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**Matthew** · 10-26-2013, 09:58 AM

Originally posted by ErichS View Post

I noticed on the Weitze update that he has a Gau Thuringen badge in silver for sale for 3500 Euros.

Yes, they're not getting cheaper, are they?
In any event I have send the dealer pertinent info on the recipient so I imagine it will be a part of the next scheduled update.
Cheers
Matt

**der-hase-fee** · 10-26-2013, 08:16 PM

Originally posted by Matthew View Post

In any event I have send the dealer pertinent info on the recipient so I imagine it will be a part of the next scheduled update.
Cheers
Matt

So he feels like asking even more

**Wood** · 10-26-2013, 08:30 PM

Originally posted by der-hase-fee View Post

So he feels like asking even more

Yes, not a move I would have made.

**Matthew** · 10-26-2013, 08:52 PM

power to the people

However small the chance is that this forum is not a center of 3rd Reich collecting I thought it would be nice if a potential buyer knew who the pin belonged to. You know- in case he/she could not come here to ask not knowing if this place exists.

GPB numbers are being researched and freely handed over here and elsewhere day in and day out but I don't see anyone shaking their heads over that.

Some people here are rather selfish in sharing their knowledge but since I don't harp at them for doing it their way I do not expect to be harped at for freely sharing my research that I paid for. In other words- piss off.

Just to put everyone's minds at ease- if the dealer decides to hike the price of the decoration (his right) I will decide to keep my info to myself in the future (my right).

cheers
Matt

P.S.
There is rather nice Gau Thuringen Ehrenzeichen coming up on Andreas Thies Auction. Award number 53. Awarded to Fritz Paschold- SA Brigadefuhrer and Reichstag Deputy. In case someone is looking for one.

**Richard** · 10-26-2013, 09:40 PM

Sadly this is rapidly becoming a rich man's hobby and as the prices rise to incredible levels, more collectors are priced out and fewer are able to afford these items so the market becomes narrower. The more I see the prices rise, the more I come closer to selling out, taking some immense profits and leaving this phase of the hobby to others. Most of my interest is in the history and I don't really have to own the items to enjoy that part.
Richard V

**Matthew** · 10-26-2013, 09:58 PM

.

Rare pieces will continue to appreciate in value no matter what. Speaking strictly of Gau Decorations- they were rare since day 1 and unlike combat awards at the war's end- not really a reason to be worn with pride. No 1957 versions for those pins. So it is no wonder that some of those who can sit on them will price them out well into stratosphere and if they sell- they make a killing.
On the other hand I know of more than couple collectors that are willing to pay well into 20k for some of those but no matter the power base- they can not find them.
On the bright side- black wound badges are still affordable.
Rarity dictates supply which in return stimulates demand.

cheers

Matt

**Richard** · 10-26-2013, 10:34 PM

Originally posted by Matthew View Post

Rare pieces will continue to appreciate in value no matter what. Speaking strictly of Gau Decorations- they were rare since day 1 and unlike combat awards at the war's end- not really a reason to be worn with pride. No 1957 versions for those pins. So it is no wonder that some of those who can sit on them will price them out well into stratosphere and if they sell- they make a killing.
On the other hand I know of more than couple collectors that are willing to pay well into 20k for some of those but no matter the power base- they can not find them.
On the bright side- black wound badges are still affordable.
Rarity dictates supply which in return stimulates demand.

cheers

Matt

You are absolutely correct Matt, but there comes a point where those who own these pieces see a price they can't refuse. Everyone has their price. None of us will hold on to these items forever as we will all pass at some time. The point of interest of collectibles is that they all have ups and downs. If you chart any collectible, they may have an upward trajectory, but some do have dips causing them to drop, because interest is gone, and then never recover.

Eventually a price is reached beyond reach or desire of 99% of the collecting community and then it is 20 or so collectors battling it out for some of these items. Once they have their item, unless they want multiples, the high dollar players are gone and the prices may come down. It depends on demand and the supply.

