One question I have in mind is. Are WW2 items such as flags, helmets, belts, insignia Etc. Becoming more rare and expensive throughout the years. And if so even more collectable than before?

[CryoMark12]

Just want to know other opinions about my question. 

[Preppy Picker]

Some things will go up and some things will go up really fast. Other things not so much. Attitudes and desires change too making it hard to predict what will happen. In general I think prices will go up unless the economy and morals fall apart.

[SARGE]

I sometimes buy something that I think is neat as a pin and nobody else sees it as something cool.  I have come to the conclusion over the years that Ricky Nelson was right when he said. "You can't please everyone so you have to please yourself."  

[Mr.Jerry]

"May you live in interesting times" - An ancient Chinese saying.

 

The WWII artifact market overall has been on a steady increase- with as said some things spiking for a variety of reasons, for example the 101st eagle patch used to be a $5 patch, and then "Saving Private Ryan" and "Band of Brothers" came out and all things airborne went through the roof-  Part of that is that is the European collector influence. You don't see the same global clamoring for 11th AB stuff- as they fought in the Pacific. Things like wings and helmets will spike and then cool down here and there. Right now we can't keep an SA dagger or party armband in stock. But other things will sit around for a while. It is that whole "supply and demand" thing we learned in school. There is a limited number of these items (at least originals) so over time supply goes down and prices go up (theoretically).

 

"The times they are a changin' " - Bob Dylan

 

Now, we are also living in very sensitive times - WWII German stuff has always been viewed as a bit "fringey", but lately  - people have even been actively protesting it. Australia just banned legal public sales of these items. How will this affect the overall market?  No one is really sure. Russians were coming over and buying up WWII swords and daggers at shows, but then they invaded Ukraine, so that stopped the Russians from coming and buying. You can't always see things like that coming. One guy I know though the 100th anniversary of WWI was going to see a huge spike, so he actively hoarded all of the WWI stuff he could find, and he was thinking he would at least double his "investment" and then 2017/18 came and went and not much more than a blip in price increases.

 

The internet (and forums like this) as well as facebook and google has given the power of instant knowledge to many a collector. so in itself that has broadened the collector base- but at the same time collectors are more selective- when I stared I wanted to collect one of each example of the German medals, but now collectors tend to specialize and they might just collect black wound badges or infantry badges by different makers. as a good friend of mine told me "we now know more and more about less and less".

 

Collect what you like because you like it. Ignore the fads. Study the history - that is what matters.

[Ivydiv]

German and Japanese helmets are at a premium now. SA daggers have gone thru the roof. I see the other daggers Army or Luft with high prices, but they are not selling. Over all everything keeps going up. Party armbands fly off the table, while others sit with little interest. It's hard to figure, but I don't see anything being worth less. Dave

[shemp h.]

2 hours ago, Ivydiv said:

German and Japanese helmets are at a premium now. SA daggers have gone thru the roof. I see the other daggers Army or Luft with high prices, but they are not selling. Over all everything keeps going up. Party armbands fly off the table, while others sit with little interest. It's hard to figure, but I don't see anything being worth less. Dave

When I started collecting Japanese militaria in 1986 a really nice, complete IJA lid was going for $75.00!!!! Just in the last few years the prices went way up and fast. I've seen some really ratty IJA helmets, rotten liners,no tie tapes etc., going for over $800.00 and people are buying them!

 

     Bill 

[Gear Fanatic]

I am still a relatively new collector, having only been collecting for about 5 years. But in my experience I have seen the interest in items go up during Covid, maybe because people didn't really have anything to do, or they were watching old war movies and enjoyed history so just wanted to have a piece of it. It also spiked when hand of brothers came out and HBO’s the pacific. People saw the items and thought there were cool maybe, who wouldn’t want to have a combat helmet sitting in their office lol. I don’t know just a theory!?🤷🏻

[CryoMark12]

13 hours ago, Mr.Jerry said:

"May you live in interesting times" - An ancient Chinese saying.

 

The WWII artifact market overall has been on a steady increase- with as said some things spiking for a variety of reasons, for example the 101st eagle patch used to be a $5 patch, and then "Saving Private Ryan" and "Band of Brothers" came out and all things airborne went through the roof-  Part of that is that is the European collector influence. You don't see the same global clamoring for 11th AB stuff- as they fought in the Pacific. Things like wings and helmets will spike and then cool down here and there. Right now we can't keep an SA dagger or party armband in stock. But other things will sit around for a while. It is that whole "supply and demand" thing we learned in school. There is a limited number of these items (at least originals) so over time supply goes down and prices go up (theoretically).

