German Japanese WW2 yardsale and flea market finds

[Mr.Jerry]

Tank destruction strip tank! can we see the back? They are seldom seen loose!

[Preppy Picker]

1 hour ago, Gear Fanatic said:

I can vouch for that, SoCal does suck for flea markets.

 

I found stuff in SoCal all the time. Kobe’s, Irvine, swap meet in Lancaster and Santa Clarita amongst others. You got to hustle snd go all the time. You aren’t the only one going either and people get to stuff before I do too often. 

1 hour ago, Mr.Jerry said:

Tank destruction strip tank! can we see the back? They are seldom seen loose!

The Luft badge and TDB tank are both fakes.

[jmd62]

Bummer about the fakes! The Swap Meets here, especially the one I used to go to up in the San Gabriel Valley, was epic. Everything was practically old and we found lots of great stuff. Like a giant yard sale. Nowadays, mostly vendors selling new stuff like jerkey, honey, sunglasses, etc., but like you said, if you're diligent there are some good finds.  

[S.ChrisKelly]

Post #101...

 

I remember seeing something online recently.  Some going concern offered tank destruction badges with original tank devices on reproduction backings.  I've been unable to locate the web ~ site.

 

Here's another offer...  Comments? Opinions?

 

"Discovered in an old factory, these Original Black Tank Destruction Badges are complete with their original backing plates and have a nice patina. Some show some small rust specs from 70 plus years of aging! Ribbon is also available but is new stock."

 

Source:

 

https://www.reddickmilitaria.com/ww2-german-combat-badges/original-black-tank-destruction-badge/

 

[Preppy Picker]

1 hour ago, S.ChrisKelly said:

Post #101...

 

I remember seeing something online recently.  Some going concern offered tank destruction badges with original tank devices on reproduction backings.  I've been unable to locate the web ~ site.

 

Here's another offer...  Comments? Opinions?

 

"Discovered in an old factory, these Original Black Tank Destruction Badges are complete with their original backing plates and have a nice patina. Some show some small rust specs from 70 plus years of aging! Ribbon is also available but is new stock."

 

Source:

 

https://www.reddickmilitaria.com/ww2-german-combat-badges/original-black-tank-destruction-badge/

 

That sounds kind of cheap considering the entire correct and complete award sells for $800 or more

[S.ChrisKelly]

Post #105...

 

I suspected these tank destruction badges are fakes, from the first time I saw them.

 

First, "Preppy Picker" is correct.  The price isn't right.  I think the "originals" listed on the web ~ site {$50USD} are almost thrice the price of the reproductions on the web ~ site {$17.50USD}.  The reproductions are great, high quality replicas.  I have one. The original tank destruction badge is a rare, expensive item in high demand among collectors. Big red warning flag.

 

Second, this topic amazes me.  I am very super extra wary of "barn finds", "fell off the back of the supply truck", "found on or in the vicinity of a former battlefield/bivouac/occupied territory/'the undiscovered country'" etc.  With today's technology, it's so much less likely to find someone who has no idea what he or she has.  Those who have posted here have been fortunate that they've found, to some extent, "the real thing".  Fakes have been coming out of eastern Europe for decades now, since the 1960s.  Even Russian "blackdiggers" should be viewed with reasonable suspicion.

 

Third, Reddick Militaria specializes in a wide range of reproductions that it advertises and sells as such.  I have always been advised to avoid looking for original material from any source that "mixes", or sells both originals and reproductions.  Reddick Militaria is an excellent source for reproductions, and I highly recommend this business to those looking for higher quality reproductions.

[jmd62]

That's great advice actually avoiding Sellers that advertise original and repros. On the other hand, I've scored a few good finds on those types of sites finding originals among the fakes. I don't look enough these days, but a buddy of mine is always on the hunt and recently snagged a super nice original SS cuff-title, sold as a reproduction, for $19.95. He finds stuff like that all the time, I hate his guts. ;D

[Rayray]

Picked these up at the flea market. I got 4 different ones for 20 together. 
 

also on the topic of Tank Destroyer Badge. I just picked up an original. My good friend got it from a collector who wasn’t sure if it was real or reproduction so it was priced accordingly but had it verified and vetted prior to purchase. (Don’t want to hijack this thread nor turn it into a TDB thread)

[Preppy Picker]

Over the years I only found 2 TDB from vets but they are now gone. Feel free to post yours here or elsewhere on the forum. I for one would love to see it.

 

1 hour ago, Rayray said:

Picked these up at the flea market. I got 4 different ones for 20 together. 
 

also on the topic of Tank Destroyer Badge. I just picked up an original. My good friend got it from a collector who wasn’t sure if it was real or reproduction so it was priced accordingly but had it verified and vetted prior to purchase. (Don’t want to hijack this thread nor turn it into a TDB thread)

 

[Preppy Picker]

Some recent pictures 

[Gear Fanatic]

Did you buy all this?!?? There are some primo items in there, I bet it cost an arm and a leg!

[Preppy Picker]

On 3/3/2024 at 9:57 AM, SARGE said:

A very nice early Artillery NCO.  What's on the shoulder boards?

Sorry it took so long to answer you question. Artillery observer.

 

 

 

[Preppy Picker]

Found at the flea market today all one family refugees from Nazi Germany.

 

 

 

 

[Preppy Picker]

One of the flea market vendors found this at a sale, an early CE Juncker pilots badge. They saw me coming from a mile away.

 

 

 

[TP1953]

Not quite of the same magnitude as some of these. But I made out all these items for $30 all at one table. It’s a shame though that the clasp on the EK is gone though.

[Preppy Picker]

8 hours ago, TP1953 said:

Not quite of the same magnitude as some of these. But I made out all these items for $30 all at one table. It’s a shame though that the clasp on the EK is gone though.

Very nice EK1

[Preppy Picker]

I’ve gotten lazy and haven’t posted anything in a while. Some new items fount at the flea market.

[jmd62]

Excellent finds!! Thanks for sharing 👍