A “Golden tiger” camouflage shirt is one of the more uncommon collectible finds from the Vietnam War era.

1. Camouflage: The Vietnam War produced some of the most interesting camo patterns with collector names like cloud, tiger stripe, ERDL (leaf pattern), beo gam, duck hunter, pinks, ARVN, and lizard. Tiger Stripe remains the most popular pattern among collectors because there are many variants; elite forces were seen wearing tiger stripes, and many of the variants are still readily obtainable. A tiger stripe shirt in a common pattern and a small size will bring between $80-100, where as a clean shirt in “Golden tiger” pattern in a decent size will command $500 or more.

A 1967 dated US M1-C paratrooper helmet w/ cloth camouflage cover.

2. Headgear: Soldiers during the Vietnam War wore a variety of headgear, including: the M1 helmet, sun helmets, berets (in cloth and wool), bush hats and boonies, billed caps, and even bandages and do-rags like a swashbuckler. Many caps were “theater-made,” meaning they were manufactured in Vietnam or a surrounding country like Thailand or Japan. Theater-made items are particularly desirable to collectors and you can identify them by their construction, vent grommets, and markings. A complete Vietnam era infantry M1 with a cloth camouflage cover sells for around $30, whereas the airborne M1-C helmet sells for more than $100. A tiger stripe boonie will bring $250 or more depending on the type or provenance.

3. Uniforms and Insignia: Fatigues worn in Vietnam were often adorned with attractive insignia. The value of a uniform depends on several factors, including the unit the vet served in (Army typically sells better than other units), the era or pattern of the uniform (earlier pattern jungle fatigues are scarcer and in higher demand than latter patterns), and the insignia on the uniform (theater-made name/Army tapes and shoulder sleeve insignia, or a pocket patch are desirable). Be very careful collecting Vietnam insignia, though, because it has become a minefield filled with fakes. In fact, handmade insignia is being made today in Vietnam to emulate original wartime insignia and deceive buyers! A badged Air Force green jungle jacket with theater-made insignia sells for less than $30, whereas a green Special Forces jungle jacket in any pattern with theater-made insignia will sell in the hundreds if it has firm provenance.

A 1970 dated Gerber MKII knife.

4. Knives: Soldiers carried a variety of both issued and privately purchased knives in Vietnam. They have serious crossover appeal to both militaria and knife collectors, which contributes to the high prices some types are bringing today. Collectible makers and types include: Gerber MKII, EK, Randall, CISO SOG knives and bolos, Western, Garcia, Buck, and Marbles. A clean, Vietnam-era pilot’s survival knife with sharpening stone ranges between $60-120, whereas a clean CISO SOG knife with provenance from the vet will sell for $2,000 and more.

5. Field Gear: United States involvement in the Vietnam War spanned longer than a decade and considerable development was made in the equipment soldiers used. Many Vietnam collectors enjoy acquiring field gear variations; particularly experimental or limited-issue pieces. Most Vietnam field gear is relatively affordable, but certain pieces like rucksacks (indigenous, lightweight, jungle, etc.) have increased in value largely due to interest in Vietnam historical reenactment. A one-quart plastic canteen in a canvas cover sells for less than $10, whereas a complete lightweight ruck (w/ tubular aluminum frame) sells for around $250.

Chris Hughes is a WorthPoint Worthologist specializing in 20th century militaria and the owner of Rally Point Militaria.

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M1 Garand

1. Firearms: Military firearms have always been in high demand with crossover appeal to both militaria and gun collectors. Many collectors not only focus on particular models—like the M1 Garand, M1 Carbine, 1911A1 pistol and Springfield 1903—but also the various contractors for each weapon. The Holy Grail is to find a weapon that has all original finish and all original parts from the factory. Most WWII era weapons today have replaced parts, so original examples command a premium. A WWII-dated M1 Garand refurbished with postwar parts brings around $650, whereas an original WWII M1 Garand sells for more than $2000 if you can find one!

2. Groups: A group (or grouping) is a collection of items attributed to one veteran. Groups may contain uniform items, medals, helmet, dog tags, photos, and paperwork—including discharge, general orders and other ephemera. These items establish provenance, which greatly increases historical and collecting value. Items without provenance are worth no more than the sum of the parts. For examples of collecting groups, read: “Always a Marine: Reuniting History with a Collectible Uniform” and “Hearing the Veteran’s Story.”

