Ramke signed document award for GAB Luft

[ValhallaMilitaria]

A friend of mine has the chance to pick up these award docs, I know that they are good but what would be a fair price for him to offer? These items are far outside of my comfort zone and any help would be appreciated by both of us.
Thank you in advance for any assistance,
Eric

[ValhallaMilitaria]

And this one

[Brian R]

The paper market is pretty soft right now so I would say no more than about $400.

[JUNGCO]

I like groupings like this but even with document collectors it's condition, condition, condition.
Jeff

[ValhallaMilitaria]

Thank you for the advice, when he sent me those photos yesterday I cringed when I saw the GAB piece, its also in 2 pieces.
Again-thank you for the opinions.
Eric

[Brian R]

Hi Eric - If the GAB is in two pieces, the group loses a lot of value. It's a great document - signed in Brest but likely for actions on the Eastern Front earlier in the year. So, yeah, it would be great for an FJ collector - even in bad condition for some guys - but two pieces is a killer in my opinion. I walk back my initial estimate.

Brian

[Simon O.]

I like groupings like this but even with document collectors it's condition, condition, condition.
Jeff

For some maybe but certainly not for me. When you're hunting for specific units, signatures or other criteria, condition becomes almost irrelevant compared to rarity.

[ValhallaMilitaria]

Hi Eric - If the GAB is in two pieces, the group loses a lot of value. It's a great document - signed in Brest but likely for actions on the Eastern Front earlier in the year. So, yeah, it would be great for an FJ collector - even in bad condition for some guys - but two pieces is a killer in my opinion. I walk back my initial estimate.

Brian

Thank you Brian, I will let him know though I have already mentioned that condition is a factor to him which he already is aware of being a coin collector.
Eric

[ValhallaMilitaria]

For some maybe but certainly not for me. When you're hunting for specific units, signatures or other criteria, condition becomes almost irrelevant compared to rarity.

Thanks Simon, is a Ramcke a rare one?

[jmark]

For some maybe but certainly not for me. When you're hunting for specific units, signatures or other criteria, condition becomes almost irrelevant compared to rarity.

I'm with Simon on this one.

[Brian R]

... is a Ramcke a rare one?

Ramcke is a great signature to own given his role in the Crete invasion and the Ramcke Brigade in Africa. Also, he went on to be a Diamonds winner. In my experience, you will often find his signature during the summer of 1944 for services in the East earlier that year - you will find award documents from the summer that are Eastern Front related as well as Brest related. This group is interesting in that the recipient also served in Africa so it's possible he has a FJ/Africa connection. (possibly Ramcke Brigade). It's really too bad the GAB doc is not just tattered but actually split.

[Simon O.]

I agree with Brian, it's a great little grouping and it's a shame the erdkampf is in such poor condition as it's also a very nice style of doc, that will affect the value, but the Afrika and EKII make up for it.


Talking of the Erdkampf abzeichen, rarity and what a collector looks for, here's a good example.

If a collector was just after an example of the award doc, then this one would definitely not be worth a second look. However, for someone who collects for other reasons, in my case to units serving in Finland and Norway, this is about as rare as it gets. This is the only Erdkampf awarded in Finland i have ever come across, hardly surprising, there were virtually no units which had the opportunity to qualify for it and that is reflected in it being typewritten, they simply didn't have any printed docs to award. In this case i know that the unit was only transferred to Finland in the spring of '44 and that this soldier qualified for the award on the eastern front.

[ValhallaMilitaria]

Thank you gentlemen,
He got the grouping with the helmet for 500. He will be keeping the documents for the foreseeable future.
I appreciate your time and knowledge,
Eric

[Russ Schulke]

Same here!

I'm 100% with Simon on this one too!

I'm with Simon on this one.

"For some maybe but certainly not for me. When you're hunting for specific units, signatures or other criteria, condition becomes almost irrelevant compared to rarity."

Russ