 

"The times they are a changin' " - Bob Dylan

 

Now, we are also living in very sensitive times - WWII German stuff has always been viewed as a bit "fringey", but lately  - people have even been actively protesting it. Australia just banned legal public sales of these items. How will this affect the overall market?  No one is really sure. Russians were coming over and buying up WWII swords and daggers at shows, but then they invaded Ukraine, so that stopped the Russians from coming and buying. You can't always see things like that coming. One guy I know though the 100th anniversary of WWI was going to see a huge spike, so he actively hoarded all of the WWI stuff he could find, and he was thinking he would at least double his "investment" and then 2017/18 came and went and not much more than a blip in price increases.

 

The internet (and forums like this) as well as facebook and google has given the power of instant knowledge to many a collector. so in itself that has broadened the collector base- but at the same time collectors are more selective- when I stared I wanted to collect one of each example of the German medals, but now collectors tend to specialize and they might just collect black wound badges or infantry badges by different makers. as a good friend of mine told me "we now know more and more about less and less".

 

Collect what you like because you like it. Ignore the fads. Study the history - that is what matters.

 Thats allot info I find this very interesting due to the fact of 1 as a matter of fact when I go on different websites I see Iron Cross's being sold fast along with daggers and armbands. But not so much flags. Which for me I see as each German flag having its own unique history I want to know about from when its made to where it was. To what its purpose was. Now I don't know if this is true but many flags, I think were either destroyed after the war or even during the war due to fire, bombs, bullets and E.C.T. Like many of the posts I've made I find the flags interesting not because I support a radical Fascist Ideology but because its history it's something that I want to preserve so maybe in the future I have a piece of history preserved and too show its important to learn from our past. And again, I do not support radical Ideologies or racism but because It catches my attention to learn how flags came to be/ how they were made.  

[Gear Fanatic]

As far as I see it the older it gets the rarer and more desirable it becomes. I bet once ww2 hits the centennial, prices will likely go up.

[CryoMark12]

I agree, definitely that how I started to collect WW2 items. 

2 minutes ago, Gear Fanatic said:

I am still a relatively new collector, having only been collecting for about 5 years. But in my experience I have seen the interest in items go up during Covid, maybe because people didn't really have anything to do, or they were watching old war movies and enjoyed history so just wanted to have a piece of it. It also spiked when hand of brothers came out and HBO’s the pacific. People saw the items and thought there were cool maybe, who wouldn’t want to have a combat helmet sitting in their office lol. I don’t know just a theory!?🤷🏻

Now would you say German Flags are getting rare too?

 

14 hours ago, SARGE said:

I sometimes buy something that I think is neat as a pin and nobody else sees it as something cool.  I have come to the conclusion over the years that Ricky Nelson was right when he said. "You can't please everyone so you have to please yourself."  

Nice Explanation. Thats very true I would buy things of interest in me not what others are going after. 

[Gear Fanatic]

I am mainly a U.S. collector, but I thought it would be cool to have one as a capture and was looking and a basic one was going for over 200 dollars!? Not in particularly good condition, no writing  nothing. Absolutely bizarre. And my friends dad who was in Estonia bought his for close to five USD. NUTZ

[CryoMark12]

1 minute ago, Gear Fanatic said:

I am mainly a U.S. collector, but I thought it would be cool to have one as a capture and was looking and a basic one was going for over 200 dollars!? Not in particularly good condition, no writing  nothing. Absolutely bizarre. And my friends dad who was in Estonia bought his for close to five USD. NUTZ

Wow that crazy to hear. Prices can vary drastically depending where you live. 

[Gear Fanatic]

I’m in California lol, that could be why.

[CryoMark12]

3 minutes ago, Gear Fanatic said:

I’m in California lol, that could be why.

Okay that explains, do they really charge extra for WW2 items there. 

[Gear Fanatic]

I was in Kentucky visiting family and bought and M37 US shirt for 25 bucks fully patched no moth holes, NOTHING!

and here in California a nice unpatched one is going for like $100+

The market is like being on a roller coaster blindfolded, you never when you’re taking a steep drop or going up a hill.

 

mine also has gas flap lol. This is just dumb

Was I a surplus store the other day and they had a 1944 dated poncho. Listed for $350 dollars!

[CryoMark12]

1 minute ago, Gear Fanatic said:

I was in Kentucky visiting family and bought and M37 US shirt for 25 bucks fully patched no moth holes, NOTHING!

and here in California a nice unpatched one is going for like $100+

The market is like being on a roller coaster blindfolded, you never when you’re taking a steep drop or going up a hill.

 

mine also has gas flap lol. This is just dumb

Again, that's crazy for something that was worth 25 get up too 200 with taxes that's insane. I could only imagine. having an item that is even more rare that would be sold for a fortune.  

