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Archive April, 2016
Thursday, April 21, 2016
The Flying Tigers patch in the top left is a real beauty. It is a silk made early issue and the workmanship is exceptional. If you think the battle flag from the USS Drum might look familiar then maybe you've visited the Battleship Memorial Park in Mobile, Alabama where the ship rests today.
When I saw the Jewish stamp from the ghetto it struck me as the kind of item that eBay might scratch. However, with just 7 hours to go as I hit publish this one will likely finish. If I had more money some of these items would be really neat to start up a classroom closet where you could have some items to pull out and show the kids.
There are several items from Italy featured in this block including some pins. If you want to see the classic high dollar auctions from Japan click on the swords.
For some reason every week when I am filling in this World War I block I can always count on including a few items from Canada. I guess because the USA got in the war so late then Uncle Sam doesn't dominate the number of listings like it does in WWII.
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Tuesday, April 19, 2016
Click any of the links to see the best selling items in the United States category on eBay. The fighting knife was trending over $400 when I was writing this issue.
I have to say that the German police hat may be one of the least attractive of all headgear from this time period.
These auctions represent the best listings in subcats like Russia, Japan, and the UK. Click to see where they are as the bidding comes to a close.
World War I auctions are in the spotlight in this block of the Hot Finds. Click to see what's risen to the top of the charts.
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Friday, April 15, 2016
If you like American fighting knives then this block will have some good picks for your collection. The ones I've spotted are hovering around the $200 mark which seems about right depending on condition. I also like the unit history book although it's a little too pricey for my wallet at this time.
The listing in this block that you should not pass on is the German Panzer uniform from the Africakorps. It comes with several pieces and the bidding is about to carry it over $1k.
The Polish Parachute Regiment Jump Wings Badge looks a little too delicate sitting next to that hulking Soviet medal. However, it's one I have not seen in the time doing the Hot Finds and that might explain why its doing really well.
This WWI block features a bunch of swords, daggers, and bayonets today that collectors are interested in. Click to see what they are bringing at auction.
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Monday, April 11, 2016
I saw a story this weekend on the news about three sailors stranded on a Pacific island who spelled out "HELP" with palm fronds and were rescued by the navy. It reminded me that some pilots in the war might have found themselves in similar situations although signaling help might not have brought the right side to the rescue.
Last week my 7th grade social studies students saw a video detailing how many casualties each side in the war saw. To say that the German invasion of Russia caused a staggering amount of deaths is hard to put into perspective. It does make you have a lot of "what if" thoughts when it comes to the strategies that were central to the outcome of the conflict.
This block sometimes has a lot of medals which is not my favorite listing. However, when you are featuring items from Russia, Japan and Italy you sometimes get a little bit of a heavy dose of those.
If you have read down to the bottom of the newsletter then you know that the last block is reserved for items from the WWI. Many of these listings are now 100 years old and looking good.
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Friday, April 8, 2016
It looks like airborne paratroopers are making their mark ton today's issue. The dress uniform below is one example as is the grouping of patches. Make sure to check out the dog tags which belonged to a glider artilleryman that was captured by the Nazis and spent over 200 days in a stalag.
One reason I named this issue for the airborne is because of the amazing German listing pictured to the far left. This auction might finish over $1,000 before it's all said and done.
The uniform pictured here is not nearly as intriguing as the others I've pointed out. However, you can still find a great mix of items from the nations that took part including Japan, Russia, Italy and more.
Click to see the top auctions in the category for World War I including many that are ending soon.
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