3. Headgear: Military headgear is very popular because it displays well, with many types and variations to acquire. The price range accommodates anyone’s budget, with an infantry piped overseas cap selling for $5 to a named M2 “D-bale” airborne helmet selling for more than $12,000. Most militaria collectors have a soft spot for headgear, which is why it sells well.

Purple Heart medal with ribbon bar and lapel button.

4. Insignia & Medals: WWII patch collecting actually started during WWII. As soldiers returned home, many donated their insignia to be sewn on wonderful handmade patch blankets, or given to children to trade like baseball cards. Collectors focus on insignia variations and without knowing the difference between a “green back” vs. a “white back,” or a “green border,” it’s easy to assume they’re of equal value, but they’re not! Greenbacks are sewn with green bobbin thread, resulting in the reverse side being prominently green. These scarce variants sell for many times more than white back examples of the same patch. Medals are a privilege to collect and own because they are personal and earned by the veteran. Posthumous medals typically have name of the veteran inscribed on the back and are very desirable to collectors, particularly when they are accompanied with an original presentation case and government correspondence to the deceased solder’s family. A cased WWII Good Conduct Medal sells for $10, whereas an inscribed KIA Purple Heart sells in the hundreds or more, depending on the unit served in and the circumstances of death.

A guard-marked Camillus M3 knife with a double pinned pommel and a 1943-dated leather Viner Bros scabbard.

5. Knives: WWII knives were either issued or privately acquired. Notable makers of handmade fighting knives include Gary Randall and Frank J Richtig. To find clean WWII examples from either maker will cost well over $1,500. Most of the knives taken into battle were mass-produced through government contracts, like the wonderfully utilitarian model M3; a popular knife to collect because of the different contractors for both the knife and scabbard. M3’s start at $150 for just the knife and can sell in the hundreds for a clean, early example with the maker and date marked on the blade and a nice leather M6 scabbard. There are also theater-made knives constructed from scrap aluminum, Lucite, steel, brass and other materials. Theater-made knives vary in form, quality and value, and are sought after collectibles.

Chris Hughes is a WorthPoint Worthologist specializing in 20th century militaria and the owner of Rally Point Militaria.

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Collecting militaria can be a minefield (pun intended), filled with misrepresented items and down right fakes. A good reference book can cost upwards of $60-100, but it will save you money in the long run. Many reference books are self-published or printed in small runs and become collectible in their own right. Having a reference library gives you an advantage over collectors who do not buy reference books.

2. Use Discussion Groups

Online forums and discussion groups are an excellent resource for collectors, but use caution because they are often homes for self-proclaimed “experts” that spread inaccurate information. Forum moderators are typically chosen because of their expertise, so follow what the moderators are saying until you get a read on the other members.

Two excellent militaria forums I frequent are US Militaria Forum and are Wehrmacht Awards.

3. Utilize an Inspection Period

If you are dealing with someone that does not offer an inspection period and you are not 100-percent confident about the item offered… walk away! For live or traditional auctions, the inspection period is before the bidding starts, so if you are not sure about an item, do not bid because all sales are final! Many eBay sellers offer an inspection period, but they are not obligated to. Make sure you read and understand the seller’s terms before placing your bid.

Make sure you utilize the inspection period. Items, such as this WW II face mask for a rocket launcher is very fragile and stiff from sitting in its original box for 60 plus years, and is being sold as-is. If you are not 100-percent confident about the item offered… walk away.

4. Buy the Item, Not the Story

You are going to hear a lot of stories as you build your collection. The only stories that are worth paying extra for are ones with verified provenance. Items with ironclad provenance sell for double or even triple what the item alone would bring. Provenance depends on the item, but may include: original bill of sale, photographs, affidavits, newspaper articles, oral histories, service records and other government documents.

5. Build your Network

Look for Militaria shows in your area and attend them. They are an opportunity to meet other collectors and build your network. Military Trader has an excellent event calendar. In online militaria groups and forums, follow posts by members that collect things you are interested in and email them, or send them a private message introducing yourself.

