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.

Of all WWII US Airborne military collectibles, Original helmets are one of the hardest items to obtain for a collection. There were three main types used in WWII. A fiber (cardboard) liner was used early on. This was soon replaced by high pressure (fiberglass) liners made by Inland and Westinghouse.

Original fiber airborne liners are so rare, they are virtually nonexistent. Inland liners are also quite rare. According to www.toppots.com, of the 1,900,000 Inland liners produced from 1942 to 1943, approximately 75,000 were converted to airborne configuration. It’s safe to assume that many of these left in Europe and other theaters.

Westinghouse manufactured liners appeared later in the war and they are the most common, but finding original airborne Westinghouse liners is not easy because of the high demand for airborne militaria. It is unknown how many airborne configured liners Westinghouse made.

Due to the popularity of WWII airborne collectibles and the scarcity of original helmets, the market is minefield of forgeries. That is why I was elated when my friend agreed to sell me my first Inland para liner. It took several years of coaxing, but we eventually agreed on a price and I am delighted to own it.

The kicker is where my friend found this piece of rare headgear; it was rescued from his relative’s costume rental store! When my friend found the helmet, it had General stars hot glued to the front, which he carefully removed (with no loss of paint). The store had also hot glued a bevo weave store tag inside the crown of the helmet over the Inland stamp. I debated over removing this label, but eventually I carefully removed the tag and kept it with the helmet.

The liner has been repainted, but it looks wartime. Strangely, there are traces of 6th Army Div decals beneath the paint. Creases in the khaki web A-straps indicate they have been folded up inside the liner from use as an infantry helmet. It is very fortunate they were not cut off like many Airborne Inland liners I’ve encountered.

With my Inland sitting proudly in my collection, I will now search to find an original leather chin cup for it, and an original M2 or M1-C shell to mate this liner with. In the meantime, I’ll use a regular fixed-bale M1 shell, which was appropriately used by airborne personnel as well.

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

Grading condition for military collectibles is not a simple process. Militaria is different from many other collectibles, where flawless examples are ideal and items with condition issues have less value.

The two most important variables that complicate grading militaria are scarcity and provenance. Scarcity is self-explanatory. Provenance is the historical link between object and owner. Items that are not rare and lack provenance can simply be graded using a scale that ranges from “relic” (meaning ground dug and rough) to “Unissued” (out of the crate and barely touched).

Provenance is interesting in collecting militaria because it often provides clemency to the rules of condition. I will explain why. Many military objects collected were intended for use in combat. These items include helmets and headgear, field uniforms, field gear, firearms, and edged weapons. If the item shows use but has provenance to support the claim that it was used in combat, desirability for that item increases greatly.

For example, in WWII prior to D-Day, most US 101st and 82nd Airborne personnel were issued two sets of reinforced jump jackets and pants. Typically one set was impregnated with a chemical called CC-2 to protect the wearer from exposure to gas. The impregnated set was worn on the Normandy jump while the untreated set remained in England. While non-impregnated jump uniforms are rare, finding an impregnated set that was worn in combat is extremely rare. Few documented examples survive today and most show wear and tear from combat. Documented combat used sets are worth many times more than the clean sets.

Another example is a Civil War “shell jacket” recently sold at auction. It had excellent provenance of being worn at Gettysburg. In fact, the jacket had a repaired hole where the wearer being shot in it! This jacket brought over $55,000 while one in comparable condition without provenance would bring less than $2,000.

With the exception of Civil War collectibles, provenance for US militaria did not gain importance until recent years. Prior to this shift, a majority of collectors were “type collectors”, where their focus was on single facets of militaria like helmets, daggers, medals, or patches. When a veteran grouping was acquired from an estate, the items were broken up and scattered in the wind, making their provenance very difficult to verify or maintain afterward.

The hobby is changing and more collectors are expanded their interest in military objects to include the history of the individuals that used them. Many militaria collectors tolerate honest wear if it’s caused by normal use. Bad wear is often the result of improper storage and can seriously diminish the value of an item. Examples of bad wear include dry rot, mildew, mothing, mold, paint spots, pitting, rust, and corrosion. Once bad wear sets in, it is very difficult to reverse the process and it detracts from the presentation and desirability of a piece.

Bad wear is particularly frowned upon among items not used in the field like dress uniforms, presentation swords, medals, paperwork, photos, plaques, and awards.

There are instances when an item is rare enough that bad wear is tolerated. An example would be Civil War garments that have mothing. Today, many of these pieces look like Swiss cheese, yet their scarcity makes them a coveted item and a centerpiece in any collection.

