Who do you buy your medals from?

[vacollector]

What dealers do you use for adding to your collection?

[Greg Collins]

I have to assume, by your question, that you have recently come to collecting. The reason for this is that collectors tend not to "give up" their sources. But I will give a few hints to a fellow Virginian from my own experiences:

1. Study and research... now say that about six times until the concept is fully imbeded. This will help you avoid fakes as well as recognize good prices. Buy the book prior to buying the medal.

2. Now that you have a good basic knowledge of the matter at hand, approach our favorite auction site and see what there is to see. Look for what you want and, once you find it, look at how it is presented. Is the item shown well, or is it "fuzzy" (as if to hide details). Does the seller offer a return policy. Read the feedback comments.

3. Once you find a good dealer, form a relationship with him/her. You may, at one point or another, choose to deal directly with them.

4. Realize that the auction site we have here in the US is not the only one in the world. See if there is an auction site in the country of origin, and look at the prices there. This can give you:

- bargaining leverage here ("or best offer"), or

- perhaps you can cultivate a friend who resides in that country (often through contacts made on this type of forum) to bid on that other country's auction site for you.

5. Cultivate relationships, through PM's or e-mails, of folks on the forums. They may just "loosen up a bit" and divulge a source. You never know.

Good Luck and Happy Hunting!

Oh yeah, almost forgot, most dealers specialize in a particular country's awards... so, if you were to ask me your initial question of where I go to get medals, my response would be, "for what country?" (I collect Soviet, Mongolian, DDR, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary, among others, and use a different set of dealers for each).

[Tim B.]

Well thought out response Greg

And, I'll add to your number 5; 8 out of 10 times you regret giving up the source down the road.
Tim

[uscob]

Me.

[redline09]

i tend to get most of my items of the estand, you can get some good deals from members from time to time .

i have also bought afew medals from stephen wheeler a dealer in london - he has most communist awards - soviet,north korean,Mongolian etc, no great deals but most selling at average going price like ww2 Order of the Red Star's for around £50 etc