6. Collect the Best

Whether you are collecting military postcards or Damascus German daggers, strive to collect the best examples. If you are contemplating the purchase of an item you intend on upgrading later, don’t waste your money. The flaws you see in the item are the same flaws a future buyer will see when you try to sell it. Items with detracting features are seldom investments because their rate of appreciation is not significant. It’s best to hold off and wait for something you cannot upgrade.

This WWII Imperial Japanese Army helmet with a 2nd pattern cover is in very good condition, and 2nd pattern covers are actually harder to find than the 1st pattern. If you are contemplating the purchase of an item you intend on upgrading later, don’t waste your money, as the flaws you see in the item are the same flaws a future buyer will see when you try to sell it.

7. Be Patient

It takes time to learn that some “collectible” items are always available, while other collectible items appear on the market in intervals of: every few months, once a year, every couple of years, or practically never. New collectors understandably lack the experience to be able to make distinctions on scarcity. Being patient will save you money in the long run because it will lessen the odds of making purchases you will regret later.

Chris Hughes is a WorthPoint Worthologist specializing in 20th century militaria and the owner of Rally Point Militaria and Vietnam Uniform – Military Collectibles sites.

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I found this Zanesville matte green vase model 795 on a road trip in Missouri. I’m taking far fewer road trips now that items like this are easier to find on the Internet.

Over the last two decades the Internet has increasingly impacted culture and commerce, but for most of us in the antiques and collectibles world, its integration into everyday life has been a relatively recent phenomenon.

My “good old days” began in the early 1990’s, when I spent countless hours driving my station wagon through dusty towns in the Midwest in search of antiques and collectibles. As many of you may recall, this was when even the smallest town had at least one antique shop or thrift store with treasures to be had. Armed with only a road atlas and time to kill, I hunted and gathered with great success. But as the Internet continued to expand, antiques and collectibles commerce changed.

By the mid to late 1990’s, I witnessed many antique shops partitioning their inventory into online vs. in-store sales. Some shops were disappearing all together, opting to sell online exclusively. I couldn’t blame them because I was also selling online and marveling over its convenience. Not everyone welcomed this transformation, but no one could argue it was inevitable and for many necessary.

Today, my motivation to take road trips has diminished because there are now fewer shops and, all too often, I return empty handed. It’s a relief that I’m able to satiate my thrill of the hunt on the Internet, but I miss the social element of talking shop and forging friendships with storeowners and fellow auction goers.

At WorthPoint, I’ve had a role in developing site features and products for 2009. A primary focus has been recreating that atmosphere I long for from my road trip days, where collectors and dealers can freely talk with each other and share information. WorthPoint sees opportunities for better online communication being demonstrated on successful networking sites like Linkedin, Facebook and MySpace. Our product development team has drawn inspiration from these sites to incorporate new social features found on every WorthPoint member profile. These new features are fun and make your collecting life more productive, and hopefully profitable.

I am interested in hearing from others. Do you miss the good old days? Do you sense the need for an online collecting community? How are you adjusting to these times from buying and selling in person to buying and selling online?

Chris Hughes is a Worthologist who specializes in militaria and World War II collectibles.

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There is rampant misuse of the term “crusher cap” in reference to US visor caps in the WWII militaria collecting market. A crusher cap is a type of visor cap that is intended to be soft and pliable. Germans also had a crusher cap designed for field use, but that is another topic. US crusher caps were designed for pilots and air personnel to comfortably wear under their headset.

The distinguishing feature of a crusher cap is that the bill is made from a single layer of leather with a leather bead around it. Other visor caps typically have two layers of leather fused or sewn together, with a machine-stitched brim. A double ply visor stiffens the cap, making it less than ideal for wearing with a headset.

The quintessential US crushers coveted by collectors are Bancroft “Flighter” caps, offered in both tan and dark green wool. Luxembergs and Flight Weights are also desirable.

If you surf the net looking for a crusher, you will find a lot of mislabeled visor caps. True crushers command many times more money than even the nicest regular visors, so when you are buying a crusher cap, make sure you are actually buying a true crusher and not an overpriced visor cap.

Here are pics of a Bancroft Flighter from my collection that is part of an 8th Army Air Corps Bombardier group. Notice the single ply brim and relaxed shape.