In summary, if a militaria item is not considered scarce and does not have provenance, it can be graded on a condition scale much like a coin or a stamp. If the item is truly rare and/or has verified, significant provenance other factors apply when assessing value. The rule of thumb for militaria (and any collectible) is strive to buy the best. Time and money is wasted when you buy items you intend on upgrading in the future.

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

At the start of World War II, equipment issued to troops by the Japanese Army typically was based on European designs. As the war progressed, material shortages became extreme and the Japanese took many measures to minimize the use of metal in any form. Metal features such as buckles on packs, helmets and other equipment were replaced by cloth or rubberized leather.

The Army officer’s frame pack shown here is an early war issue of a German design. It features metal roller buckles and rivets. The interior is lined with canvas and has the previous owner’s name (Hiroshi Zaki) painted inside the flap. The pack’s construction and workmanship is of high quality, in stark contrast to later mass production versions made of thin canvas sewn with cloth tie closures.

The approximate value of this item is $275-$350. Packs and other equipment for officers are of higher quality than equipment for enlisted personnel.

Hey hey, it’s new comic Wednesday… Well actually it’s Thursday and I’m a little late. I was busy ok! Please don’t tell my Worthpoint bosses, the beatings… Oh the beatings, and my wrists are so sore from the chains that hold me at my desk. Please send help…

Any way, lets get right to it! This week was another huge one and yet again no one at the editorial offices of any of the comic companies I’ve contacted will send me free comics. Come on guys, I’m dying here! Every week I say such nice things about your books! What’s a brother got to do to get some free schwag!
If you’re not a higher up at DC, Marvel, Image, Dark Horse, Dynamite, Oni, or any other comic company then please excuse my begging. If you are someone of any importance to any comic publishing company then I say to you sir or madam; send me something to review!

Enough pandering for free comics, lets talk about this weeks new issues. Remember Wednesday’s new comics are tomorrow’s collectibles. Get them while they’re still cover price!

X-Men Legacy #206, Marvel Comics, Written by Mike Carey, Art by Scott Eaton, and John Romita JR
The book formerly known as the adjective-less “X-men” is now X-Men Legacy and the Divided We Stand storyline rolls on. Fan-favorite-comics-legend John Romita JR helps pencil this X-story that explains what really happened after the supposed “death” of Professor X. The X universe is in a great place for new readers to jump in with all the titles beginning new storylines and new titles written and illustrated by top notch talent.

Freddy vs. Jason. Vs. Ash #5, Wildstorm Comics, Written by James Kuhoric; Art by Jason Craig
After disappointing sales on the Army of Darkness comics from Devils Due and Dynamite Entertainment retailers found themselves sheepishly ordering issue 1 of this series. As the book sold steadily reorders came pouring in and now the first issue of Freddy, Jason, Ash is long sold out and selling for $10.00 and up. Newsarama.com is reporting that this trend is continuing as issue 4 sold out at the printers last week. If you can find 1st printings of these comics count yourself lucky, they’re disappearing quick . As for the story, not my cup of tea, but the fans have spoken and this series is hot.

Rasl, #1, Cartoon Books, Written and Art by Jeff Smith
The creator of one of my favorite series, Bone, is back with a story of a dimension hopping art thief. If you haven’t read Bone don’t bother looking for a 1st print of issue #1, they are nearly impossible to find and sell for upwards of $100.00. However, in 2004 Cartoon Books reprinted the entire series in one 3.8 pound 1300 page volume that is still available at most comic book stores. I can’t recommend Bone enough! This issue of Rasl ships with 1:24 variant cover (an incentive cover that ships free to retailers for every 24 issues they order) by Jeff Smith and judging by the relatively low ordering of the book it could be a high dollar item if Rasl is as big a hit with fans as Bone was.

Here’s a brief list of other books that have sold out at the printers recently and are sure to raise in value in coming weeks:

Hulk #2, Marvel Comics; USA Today and CNN coverage of the new red Hulk have certainly helped sales.

Ultimates 3 #1, Marvel Comics; The return of 90’s penciling-phenom Joe Maduriea.

Lock and Key #1, IDW; Stephen King’s son Joe Hill launched this new horror series last week and issue #1 sold out in one day. 2nd printings coming soon.

Well that’s all for now, as always if you have any questions about these books or anything else in the comic book world feel free to contact me or post your question in the Comic Book community forum. Want to know what your comics are worth? Join Worthpoint for free and post your titles in the “Ask A Question” section.

Make sure to check out this week’s edition of The Comic Speculator where I’ll be talking about classic zombie and vampire comics.

