Another aspect of Western popular culture that has an interesting Myanmar (or Burma) dimension was phaleristics, or the study and collection of military medals and other such decorations. A large part of the attraction of this hobby was the search for connections between the medals and Myanmar's history, both official and personal.

It has been said that a country's culture is a window unto its soul. With this in mind, it has become commonplace for scholars to try and interpret a country's history and national character through its art and literature, and other intellectual achievements by the society's so-called elite. Over the past several decades, however, there has been a growing acceptance in academic circles that a great deal can also be learned about a country and its people by studying its related popular culture, including material objects often viewed as ephemera and lacking intrinsic worth. These include many items usually dismissed as colourful but essentially valueless collectibles, such as comic books, pulp fiction magazines, postcards, posters, stamps, coins, trading cards and matchbox labels.

Military medals and decorations are awarded by governments for specific services to the state, so in that sense they are not artefacts of popular culture, shared by mass populations. However, they are often included in this broad category and, like the other objects mentioned above, do not always get the attention from researchers that they deserve.

The practice of awarding medals for war service can be traced back to the Romans, but it tended to be rather haphazard. During the 18th century, the Honourable East India Company (HEIC) began issuing campaign medals, mainly as a reward for its troops. The first real national campaign medal was the Waterloo Medal, struck after the Coalition victory against Napoleon Bonaparte in 1815. As the practice of awarding medals grew, so too did the number of people studying and collecting them. Phaleristics, as this hobby became known, is sometimes considered a branch of numismatics, the study and accumulation of coins and paper currency, but it has long been an interest in its own right. One reason for its popularity, albeit among a fraternity of devoted specialists, is its connection to specific historical events and personalities, in the form of campaign medals and decorations for distinguished conduct.