]]> http://www.worthpoint.com/research_library/not-all-wwii-visor-caps-are-crushers/feed 0 http://www.worthpoint.com/research_library/macv-sog-1-0-jacket-symbol-vietnam-s-elite-among-elite http://www.worthpoint.com/research_library/macv-sog-1-0-jacket-symbol-vietnam-s-elite-among-elite#comments Sat, 13 Dec 2008 00:59:24 +0000 Chris Hughes http://blog.worthpoint.com/?p=2455749

Until recently, little was known or published about MACV-SOG, an elite US Special Forces reconnaissance unit in Vietnam. SOG was under joint command by 5th Special Forces Group and CIA with an objective to recon and disrupt the Ho Chi Minh trail by running cross-border operations into denied areas, primarily Laos and Cambodia. SOG recon teams were small, typically 6 to 8 men. They had a 1-0 (pronounced “One Zero”) who was the team leader, a 1-1 assistant team leader, and a 1-2 radioman. The remaining personnel were indigenous mercenaries. Depending on region, they could be Chinese Nungs, Montagnards, Cambodes, or Vietnamese.

The 1-0 was a leader with innate skill coupled with experience. Rank was irrelevant on SOG teams. Being “good in the woods” is what ultimately determined survival or failure. 1-0’s commanded respect from all of the Special Forces community. The 1-0 jacket was a symbol worn at camp to distinguish themselves from other SOG personnel. The 1-0 jacket was awarded to 1-0’s after completion of the Recon Team Leader course at Long Than. Initially, they were intended to be worn in the field. Photographic evidence verifies this. However, the nylon material was noisy in the brush, so 1-0’s opted to wear them in camp only. Often times, jackets were modified with direct embroidery bearing the wearers name and SOG related themes like recon team names, “shell burst” skulls, etc.

There were three patterns of 1-0 jacket. The first pattern (shown here) is a pull over with a removable hood. There are two front slash pockets, single snap cuffs, and a rear map pocket in the lower back with a snap closure. There is a small oilskin tagged marked “M” inside the hood and collar to denote size (medium). The second and third patterns are not pullover and do not have a removable hood. SOG was a relatively small unit, so these jackets are extremely rare and often overlooked as being a simple windbreaker.

I was talking with my friend Mike Bockman, a militaria dealer and owner of BBmilitaria, when we got on the subject of the Niobrara River that runs across the Northern part of Nebraska. I had canoed this river several times in Boy Scouts and Mike had canoed it with his family when he was young.

I was fascinated to hear that Mike obtained his first military collectible while canoeing the Niobrara when he was around seven years old. His family had stopped to picnic on the grounds of Fort Niobrara, an Army outpost established in 1879 to monitor the Sioux Indians. The fort was eventually abandoned in 1906 and little of it remains today.

While Mike was sitting at a picnic table on the fort grounds, he noticed a metal object in the dirt. It was an 1880-90’s Army Enlisted uniform button. Indian war era uniform buttons are not valuable. In fact, you can find them with little difficulty on the web for about $5.00, but what is significant about Mike’s button is that it is an artifact directly attributed to a time and a place. The button is a reminder that Nebraska and its people have changed since the time that button was worn on a uniform.

There is no doubt Mike held that button in his hand and thought about the soldier who wore it. Did this soldier have to skirmish with the Sioux that strayed off the reservation to harm settlers and steal horses and cattle? Did this soldier struggle to stay warm within the adobe walls of the fort during the deadly winters?

A discarded uniform button opened Mike’s mind to history and collecting. Many of Mike’s friendships and his livelihood as a militaria dealer are the result of him finding this now priceless button on the ground.

Chris Hughes is a WorthPoint Worthologist specializing in 20th century militaria and the owner of Rally Point Militaria and Vietnam Uniform – Military Collectibles sites.

I do not follow sports, but even I was amazed to see my wife pull this jersey out a drawer one day. She was friends with UNL Black Shirt Grant Wistrom while she was in college at University of Nebraska Lincoln. She went to all the home games, along with several of the away games.

After the Huskers won the Orange Bowl in 1995, Grant gave my wife his Orange Bowl jersey to wear at games. After college, Grant Wistrom played for the Rams and helped them win the Super Bowl in 2002. Then he played with the Sea Hawks until being released after the 2006 season.

