New member - advice please!
 

I'm dealing with my late father's extensive (over 700) military badge collection with the aim of selling them. Most of them are genuine (as far as we can tell) and many are 'rare'.They are presently mounted and grouped i.e Infantry of the line, Cavalry etc with approx 40-60 badges on each board.
My father kept very good records but some of the badges are very similar to each other and after many hours of research we are still confused about some battalions etc that were merged (Hussars, Lancers etc)
I would like to know the best way of selling these badges and also would appreciate any help in identifying a few badges.
Thank you!

Hi Brian
Welcome to the forum. Condolences about your father and best of luck with selling his collection. Unfortunately, there are a lot of very good fakes out there and even experienced collectors get caught out at times. I would recommend posting the badges on the forum to get opinions on originality but it is considered courteous to also offer the badges for sale here as well if you are going to do that.
The first badge photo of the horn looks like an Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry badge.
Cheers,
Alex

Hello Alex,
Many thanks for your reply. I haven't posted here before so still finding my way around.

We thought that was an Ox/Bucks L.I badge so thank you for the confirmation. We're thinking about taking the badges to auction so they can be examined by an expert and sold that way. I'm not looking to sell online.

The more I read, the more I realise how many badges are restrikes etc but it's all very interesting!

Thank you for the friendly welcome

Beware of "Experts" at Auction Houses- as apart from a handful of specialist auction houses, they simply dont exist.

Lots of threads on here about the pro's and con's of selling collections and which auction houses you can reliably use.

regards

Hello Brian the third badge is the Wiltshire Territorials.
Tony.

Thank you, Tony!

Hi Bryan
Could you show me a pic of the reverse of badge 2 please.

Hi again condolences, regards your father, where do you live Couny, nearest Town might be someone on the Forum is living locally to you and they can have a look at one board somewhere in local area, to you if you would prefer that than at your home?

You won't raise the full potential by selling at an Auction house by all means take a board to have assessed and try here after if you so wish but a dealer will buy them then sell on with a greater margin! Would be nice if the Forum had the chance without the dealer? All the best billy

Hello Jeff, thanks for your message. I'll attach photos of the back of the 2 badges we can't identify on board 11 (Scots and Welsh) we've identified the others. We think the EFVB might be Erin rifle brigade? Anyway, this is the whole board!
Thanks for any help you can offer!

Sorry meant Edinburgh Vol Rifle Brigade

When did it become a thing, to be expected to offer for sale on the forum first?

Hello Billy,
Thanks for your message. Obviously we'd like to keep as much money as possible for selling the badges and I'm hoping most of them are genuine. There are over 700 though and we can't sell them individually (and I'd want to be sure they're authentic) so it looks like auction is the best way. It took my dad approx 15 yrs to build up his collection.
Thanks for your advice.

Sorry if I've done something wrong, Phil. I'm new to the forum. I'm not offering to sell, just asking for the best way to sell my late dad's collection and help in identifying some badges.
I apologise again if I've done anything wrong.

Brian

They're your badges so you sell them how you want. However the comments about your potential returns about selling them as auction lots or to a dealer are fair.

Alan

The 23rd foot badge appears to be wrong.

Selling to a dealer is easiest, an auction house might be a good way but they charge a lot in fees, eBay might work for you but can be random.

It depends if you are willing to research each badge board after board and price accordingly, though you will never get for a collection the value of the sum of the parts. Then offer a price for each board or badge at perhaps 75% of value and you might do ok.