I have a set price in mind for which I will pay for the items I seek. Once that level is breached, I stop and go on to something else. I won't pay crazy money for something where investors may have infected the price curve.

As I get older I realize that owning these items is cool but creating memories with my family is much more important. I can buy a fantastic vacation for $5000 for my family of four which will give all of us a memory for life or I can own an object which I must pass on at some point (in other words I rent the item) which means nothing to the rest of my family. If I am lucky, I get more than I originally paid. If the gods are not with me, I lose.

I've learned that material things don't leave the impression that memories do. My kids will never really look back and think how cool it was that dad owned a Blood Order as they will of the week we spent in Disneyworld.

I've also come to the realization that 80% of the fun is in the hunt and in the historical research. Once I find and have the item in my possession, it isn't nearly as exciting as it was trying to find and acquire it, especially once the research has been completed.

Collecting should be fun and if prices escalate to the point at which only the well heeled can participate, most collectors will gravitate towards other areas.
Richard V

**Matthew** · 10-27-2013, 12:08 AM

gau

I don't imagine prices dropping any time soon in this field. Great news for advanced collectors who are lucky enough to acquire most if not all of the items on their bucket list. For the rest of us- save up, have patience or move on. No other choice really. But to have the "Jos LC" approach and still call this a hobby doesn't make much sense to me.
Here's an example- I know of Gau Wartheland Badge in friends collection who purchased it in the mid 80's. Paid 7,5K back then. To be had today for around 15k if you can find one. What changed? Not the value (not much anyways). Back then if you were willing to spend the money you could at least get the item. Today some pieces are simply impossible to obtain even when willing to spend the coin. But if you choose to collect in the field where some specimens survived in literally single digits- what do you expect?
Then there is the fact that very little of actual research comes into play, for most part the same legends are repeated over and over decade after decade with a new one thrown in for a fresh taste once a while but most of it is exactly that- legends.
So it only stands to reason that the more we know the more valuable those little trinkets will become. Time when one person had a source/info and choose to play God about (not) sharing it with the rest is rapidly coming to a close.

I sincerely hope that collectors will continue to outnumber the investors here as I take a great pleasure in discussing and sharing with like minded friends, learning about the items and history they hold. But if that ever happens, the passion of collecting gets somehow vacuumed out- the price tags of all of our treasures will drop lower than "senior lady's breasts". But that will be the investors problem.
Good weekend everyone!

cheers

Matt

**Military** · 10-27-2013, 06:30 PM

I agree with Richard where he says collecting should be fun and if prices escalate to the point at which only the well heeled can participate, most collectors will gravitate towards other areas. There are other desirable badges like the 1929RPT or the Munich Celebration Badge (Munich Gau) which are significant themselves and still affordable. The 1923 badge is also very nice but prices have gone up (like all others) lately.

Mil

**Matthew** · 10-27-2013, 06:40 PM

Prices

1929 pins are going up in price at faster pace than Gau Badges. Looking at Weitze -650 for a silver grade, hate to think wheat he would charge for the gold.
On the other hand- collecting high end political awards on the budget is like driving a Lamborghini and complaining about the price of gas.
Cheers
Matt

**ErichS** · 10-27-2013, 06:57 PM

For many years political badges in General were the red haired step child to military items and now they are coming into their own due to their historical importance.

**der-hase-fee** · 10-27-2013, 07:31 PM

Originally posted by Matthew View Post

GPB numbers are being researched and freely handed over here and elsewhere day in and day out but I don't see anyone shaking their heads over that.

Collector-to-collector vs. playing into dealer's hands.

Originally posted by Matthew View Post

There is rather nice Gau Thuringen Ehrenzeichen coming up on Andreas Thies Auction. Award number 53. Awarded to Fritz Paschold- SA Brigadefuhrer and Reichstag Deputy. In case someone is looking for one.