A few months ago, I decided to redirect some of my collecting energy towards new frontiers. In doing so, I made the decision to liquidate my collection of vintage Vans shoes. Skateboarding was a big part of my adolescence, and I always loved placing my order for a customized pair of Vans, made to my exact color specifications. It took about three months to receive them, but when they arrived, it was a glorious occasion. I used to order two pair of Vans at a time because my shoes got tore up from skating. I still think about all those one of a kind pairs of Vans I wore out and threw away…

The beginnings of my Vans collection began in 1998, when the company closed its plant in CA and began contracting all manufacturing in China and Korea. I was confident that this move would adversely affect quality, so I sought out to purchase several pairs of American made Vans to wear and enjoy. I did the same thing when Converse All Stars outsourced their manufacturing to China and sadly, I’m down to my last few pairs.

As I was purchasing American Vans for casual wear, I began to feel nostalgic about the early styles, and the days when I’d to custom order any color combination imaginable. I decided to take my search a step further by getting in touch with some defunct skate shop owners in hopes that they had old inventory lying around. I hit the jackpot, and was fortunate to acquire a nice collection of early 1980’s dead stock Vans in the classic styles (Style 36, Style 38, Slip-ons, etc). My only regret was not buying more at the time. Surprisingly, the dealers who had been sitting on their unsold inventory for 15+ years were still adamant about charging me retail for the shoes! I can’t complain because they have appreciated in value since I purchased them.

I was sad when I sold off the collection but I did it for several reasons. I have to keep my collecting in check. I don’t like to spread my interests too thin because I only have so much time in a day to devote to my hobbies. I also try and avoid clutter. The Vans sat in boxes for years in my storage room and I seldom looked at them, nor did I ever receive requests to look at them.

The most important basis for selling was my concern about the investment potential of vintage Vans in the future. Over the last 10 years, I have watched early 1970-80’s skateboard decks and accessories greatly appreciate in value and demand. I assumed that dead stock examples of classic Vans would be a perfect complement for advanced skateboard collectors. Sadly, I am not seeing this happening.

In the meantime, sneaker collecting continues to grow and expand beyond Air Jordans and other Nike styles to encompass peripheral brands including Addidas, Pumas, Vans, etc. Also, the Japanese have been avid collectors of Americana for years, particularly vintage apparel, and they still appear to have a strong interest in early Vans. However, sneaker collectors (AKA “sneakerheads”) and Japanese fashion appears detached from the history and counterculture of Vans and skateboarding. They purchase shoes with the intent to wear and not necessarily preserve. Although ebay sales indicate that vintage Vans are hot, there is little guarantee for their future.

I would have preferred selling the shoes to individuals who intended on keeping them pristine in the tissue wrap like I did. I like to think there’s is a small chance that my Vans will remain virgins, and spared from the abuse of human feet. I find comfort in the words my friend (and Nike collector) told me about serious sneakerheads. He said that, “Many sneakerheads buy two pairs, one to rock and one to stock.” Let’s hope my beautiful Vans are the ones being stocked.

After spending over 15 hours on a to jet to Beijing, my rubber legs ambled off the plane, through customs, towards the baggage carousel, where I waited to be reunited with my luggage. I was not too groggy to notice the gigantic Kentucky Fried Chicken mural and chuckle over its absurdity. Across the airport, I saw a man wearing something that caught my eye. As he approached me, I confirmed he was wearing a 1950s era MA-1 nylon flight jacket worn by US fighter pilots during the cold war era.

His jacket was nice. The knit cuffs were not blown out. Its sage green color was not bleached or faded and it still had the desirable nylon webbed tab on the front, where the pilot clips his oxygen mask. I have sold many of these vintage jackets over the last decade to China and Japan and I wondered what the chances were of this person acquiring his jacket from me. As I watched him wait for his luggage, I gathered up the nerve to approach him and ask him about his jacket. I quickly learned that although his English was better than my Chinese, he was not fluent. When I said, “cool jacket” things clicked and I could tell that he was pleased by my compliment. We exchanged a few more words and he allowed me to photograph him in his jacket. Then we departed in different directions.

Despite language and cultural differences, I was pleased to be able have a moment of mutual appreciation with a stranger over a collectible piece of vintage apparel. This could not have been a better introduction to China!