Although the sale was held in London by Dix Noonan Webb, it was conducted in Canadian dollars, and the medals remain in Canada where they have been since the vendor bought them from Currie’s widow Isabel in 1989.
Because the successful bidder is based in the UK, an application will now be made to the Canadian Government for a cultural property export permit.
The medals sold on September 27 for Can$550,000 (£331,325). Bidding started at Can$450,000 and rose steadily as several phone and internet bidders competed. The successful bid came via the internet.
The VC won by Currie is unique to the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps, the only one awarded to a Canadian soldier for the 1944 Normandy campaign and the only Second World War VC to a member of a Canadian unit not already on public display in Canada.
