vintage military memorabilia are a treasure for collectors. Guns, swords, bayonets, uniforms & other gear like military orders, decorations & insignia patches are all highly sought after for their historic value & savior stories. Depending on the condition of the item, its age and rarity, it can be worth a lot of money!
While there are plenty of general items a novice can start with, many collectors find that a specific era or branch of the military piques their interest. For example, service medals are a great starting point as they are easily identifiable at pawn shops & have an official grading system behind them. They can also be found at military auctions & in online galleries. Unlike uniforms, medals don’t necessarily carry a value based on who they were awarded to, but rather how rare they are and their condition.
The Fascinating World of Vintage Military Memorabilia: A Collector’s Guide
Another popular type of militaria is ephemera, which are documents that may have historical or personal value. Examples include military draft papers & soldiers’ mess cards. Historical military documents, photographs & handwritten letters from the battlefield are also popular items for collection. Lastly, a military watch is a great piece of military to add to your collection. Soldiers used to wear these timepieces as wristwatches in the trenches & their design later evolved into men’s watches we know today.
Military helmets are another common piece of memorabilia to collect. While early hats were designed to look stylish on the front, later models focused more on protecting the head, neck, face and body from projectiles. These incredibly rugged pieces of equipment are experiencing a revival with newer generations becoming interested in their military ancestors’ wartime treasures.
