TIPS FOR COLLECTING MILITARIA

The world of militaria collecting is a vast one for lack of better words. From small pins and little cigarette box photos to uniforms and gear. For some, depending on where they reside, fully functioning machine guns and vehicles. Getting into the hobby of collecting militaria is neither cheap nor simple at first, but like everything else, once you establish a base of knowledge and get some experience, you’ll be fine. 

Let's dive right in.

Many people start collecting militaria because they have a heavy interest in military history and just want a few nice items to display that they find interesting. Others dedicate a lot more time and money to building vast collections and some people find themselves collecting whatever they can get their hands on. Most people start small and over the years get more into the hobby, eventually growing vast collections and start selling pieces of it to acquire different pieces as their interests and needs change. This blog will hopefully help guide you and streamline your decision making in the right direction for your endeavors in militaria collecting.

Pick a Subject

First and foremost, when you decide you would like to start acquiring militaria you should figure out what type of militaria intrigues you the most and that you would want to buy and learn more about. As stated before, many people fall into the hole of just purchasing anything militaria related without a defined path of what specifically interests them and what they want to collect. This isn't necessarily bad, as some people just like anything military related, but for newcomers it can lead you to buying things you know nothing about that could end up being fakes, acquiring items you don't know how to take care of, as well as going over your budget and not spending responsibly. I would simply advise you to think about what you like and find interesting the most and start your collection based on that. Pick a type of item, learn about it, and become an expert on it. Militaria collecting involves many nations expanding over many different eras of conflict, meaning it's easy for people to go down rabbit holes. If you like 20th century web-gear stick with that. If you love helmets, stick with that. If you like insignias and badges, stick with that. Eventually, you will expand your areas of knowledge and branch out into new areas.

Hands On

Getting hands-on experience such as going to military shows and being able to hold, look at, feel, and inspect original militaria items in person will always be better than looking at photos online. This is crucial for new collectors before purchasing items, as well as for everyone in the hobby.

Forums & The Internet

There is a plethora of online militaria collecting forums that have plenty of resources for learning, as well as many experienced people that have been in this community for years that can answer the questions you have. I’d recommend finding a forum dedicated to all militaria to begin with. You'll also see that some forums are dedicated to militaria from specific nations and eras, such as sites that are dedicated to WWII German items, or sites that cover all U.S. Militaria from every conflict. There are sites that specifically cover medals and badges etc. All you have to do is find one that suits you best. Forums are also a great place to post pictures of items you find questionable in terms of authenticity. Having a set of experienced eyes to look at an item is always good, it is also good to keep in mind that even though forums and the internet are great resources for information, they also harbor self-proclaimed historians that also lurk around forums and spread false information, unfortunately. So always double check information as you would anything on the internet. 

“Hard to find” & “Rare Items”

While some items are legitimately hard to find and are rare, most of it isn't depending on what you're looking for. Some people selling militaria items online or that set up a table at a show like to throw in on the price tag or description of an item “hard to find” or “RARE”. Most of the time it usually isn't, it's just used to entice people who may not know too much about it into buying it. There’s a common phrase I've heard in the collector community and it goes “If the military made one, then they most likely made a million” I find this to be very true for the most part. If you see an item you like, don't feel like you have to buy it now or that you won't come across it again.

Condition Of Item

You always want to go for items in good condition or the best condition you can find these days. The majority of items, especially helmets and field gear, are 50, 80 and 100 plus years old and have been through wars and extremely rough conditions, so even though you want to look for the most pristine items, that's not always going to happen nor be cheap depending on what you're looking for and how well its previous owners took care of it. With that being said though, if an item is not in the best condition but will still look nice in your collection and the price correctly reflects it, by all means go for it.

 Storage

Before you start collecting or expanding your collection, figure out where and how you’ll store or display what you acquire. You don't want to start collecting items and not be able to store them and care for them properly, which will lead them to worsen in condition overtime. Don't be that guy to buy an item, throw it somewhere squished in a bin, then try to sell it 10 years later in a worse condition for a way higher price than when you bought it.

Sharing is caring

Simply leave some for others. If you already have a nice item in good condition and see the same exact item also in good condition for a good price, let another collector grab it. You would want someone to do the same if you had been on the hunt for an item.

Financial Discipline and Budgeting

Depending on what interests you and what you plan to start collecting, this hobby is far from cheap and it will only get more expensive as the years go on. That's just how the market works when you're dealing with historical and antique items. With that said, you need to budget accordingly and responsibly, you don’t need to spend 1,800 on a German helmet if you have upcoming bills to pay. Know where you stand financially before purchasing expensive items. Remember that this is a hobby and not your job unless you plan to make it that. This plays a big role when going to militaria shows as you will be walking around compelled to grab something from every table if the show is a good one. Have a plan in your head before you go as to what you are looking to add to your collection that day and what your budget will be. It also helps to conduct price research on items you want, such as looking at prices from multiple online militaria businesses, marketplaces, asking around on forums and social media groups, so if you see an item at a show you can have an understanding of the cost that item usually goes for, so you’re not paying a super inflated price at a show. 

When Purchasing Online

When looking for and purchasing militaria online you always want to make sure you’re buying from a credible dealer or business with a good reputation. It is unfortunate that nowadays, some fakes are so accurate that even long-time collectors have trouble recognizing the flaws. It is obvious that the most faked type of items are WWII German items due to their popularity amongst collectors and that they are highly sought after. This is why for newcomers, I would not recommend starting your collection based on 3rd Reich daggers and buying the first one you see. Be especially wary of faked items on social media groups and marketplaces, as usually most get bought and sold on those platforms but fortunately, many of these groups have good people and experienced collectors that will point out the fakes to deter others from purchasing. For someone new to this hobby that is planning to purchase items online, I will always recommend buying from a credible online militaria business first.

Wrapping It Up

I hope this brief guide found you well and you have some new tools in your bag to take with you to your future endeavors, happy hunting. 

Thank you for visiting The Garrison Militaria.