

Swing mount medals basically means the medal “swings” from the ribbon when attached to the brooch that is pinned onto a uniform or clothing. We find that the majority of medals from the Boer War up to and including WW2 are in the swing mount style, although there is no hard and fast rule.

Court Mount Medals

Court mount medals are tied down to a backing board and the broaching fitting is attached to this backing board. Therefore, the medals don’t move about when being worn. Current serving members of the Australian Defence Force are required to have their medals in the court mount style.

Pros and Cons of Court Mounting Versus Swing Mounting

Cost

As there is less labour required in the swing mount style of mounting it is slightly cheaper than the court mount style.

Medal Backing

One thing to keep in mind is that with the court mount style, the backing board covers the top half of the back of the medals unlike in the swing mount style the whole of the back of the medal is visible. This is something to keep in mind for family members who have a relative’s medals as sometimes it is of interest for the younger generation to see the design and wording on the back of the medal.

Weight

While there is extra material in the court mount style, any extra weight in the court mount style is hardly noticeable.

Sound and Damage

Some people prefer swing mounting as they like the sound of the medals clanging against each other, while others believe this banging can damage the medals. Since a family members medals are one on only a couple of days a year, this isn’t really a problem.

So, with regards as to what mounting style a person has their relative medals it is really up to the person and what you prefer.