History has proven, time and time again, that a carefully selected portfolio of high quality militaria collectibles can offer exceptional returns over the mid-to-long term. Here is WARSTUFF’s top five tips for investing in militaria and war relics.
WARSTUFF Top Militaria InvestmentsWhat do we mean by ‘high-quality’ collectibles? We’re talking about the unique militaria pieces, the historical artefacts. The pieces other collectors aspire to own because of a historical event or military serviceman the items are associated with. But how do you discern between high-quality, and low-quality mass market junk?
You may already be an expert yourself, or you may be completely new to militaria investments. Whichever one you are, there are some common buying principles you should have in mind to make sure every militaria buy is a quality purchase.
Here are our top five tips for investing in militaria and war relics today:
1) DECIDE EARLY ON what militaria you want to collect and stick to it. Having a focus means you will build up a valuable collection rather than just a hoard of militaria stuff.
2) DO YOUR RESEARCH. Learn as much as you can about the militaria before making a purchase. Know how the items were manufactured, how to identify they are original, where and when they were used and how much to pay for them. Research online, from specialist magazines and from specialist publications. And then tour some online marketplaces, militaria fairs and events and search out similar items
3) BE AWARE OF FAKERY. The market is awash with militaria reproductions passed off as the original article. Some are easy to spot, but many are produced to a very high quality, weathered expertly and take a keen eye to identify them as reproductions. If you have done your research, you should be in a position to ask challenging questions or identify the details that will let you know if you have found a valuable historical relic, or just an expensive ornament.
4) AVOID HYPED MILITARIA. Movies and tv often affect the value of militaria. The release of the film ‘Saving Private Ryan’ led to a brief surge in demand for WW2 German helmets painted in Normandy Camouflage, leading to them being sold at prices far exceeded the price of other similar German helmets. Inflated prices are seldom inflated for long.
5) BUY FROM A TRUSTED SOURCE. If your seller is online, check their feedback. The more positive feedback they have had, the more they care about their online reputation and the less likely you are of having a bad militaria buying experience from them. Google their details too to see if any of the online militaria forums are talking about them.
So now you’ve read our top five tips for investing in militaria, where do you go next? Start by visiting our Buy page!