The U.S. military, like any military around the world, identifies its military specialties by uniquely designed patches, ribbons, badges, pins and other items.

Below are the general staff and higher rank collar insignia as described by the U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry:

President of the United States: A blue shield bearing a circle of 13 white stars supporting a gold eagle displayed, wings inverted, 1 1/4 inch height overall. Prior to 1946, there was no prescribed insignia for Aides to the President of the United States. In 1946, an insignia was adopted — 48 stars in a ring on a shield surmounted by an eagle. This design was changed in 1953 to 13 white stars on a blue shield surmounted by an eagle.

Vice President of the United States: A white shield bearing a circle of 13 blue stars supporting a gold eagle displayed, wings inverted, 1 1/4 inch height overall. The insignia for Aides to the Vice President of the United States was approved on 24 January 1969.

The Secretary of Defense: On a blue shield, 3/4 inches in height, surmounted by a gold color eagle displayed with wings reversed ½ inch in height, three crossed arrows in gold color between four white enameled stars (two and two).

The insignia for Aides to the Secretary of Defense was approved in August 1948. The three crossed arrows are of the style on the Department of Defense Seal. Four stars are commonly used on positional flags for secretarial level positions.

The Secretary of the Army: A red shield surmounted by the Coat of Arms of the United States in gold between four white enameled stars, supporting a gold eagle displayed, wings inverted, 1 1/4 inch height overall. The insignia for aides to the Secretary of the Army was prescribed in Army Regulations of 1948.

Under Secretary of the Army: A white shield surmounted by the Coat of Arms of the United States in gold between four red enameled stars, supporting a gold eagle displayed, wings inverted, 1 1/4 inch height overall. The insignia for aides to the Under Secretary of the Army was approved in 1962.

Chief of Staff of the Army: A shield 3/4 inch in height divided from lower left to upper right, the upper part red and the lower part white, a silver five-pointed star surmounted by the coat of arms of the United States in gold, between two white five-pointed stars at the top and two red five-pointed stars in base, with a gold color eagle with wings reversed, ½ inch in height, placed above the shield.

Vice Chief of Staff of the Army: A shield 3/4 inch in height divided saltirewise, the upper and lower part white and each side red, a silver five-pointed star surmounted by the coat of army of the United States in gold, between two red stars at the top and two red stars at the bottom, with a gold color eagle with wings reversed ½ inch in height place above the shield.

Prior to 1963, Aides to the Chief of Staff wore the same insignia as aides to other generals. On 25 April 1963, the present design of insignia for aide to the Chief of Staff was approved. Aides to the Vice-Chief continued to wear the same insignia as aides to other generals. On 10 June 1987, the insignia for aide to the Vice Chief of Staff was approved.

Joint Chiefs of Staff: Aide to Chairman: On a shield, 3/4 inch in height divided diagonally from upper left to lower right, the upper part blue and the lower part white, a gold color eagle between two white five pointed stars at the top and two blue five pointed stars at the base, with a gold color metal eagle displayed with wings reversed ½ inch in height placed above the shield.

Aide to Vice Chairman: On a white white shield 3/4 inch in height divided diagonally with a blue center stripe from upper left to lower right, a gold color metal eagle between two five pointed stars at the top and two five pointed stars at the base (blue star on white and white star on blue), with a gold color metal eagle with wings reversed, ½ inch in height, placed above the shield.

The eagle on the shield is of the design of the eagle on the Department of the Defense seal. The background colors are the same as the flag designs for the positions. Light blue is the color normally associated with Department of Defense

General of the Army: A blue shield, 3/4 inch in height, with five white stars arranged in a circle, inner points touching, surmounted above by a gold color eagle displayed with wings reversed ½ inch in height. The insignia for Aides to General of the Army was approved on 15 January 1945.

There were 5 modern day Generals of the Army; Omar Bradley, Douglas McArthur, George C. Marshall, Dwight Eisenhower, and Henry ‘Hap’ Arnold. A predecessor rank of General of the Army had four stars, then two stars with an eagle in between created in 1866 for Ulysses S. Grant, but retired in 1888. No officers currently hold the rank of General of the Army.

General Staff: A shield, ¾ inch in height surmounted by a gold color eagle displayed with wings reversed ½ inch in height; the chief of the shield is blue with silver stars reflecting the grade of the general officer the aide is serving, and 13 vertical stripes, 7 silver and 6 red. The insignia was approved in 1902.

If it is true that an Army marches on its stomach, then the mess kit was the way the Army marches.

