AFRIKA KORPS FORUM

Hi Mark, it would be an interesting exercise to see what percentage of the collector community is aged under 40 years.

Is there an interest in the hobby within younger generations which will sustain prices in the non immediate future?   IMO the price of most things is determined by the level of demand (how many people want it), availability of the right product and ongoing customer satisfaction (i.e. do they know if they have been ripped off by repro's etc). 

I reckon that in today's economic climate even many millionaires would hesitate at paying $12,000 for a cap - beautiful as it is!   

Regards Markus

Last edited by Markus (27-01-2016 00:15:48)

Hi Mark(s) - I agree completely with the last post.
I also see this, time and time again - 'Must have it' attitude, desire beyond control, and trading historic items for the next 'fix'. I have also seen collectors(?) who chase a section of interest, filling every conceivable void. As soon as that 'buzz' is fulfilled they drop that theme and start another. And yes, spend the money like nobody's business - I can't believe the cash that changes hands sometimes over the 'urge' to have something for only a few days - and it is only a matter of days in many cases.
I've been doing this for a few years now, since the 70's. It's always been part of 'who I am' and always will be - my family accepts that. I'm here for the long haul, and I hate to even sell a canteen, let alone a cap, boots or tunic. Yet I see other's buy and sell these wonderful things as trading cards to get the next thing and the next. Yes, they wind up with great items eventually (or quickly) but I cannot see how they appreciate what they have in their hands. These guys may like the stuff but what I see looks more like investment collecting than a real passion for the hobby.
Just my two cents.
Mark

Hi mates
I am completely agree with your posts.
Besides for me collecting militaria is more than a simple amusement, it is sacred fire! Making a mannequin as accurate as possible for dates and types of its components corresponding to the battle period is an outstanding activity.
Collecting militaria with these strict criteria is my Time Machine! A correct mannequin is the image and the memory of our grandfathers who lived in a sad and valiant historical period.
For these reasons it is really disheartening to discover, after so many efforts, something fake in own collection. Falsification is for me more worse than those who speculate by raising prices of our desired objects.

I noticed there a lot of Tropical M40 caps for sale at present, did a head count from three web sites

Tally is 9 EM's & 3 officers

Out of these 9, only three appear to have 100% war time original insignia

Certainly they not selling quickly as in the past..............comments welcomed

Mark S

Chris
Prices vary, visit web sites for details
Virtual , Fisher(Buyer beware)  and R_Duck

We may be seeing prices fall with many of the caps now been sitting on the market for some time

There a good mid war M40 on the WAF at $1200

Mark S

Hi Mark

There definitely seems to be an abundance of caps on the market right now. Unissued soutached caps have been sitting and with price reductions. If you take off the dealer commission prices are looking good compared to a few years ago. I do think the field worn items will still command high prices so I am interested to see what else comes up for sale and how fast the items sell. Agree with Chris and now is a good time if you have some spare $$ to spend.

Barry

Wow that was a bargain Mark. You didn't need it? One in good condition sells for 3K. That one was priced very fairly IMO.

Here's my take on it. The common DAK /tropical items, beehive caps, tropenhelms, unissued 2&3 pattern tunics, AKCTs etc will continue to drop as there are less & less guys collecting this stuff.

While there are a few dedicated young DAK collectors under 40, most are well past that point. So demand will slacken with time.

A number of old time collections will be coming out on the market in the next few years....but you have to seperate the good from bad in these collections. Still some very good items will become available.

The fabled used early salty M40 soutached caps will be the one DAK item that never really will lose value. Expect these iconic caps to still demand incredible prices for many years to come...

just my 2¢
Tim

Last edited by The Magpie (20-06-2016 23:02:48)