Some weeks ago, a fellow-collector mentioned to me that e-bay prices of signed RAF philatelic covers ( for top autographs such as Douglas Bader, Bob Stanford Tuck, any of the Dam Busters etc ) seem to have been spiralling upwards over the winter ( some having trebled in price since 12-18 months ago ). This weeks' The Spectator magazine carries a report that auction-house prices of quality WWII militaria are indeed increasing as 'investors' look for alternative assets. In particular, values of medal groups, autographs and original documents are 'performing' very well. Apparently, WWII is popular as other wars ( eg WW1 ) now feel more remote and 'less relevant' ( their words, not mine ! ). So there you go - every cloud has a silver lining !
If I'd bought as many MG34 deacs as I theoretically could have about 5 years ago, maybe 5 or 6 at c.£350-450 each, they' now seem to go for c.£850-1k and I'd no doubt be very happy to flog some on. Thinking about it there was a large 'moving house slush-fund' in the bank at the time, I could have bought quite a few more (if I didn't value my balls remaining in the correct place rather than kicked squarely into my stomach by the better half - I could be standing in triumph over my sound investment in machineguns now... but probably still talking in a rather squeaky voice). In a reflection of my more normal financial choices... I bought a Bren for about £200 instead, because I've always wanted a Bren. It's value today? - about £200 But I've still got a Bren gun (perhaps more accurately, an 'ex-Bren-gun', deacs being essentially just interesting lumps of metal). I pity particularly the late-coming collector of German or airborne militaria; the golden age of party badges for £3 and Denison smocks for £25 from the army surplus are long gone. Every single year at Beltring the prices seem to rise by at least 20% on the really desirable or interesting stuff. ~A
Yes, I know what you mean...I always think of the day I drove up to Witham's to select my MP44 - they'd propped half-a-dozen of their choicest ones up against a table for me to choose from - at £295 each.......
I was actually thinking of your 44, (I often think of your sub £300 44 when deacs come up... you swine! ) if you'd cleaned them out then, even if it took a small mortgage you'd be in clover now. 'What If', my dad had bought that 25pdr for £6 in the seventies, or that Sherman for a grand or so in the eighties... Hoohum. ~A
I hate to talk about my collection and mention it as an investment. It's passion and as long as I don't sell it back it's worth what I paid for it when I first got it. When I start considering my collection a sa stockmarket, then it means there is something rotten in this world.
I wholeheartedly agree and in fact I've never actually sold anything out of my collection.... But it's not a bad feeling to have something which at least hasn't lost a lot of its value since you bought it ( unlike, say, your Enron or Northern Rock shares..... )
Rightly so Skip, as a compulsive hoarder I couldn't agree more, and have never flogged any piece of junk, (Sorry, 'interesting artefact') I've acquired; but there must be items you could have bought by the boxload a while back that'd now finance more choice 'precious things' in your own areas of collecting interest? It is after all the standard cry of any collector, of anything .
I sold all my militaria a long time ago, with the exception of a German morse key designed to be strapped to the knee in an aircraft/tank. I tend to concentrate on acquiring original wartime books these days, but mostly for the 'human interest' angle.
like with anything the bottom will drop out in time, somethings are just plain ridiculous in price such as certain WW2 documents, medals watch come fall of 09 this all takes a reversal. keep what you have and maybe more importantly specialize ............. E ~
Heh heh, IF the German stuff ever became worthless-im still keeping all of my German stuff and I am thinking of buying from bill garvey-a few of his Russian Red Star orders. Im already looking for Wartime Russian pics-and missed a darn great one a few days ago-by the skin of my teeth. The pic in question had probably 35-50 soldiers in it-many wearing their awards-and almost all of them carrying PPShs and Antitank Rifles. I missed out on it because I was paying more attention to the German pics I am getting in-and hope to get in.
Don't think that Militaria overall will ever be worthless, it is just that some will be selling for rock bottom prices due to financial shortage problems in their own life here in the states watching the financial markets do their thing. As the saying goes, know your product you are researching, do not assume or take anyone's word for it ..........
The above is true. Also, if I see good bargainsto be had-i'll be spending my savings for sure ;-)) Also, when I get my stimulous check in-im spending every penny on militaria-and militaria from places located only in the States-that way-I KNOW my money spent went directly to our economy.
I'm glad to read that in this world of sharks you can still find true collectors, but you already knew that my remark wasn't aimed at people like you. In fact I was thinking of those guys who only register on this forum for one single purpose: know how much they can sell their junk for and then never contribute again. . Most of the time this will be Nazi stuff they cannot put on Ebay....
