plastic badge ID help

[chris clark]

i have very little knowledge but i have a plastic square badge with side pole.on the face which is hand painted by the looks are a small swaztica in each corner center shows wreath with cross in middle.on the back are the markings we1 top left corner and on the bottom below pin flak-artillerie...does thia have any value or just junk??

[VerKuilen Ager]

It's one of a series of Wehrmacht flag pins that were given in return for a Winter Help donation (I don't recall the year, but a couple of forum participants have the references that list them by year and should be able to tell you). There was also a type in painted wood. Most of these typically sell in the $10-15 (each) range.

[Ralph A]

picture of one

As indicated, worth a few bucks. There are about 40 (?) in the entire set. I can look up the exact number, but you get the idea.

[Ralph A]

more of the series

:

[Ralph A]

more.

I actually have more of the cigarette card representations than I do of the actual "tinnies". Another:

[Ralph A]

Occasionally,

you'll find the whole set for sale. I think I saw one on a German Dealer's site recently, in sort of a presentation box. Helmut Weitze has a nice selection of these WHW collections, of different types, if you know where on his site to look.

There's a set of ceramic figurines, and a set of little weapons, then the flags as shown here, one with traffic signs, another with little zodiac symbols. etc. ad infinitum.

As you got a single one of a specific series for a small donation, you can see the strategy behind the "sets". As with the present time, collecting the entire series was very attractive to some people. "I just have to get the 'panzertruppe' flag to complete my collection"... Sort of like collecting beanie babies, or a whole series of Disney toys from McDonalds...only with these tinnies, you got one for making a donation; not buying a hamburger.

Here is one of a set of ceramic figurines depicting different occupations throughout Germany. There's also an architect, a railroad worker, a farmer, etc. I have the complete set of these, this being the miner.

[James Noble]

Here's a few more examples as you can see these were all hand painted mostly by the Hitler Youth for the WHW

[James Noble]

would help if I post the picture

[chris clark]

thankyou very much very informative.now do i collect the set??

[James Noble]

Chris, Keep watch on ebay or epier or other online auction or dealer sites like Helmut Weitze or Kai Winkler also at your local military shows.