Thanks from all those that have one or more already for driving the prices up.

**Matthew** · 10-27-2013, 08:10 PM

.

Originally posted by der-hase-fee View Post

Collector-to-collector vs. playing into dealer's hands.

As far as I am concerned he owns it now. Couldn't care less if he's a driver, baker, militaria dealer or a painter. Collector to collector- heh, thats funny...

If you think 3,5k is bad wait what's gonna happen when Gau Wartheland recipients list becomes public

But I digress...anyways, glad I could be of service...

**Richard** · 10-27-2013, 10:35 PM

I could not agree more with what Matthew has written, but as the prices rise, the audience that can afford them diminishes. Even advanced collectors who acquired pieces early on when political was the cast out step child will be tempted to sell. Who wouldn't if I bought at $1k and it is now selling for $15k? Think of the memories $15k will buy vs. having an inanimate object in your drawer. Patience is a virtue but if the prices rise faster than the average person can save, it is a futile endeavor to add to any collection. The trick is knowing when to sell before the interest in the genre is gone and prices drop.

Once prices rise into the thousands, you can't keep the investors and speculators out and they do stupid stuff to prices. The prices will escalate and any joy in working to obtain the item by true collectors and historians will be replaced with frustration of knowing you will never own one. True to this hobby, those who cannot afford to own will still enjoy the researching of the period, which costs nothing or is minimal.

If you really love the history, owning the piece is only secondary, the history is paramount. Interesting to note that the Gau Wartheland has apparently not appreciated at all. $7.5k in 1985 would be over $16K in today's dollars so the purchase actually lost money due to inflation. Considering these items as investment would be a terrible disappointment as buying gold at about $300 an ounce in 1985 would have been a better investment as it is worth over four times that amount rather than the doubling the Wartheland badge has seen. But, as Matthew states, it isn't the price but rather the availability that is the problem. Trying to find some of the rarer pieces may be an incredibly difficult search.

I have a line above which I won't go to purchase those items I would love to own. Many of the items I seek are already above that line, some rightfully so, others for reasons I cannot understand. There are still treasures to be found in places not yet searched and it is these on which I pin much hope to add to my collection. There is no fun in buying if you can afford anything you want but there is great fun in finding something special for a good price after a decent hunt!
Richard V

Originally posted by Matthew View Post

I don't imagine prices dropping any time soon in this field. Great news for advanced collectors who are lucky enough to acquire most if not all of the items on their bucket list. For the rest of us- save up, have patience or move on. No other choice really. But to have the "Jos LC" approach and still call this a hobby doesn't make much sense to me.
Here's an example- I know of Gau Wartheland Badge in friends collection who purchased it in the mid 80's. Paid 7,5K back then. To be had today for around 15k if you can find one. What changed? Not the value (not much anyways). Back then if you were willing to spend the money you could at least get the item. Today some pieces are simply impossible to obtain even when willing to spend the coin. But if you choose to collect in the field where some specimens survived in literally single digits- what do you expect?
Then there is the fact that very little of actual research comes into play, for most part the same legends are repeated over and over decade after decade with a new one thrown in for a fresh taste once a while but most of it is exactly that- legends.
So it only stands to reason that the more we know the more valuable those little trinkets will become. Time when one person had a source/info and choose to play God about (not) sharing it with the rest is rapidly coming to a close.

I sincerely hope that collectors will continue to outnumber the investors here as I take a great pleasure in discussing and sharing with like minded friends, learning about the items and history they hold. But if that ever happens, the passion of collecting gets somehow vacuumed out- the price tags of all of our treasures will drop lower than "senior lady's breasts". But that will be the investors problem.
Good weekend everyone!

cheers

Matt

**ErichS** · 10-28-2013, 04:52 PM

Now that the badge in a lot of cases can be matched to the recipient, it makes the Gau Thuringen badge one of the premier Gau badges to own IMO.

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