[Gear Fanatic]

Exactly! I have a bunch of other mint nice uniforms from 1917-2012! That alone would sell for a small fortune here!

these things used to be considered surplus but are now collectors items. This happens with ww1 stuff and even civil war stuff I bet. Like I said earlier the older it becomes the more rarer and desirable it is. Humans only want what they can’t have…

[CryoMark12]

2 minutes ago, Gear Fanatic said:

Exactly! I have a bunch of other mint nice uniforms from 1917-2012! That alone would sell for a small fortune here!

these things used to be considered surplus but are now collectors items. This happens with ww1 stuff and even civil war stuff I bet. Like I said earlier the older it becomes the more rarer and desirable it is. Humans only want what they can’t have…

Thats hard to imagine like what you said anything can change in value in just short period of time. Props too you having such old clothing from 1917 to today. I'm guessing you save that in the next 15 to 20 years market will go bonkers theoretically saying.  So your collection now could turn from a small fortune to a very big one.

[Gear Fanatic]

Lol yah still trying to get some of the more obscure ones and the main ones I’m missing. I have grown my collection to very respectably quality and size very happy with it! Just trying to get it organized and set up. Just the market is absolutely NUTZ!

This is insane! Just an undershirt too! Not even patched…

[CryoMark12]

The numbers are unimaginable compared to the products being sold. I find this intriguing even though I spend most of my time trying to collect German militaria which is even more troubling due to a lot of people having the same interest as I do. 

[Gear Fanatic]

Yah, I don’t deal with that as there are lots of fakes, deals are almost always too good to be true and it is insanely expensive compared to US stuff. One German unjform could cost upwards to 1k!

[CryoMark12]

4 minutes ago, Gear Fanatic said:

Yah, I don’t deal with that as there are lots of fakes, deals are almost always too good to be true and it is insanely expensive compared to US stuff. One German unjform could cost upwards to 1k!

Yes, that I why I try to gather as much as info as possible to limit the chance of being scammed because it sucks very much to get a fake that you paid for 1k. But the reward is great at the end considering the item is authentic. 

[Mr.Jerry]

The issue with the clothing prices is that vintage clothing people are now buying them, and they are used to paying more for "wearable" clothing- so that is another example of a group that affects market prices. in the 1980s the Japanese were buying up painted A2 flight jackets for insane amounts (back then), the market has corrected, they are still desirable and sought after, but IMO priced accordingly.  

 

German party flags are not really all that rare, the Germans loved flags and banners, they had Millions of them, and for US soldiers it was an easy to get and pack "war trophy" to bring home.  Now some (like unit flags) are really rare, but all of them have ticked up in value. 40 some years ago I bought my first one for $35.  Now they are going for $200-300- seems like almost a straight line appreciation. Still better than my Enron stocks.... (haha!) But in general rarer stuff increases in value faster.

[Ivydiv]

Another item that has gone crazy are German WWII Iron Cross 2nd class. The prices went crazy about 5 years ago, and never came back down. They sell almost as well as Iron Cross 1st classes. Ring marked versions are sought after. Other German medals seem to be selling well for me also. It just depends. The common Infantry assaults, and General Assaults seem to be reasonable as well as the other common medals, but Panzer badges and other badges have gone up substantially. As a whole, be prepared to pay more for items each year. Also, not mentioned is the Physical location of where the items are located and sold. The West Coast and East Coast seem to bring higher prices, while the Midwest and South, are more reasonably priced. It just depends. Anyone that has been to the Show of Shows in Louisville can attest to the demand and cost of items being bought by European Collectors. Remember, they have to come over here to buy their items because our Veterans brought everything that wasn't nailed down back to the US with them. Sales at the SOS and MAX show have skyrocketed in the past few years, with no sign of slowing down any time soon. The European buyers will also show up at other larger shows such as the OVMS in Wilmington, and any other decent sized shows. Dave

One more thing to add. Good stuff is always good stuff. Rarer items in good condition seem to always sell and be in demand. Common items may sit for a longer time before they sell. If you are going to buy something at these higher prices, you are better off paying a little more and getting something that will stay in demand. Example, SA Daggers. You are better off paying more for an earlier nickle/silver Maker marked example than the later RZM marked daggers. The early daggers sell a lot easier, and for higher prices, than the later RZM variants. Ring marked Iron Cross 2nd class will be the same over the unmarked types. Kriegsmarine badges will out sell Army badges all day long. SS medals are at a premium. Russian Front medals will outsell other common medals like Westwall, and Czech medals just because of what they are. If you are going to shell out your money, buy something that will always be in demand, and in the best condition that you can find. I don't think you will ever see them coming down in price in the near future. Dave

[Gear Fanatic]

That is crazy! I am complaining about US stuff, you guys have it ten times worse! I don’t really collect medals but I have seen some of the prices, there crazy…

I was at an antique shop and they were selling an iron cross 2nd class for $430 and a repro for $155!

I definitely think prices are inflated here in California, know where else have I seen it this bad.

When I got into the hobby my intention was to collect German militaria, but prices for even small items were through the roof!

I am not quite old enough to have a job so it is just money I have saved up from helping people around my neighborhood.

You definitely need to have a good cash flow to collect German stuff, because those prices are NUTZ.