EK1 issue cases abundance...

[Victorman]

Anyone has an explanation for the current abundance of empty EK1 issue cases offered at the moment?

Never experienced this during the past 20 years...

Best regards,

Victorman

[Wim Vangossum]

Hi Victorman, we talked about this a few weeks back and yes you are right: there are currently many empty cases available. However the ones I see look normal pré '45 to me. I assume that many cases were left at home and forgotten while the awards were worn.

From time to time it happens even with a rare award: for years you see none of them and than suddenly a few pieces are for sale at the same time...

Regards, Wim

[Victorman]

Hello Wim,

That is correct!
But since we spoke about it, the "problem" seems to become even worse... I just checked a couple of dealer sites... more issue cases than crosses offered at the moment!

Best regards,

Victorman

[ben bijker]

Maybe the value makwes collectors sell their cases??
I hardly have any cased crosse, for 2 reasons:
- most ek's are worn
- 2 cases = another ek1.

[Guy smith]

I think they can sell them separately and make more money,or a faster sale.

[Erich B.]

Exactly my thought--since the price of cases in general has increased to a larger degree than the awards, a seller can realize a higher net price for the separate pieces than for the case and award sold together.
Erich

[Chris Boonzaier]

I think there is a small change in collecting methods... it used to be a nicely cased EK brought a premium.... now so many people collect crosses, displayed together in a frame... and do not need a case... so they will pay a premium for a cross they need... but balk at buying one with a case... but the guy buying an EK with a case may not want to pay a premium for the cross....


I see it with WW1 EK2s, which a dealer has "married" with an award document on ebay.... The cross collectors may ignore it as they do not want to pay a premium for a doc they dont need, and the doc collectors ignore it as they do not need the cross.... I have often bought them, flipped the cross... and gotten the doc for peanuts....


There used to be a time when sellers would keep crosses, waiting to marry them with crosses... now the way we collect has changed... and they split them...

[Jelle M.]

I also recently noticed the high price dealers and collectors charge for empty cases.
A sad evolution.