The examples of mess kits I have belong to World War I and the Vietnam Era. The first is heavy gauge steel and has some heft to it. Its design survived through the Second World War. The ‘chow’ was added unceremoniously into uncompartmented sections where everything eventually ran together.

The second, is lighter aluminum with sections to handle different foods such as mashed potatoes or vegetables while leaving the second main part of the mess kit for the entree, if there was one.

Every mess kit was issued with its own set of cutlery that when washed went back into the mess kit before closing it up. Tom, a friend of mine, told me that when he was with the 82nd Airborne Division, it was customary to put the clean (I hope) cutlery in a clean (I hope) sock to dampen the noise of clanging metal when on long hikes. Worked well, he said.

What Tom was amazed to hear, though, was that the mess kit has been phased out of the modern U.S. Army. Nope, there are no longer any clanging cutlery inside a metal mess kit. There are only disposable MRE’s, meals ready to eat, with paper napkins and plastic cutlery. Everything is now completely disposable.

And so goes another tradition. The marches will continue, but the stomach will be fed a little differently.

I’ve been visiting Peter Oosterman’s site (www.m-1helmet.com) for a while because, in my opinion, it is the nicest looking militaria-related site on the web. When I heard he was publishing a book on M1 helmets, I was eager to purchase a copy. My expectations were high because the book cost $119.90 (including international postage), but it ended up being money well spent.

M1 Helmets is hard cover with nice binding, excellent quality paper, and top-notch printing. The layout and photography are exceptional. It is written in French and English and easy to follow with 319 pages.

The first half of the book provides details and history about the M1 helmet shell, liner, and components without being text heavy. The second half is called “museum” and features amazing examples of M1 headgear. Most of the helmets are well researched with excellent provenance. I value this book because it is a go to reference that consolidates details that have been discussed and published elsewhere. The museum portion of the book is a wonderful bonus in that you have multiple-view images of helmets most of us will never own in our collections. These are cream of the crop M1 helmets including camos, unit marks, and airborne configurations.

Overall the book is excellent, but I was disappointed the author only discussed fixed bale helmets and left out swivel bales. He also did not weigh in on the ongoing front seam / rear seam debate regarding when the changeover took place, etc. The author did an excellent job verifying contract dates for many other helmet features that I assumed he would have insight to provide for this. Hopefully, his book will be successful enough to merit a follow up that includes these missing subjects and more.

M1 Helmet of the WW2 US GI is available for purchase at www.m-1helmet.com.

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

Military collectibles are not a specialty of mine, except as they relate to the White House, office of the president or vice president. In the case of military service badges there is some overlap as they relate to White House service, but there is also a larger community developing for the high level service badges awarded to military and civilian defense officials.

If you are a military or civilian defense official serving directly on the staff of the president, vice president, Joint Chiefs of Staff or Secretary of Defense you are recognized for your service by a distinctive badge worn on your uniform or as a lapel pin (in the case of a civilian). After one year of service, the badges are awarded as permanent decorations and as such are assigned to you as an individual with a specific number etched on the reverse of the badge. The award is accompanied by a signed certificate and in some cases with a lapel pin, too.

So what are these distinctive service badges? There are five that I want to mention here: the Presidential Service Badge (PSB), the Vice Presidential Service Badge (VPSB), the
Office of the Joint Chiefs Identification Badge (OJCIB), the Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge (OSDIB), and the Army Staff Identification Badge (ASIB).

I’ve written a blog about the presidential and vice presidential service badges and you can go directly there by clicking on this link:

http://www.worthpoint.com/blog-entry/presidential-service-badge

If it doesn’t work, I’ll summarize the history of both service badges here.

The Presidential Service Badge (PSB) was created officially in 1964 by President Lyndon Johnson to recognize his military staff officers who served the White House directly. A previous White House service badge was used as a decoration for any military officer serving either the president or vice president. Johnson discontinued the White House Service Badge in favor of a distinct presidential badge. President Richard Nixon followed with a distinct vice presidential service badge (based on the 1948 design of an eagle with lowered wings surrounded by 13 blue stars) in 1970. When the seal of the Vice President was changed in 1975, the new seal design also became the design of the vice presidential service badge. Each PSB is numbered on the reverse and is assigned to an individual throughout their military career and the number is ‘retired’ with them. At times, the VPSB is not always numbered, but no less official and more highly collectible because of their relative rarity.

