They were available to 'pre order' and now Poppy Shop has 50+ in stock , so I guess they are making them available as per demand and they could end up as a "limited edition".

I got one of the 2019 ones from a seller who donates all profit to Bushmills RBL , so hopefully it was official RBL issue.

Mike2817 may have more info as he is a PAO.


Edit: Have just seen a different D-Day poppy on-line , don't know if this is an official RBL issue.

Re your Edit, with all the spurious stuff around, I will only buy from the RBL, the matter of all the fake poppies around was picked up by the tabloids last year, I have to say, I was both saddened and very disappointed.

I always 'try' to buy directly from the Poppy Shop or local official sellers but I feel the RBL aren't helping themselves at times.

Some pins were never available directly from Poppy Shop and if your local/regional PAO didn't request them they were not available from local stands/sellers.

Last year numerous pins/sets were not available in my area but were later sold on line by authorised "official" sellers who were selling off stock that they had left over after Remembrance Day.

I understand that the RBL can only have so many items on the Poppy Shop site but perhaps if they used their own official eBay site (last used to auction off signed football shirts) to sell old stock they could cut down on fake/unlicensed items being sold by others.

I also like the regional/branch items which the RBL/Poppy Shop do not stock, some I have acquired directly from the branches, Riders/Isle of Man etc, or from sellers connected to branches who donate profits directly to the RBL.

So , while I agree with you about buying directly from the RBL , if they are not willing/able to have items available for members/collectors to buy then (unfortunately) people will go to other sources.

I got 300 2019 Poppy Pins for my local area last month, and the same qty of the D-Day 75 Pins last week.

Both are official PA pins, but I agree not well distributed at all.

Poppy Appeal local issues are not sold by the Poppy Shop.

I am happy to supply pins by post @ £2 for the 2019 Pin and £3 for the D-Day 75 pin, plus 75p postage.

Mike , I really appreciate your input , it was your posts that initially brought me to this forum as I was looking for informaton about what were "official" RBL poppies and what were rip offs.

Today , unfortunately , your post was just too late as I had just got an e-mail from a guy I buy from (Bushmlls RBL) telling me he had the new pins and asking if I wanted them.

With regard to the distrbution , I brought this up with Poppy Shop before and they have previously had a survey and one point that came up was that it would be good if RBL members were given a preview/option to buy new items before they were available to the general public.

Just to add to the mix I am an RBL branch chairman and our branch hasn't had any of the 2019 or D Day pins yet.

In previous years we don't seem to get the dated pins until about September / October time.

I agree that the RBL don't seem to help themselves much with the demand and when that is combined with it almost being a fashion accessory now then people are bound to cash in and have their own designs made to sell on eBay and the markets.

I have challenged people selling their own stuff on our local market about where the money goes and have been told all kinds of rubbish about donations made on import and so on.

Michael

If they issue a certificate with each, I suppose the number ultimately made could not exceed the number of fatal casualties incurred during the battle of Normandy, I see your example is dedicated to a Canadian soldier.

My poppy arrived today, the card dedicates it to Marine Cyril Bainbridge who died on 6th June 1944.

Due to the wonders of the internet I found that he was in 47 RM Commando, aged 23 and from Old Basford, Nottingham.

http://forum.commandoveterans.org/cd...list/1371.page

Just twenty three, well, it's certainly no age, very sad indeed, never mind, nothing we can do, but, he is remembered on here today.

I bought my D-Day75 poppy pin for £3.00+postage (the same price as Mike is offering) but today I see one for sale at £9.99 +£1.65 postage !

The worst part is that the seller claims;

" All proceeds of this listing goes straight to The Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal.
I am an authorised and registered sales officer for The Royal British Legion in *********".

I have asked Poppy Shop for their opinion on this.

There is no such thing as a "authorised and registered sales officer for The Royal British Legion in *********".only 'Poppy Appeal Organisers' aka PAO's where a branch has no PAO they can request stock from the County Fundraiser (CF) but pins are strictly rationed this year, but some will still creep onto e-bay where I never sell them.

Personally, I would not even consider Ebay, I much prefer to walk into an actual RBL shop and physically buy and walk out with whatsoever I might want, be it a box of Christmas cards or a poppy.

Just out of interest, are these poppies actually made in Great Britain like the Somme poppies were?

Most people would have no idea about the proper terms etc and would assume this seller is genuine. I don't know if he is a PAO or not , that is why I have e-mailed Poppy Shop and have also asked (if he is real) if they are happy with the price being asked.

I do have one question , how are the general public (let alone RBL members) supposed to get hold of the D-DAY75 poppy pin ? They are not (yet?) available from the Poppy Shop , I have seen no publicity about them (not even on website) , or are local sellers going to be on the streets ?

I know you can only do/say so much but perhaps your feedback to the RBL may be useful.