Being an ex medal Collector and still meet up with a few of them, UKicon issued WW2 Campaign medals were never impressed with any details, only thing that was issued with them is a small certificate that has all the medals in WW2 and is marked with the ones that were issued, of course this wasn't named either, so unless you have the box they were sent in or other means of ID its impossible to find the owner.

Its why collectors seemed to stay with Crimea, Boer War, WW1 medals etc. Even then many years ago before the internet and family tree sites etc, the main part of collecting was casualties or Gallantry groups.

A good example is The Crimea Medal, It was issued un impressed, and was either returned to the mint for "officially impressed" some were done within the battalion supposedly quite crude, others were done privately by jewellers, Its said in some cases The OC footed the bill for some of his men?

For obvious reasons there are now more " Charge of the Light brigade" groups in circulation than actual numbers issued.........

As Gill points out, a lot of folk jump on the band wagon and buy commemorative medals...... one example is the Merchant Navy medal, I've seen a few in uniform wearing this......... for anyone In the Merchant Navy you had to apply for medals , unless you were in the RFA........ or it was obvious you were part of a task force etc.