The Office of the Joint Chiefs Identification Badge (OJCIB) is a wonderfully distinctive badge created in 1963 and has remained unchanged since then. It is a Department of Defense badge and is awarded to the Chairman, Vice Chairmen and military staff who can wear the badge as a permanent decoration after one year of service to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge (OSDIB) is awarded to all military and some civilian members who have worked for at least one year on the staff of the Secretary of Defense. It was created in 1949 as the National Military Establishment Identification Badge, then changed in 1950 to Department of Defense Identification Badge, but changed once again to its current designation in 1952. Many serving in staff offices qualify for the service badge, including those in the Inspector General’s office, the General Counsel and other departments and agencies.

The Army Staff Identification Badge (ASIB) is the oldest of all the service badges having been authorized in 1933 after first being promoted as a permanent decoration by General Douglas McArthur as early as 1931. The design is completely unchanged, but its early production was more cloisonné than now.

I have had the rare chance of having each of these original badges in my possession for a short period of time before selling them as a complete collection to an avid presidential memorabilia collector. All of the badges were from the 1960s or 1970s when real gold overlay and sterling silver were used in their manufacturer.

The other service badge that came with the collection, but didn’t quite qualify as a national policy service badge, but is no less distinctive, is the Guard, Tomb of the Unknown, Identification Badge (G,TU,IB). This quite unique service badge is the least awarded badge, according to Wikipedia, except for the astronaut badge. Made of solid sterling silver, those members of the Armed Forces who serve 9 months at the Tomb of the Unknown in Arlington Cemetery are qualified to wear this badge as a permanent decoration. However, unlike the other badges, this badge can in fact can be rescinded at any time during the career of the holder for bringing dishonor to the Tomb of the Unknown.

First issued in 1958, it became a permanent decoration in 1963.

I recently won a Vietnam era Special Forces beret from an online auction. Prior to bidding, I emailed the seller with specific questions because the auction description was vague and the accompanying image was not great. The seller never responded to my questions, but I could tell that the insignia was a desirable variation, so I took my chances and placed a bid anyway.

When I received the beret in the mail I was relieved to see that it was a beauty! This 1963 dated beret was made by the Canadian manufacturer “Fleur De Lis”. Early on, conventional Army brass prohibited berets from being worn by Special Forces. In 1962 Special Forces personnel pulled a gutsy move and wore their unauthorized berets in front of President Kennedy during a Special Warfare demonstration. After the demonstration, Kennedy remarked that he liked the look of the beret and its fate was sealed as the official headgear for Special Forces.

The government did not secure a contract to manufacture berets until around 1965. Until then, berets were purchased from Fleur De Lis. The anatomy of a Vietnam era Special Forces beret includes:

1. The beret – Official color is called “Rifle Green”. Wartime government and Canadian berets have a real leather band (not vinyl), two black enamel painted vent grommets, a leather tab sewn to the lining behind the vent grommets, and a black cotton lining with nomenclature and/or a maker mark silk screened in white ink. The print is often faded on worn berets. Many wartime berets have the lining completely removed to be lighter, cooler, and form a better drape.

2. The Flash – The shield shaped patch sewn on the beret. These patches come in different colors to denote each SF Group. The flash on this beret is yellow with a black border and is used by 1st Special Forces Group stationed in Okinawa, Japan.

3. The DI – The DI or distinctive insignia pin is affixed to the beret through the flash. Enlisted Men and Non Commissioned Officers wear the Special Forces DI (shown on this beret), baring the the motto “De Oppresso Liber” meaning “Liberate the Oppressed”. Officers pin their rank through the flash in lieu of a DI.

What makes this newly acquired beret unique is that the yellow 1st SFGA flash is theater-made, meaning it was made in theaters of operation (typically Japan, Vietnam, or Thailand). This type of insignia is highly sought after by collectors and tends to be slightly irregular in shape, color, and construction in comparison with regular mass-produced insignia.

1st Group flashes were originally solid yellow, but after Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963 a black border was added to memorialized their largest support of special warfare. The black border on this theater-made flash is crude making it more appealing than ordinary examples.

The DI is a rare “skull harp” pattern where there are holes in the harp look like skulls facing each other. This insignia is early and highly sought after. The DI was also made by Meyer and bears a nice hallmark. Early DI’s are seldom found hallmarked.

The best surprise with this beret was finding a small, embroidered tag with the veteran’s name and Army Serial Number sewn inside the lining. I was able to search rosters and find that this veteran was with 1st Special Forces Group and assigned to an early TDY team stationed in Thailand in 1964. It is very likely that this beret was worn during this operation.

Having this beret attributed to a veteran makes this very special to collectors and historians. Without provenance the beret is still collectible, but it value is only determined by the sum of its parts, whereas firm provenance can double or triple the value. Not only does research add value, it preserves the history of this beret and the veteran who wore it.

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