A few more sets
 

Commemorative - Still looking for "Thank You" without writing round edge.

Poppies /Soldiers - "There But Not There" produced and packed by veterans at Royal British Legion Industries.

I saw a photo of the Canadian version of the Armistice pin and bought it directly from Canadian Legion .... the day it arrived I saw and bought the British version.

Last ones .... for now !
 

I like some of the pins that branches have produced , they slip through the net because they can be listed by sport/city etc but no mention of RBL.

Last page is just a combination that either don't fit in elsewhere or were late additions.

The 3 "Battle" pins only arrived today , not official/RBL but well made and look good.

Will put all the photos I have posted into an album and also ........

...... do a "Wanted/Wishlist" post in case anyone has anything at the back of a drawer that I need.

Cheers

Mike V

Album
 

Have made up an album , Poppies/Remembrance , will update it from time to time when I get more pins.

Enjoy

Mike V

Wanted !
 

This is basically my "wish-list" , like the other Mike (who started this thread ) I am also after 2006 -2008 poppy pins . I know they are available but I'll never pay the ridiculous prices being asked.

I am also on the lookout for the Centenary/Commemorative ones I missed when they first came out :

Battle of Cambrai , Battle of Amiens , Great Pilgrimage , RAF Centenary and WW1 Centenary.

I have the Scottish and British "Thank You 1918-2018" pins but would still like to get the plain one (no words round outside).

Finally , I have the complete "Ayr Soldiers" set , including the dated (1914-2014) "Lest We Forget" one but would love to get a hold of any of the other "Poppy Head" ones which I have only seen photos of.

So , if anyone finds any of the ones I'm after (in drawers/cupboards etc) I appreciate a heads up.

Cheers

Mike V

Some recent additions.

1. "Micro" poppy - Part of a ' job lot' that I managed to get separately.

2. London Poppy Day 2016 - Don't know if other years were made.

3. 2019 Poppy - Will they issue a "commemorative" one later ?

4. Somerset Legion House - "Sights of Britain" collectors pin (Sampson's).

RBLR / Non-Attendance Rally - For not attending a bike ride that doesn't actually happen ! :D

The Poppy Appeal magnet - Thought this was going to be badge size but it is the size of a saucer ( will look good on album cover).

Bargains ?
 

Had a bit of spare time and a few quid from the lottery :) , so did a bit of shopping. Wanted to get some "basic" Legion stuff (purely for show as I don't really know what is good or bad) but found a couple of things I liked.

1. A 15 year Brooch - Foam it was stored in had perished and 'marked' the back , any tips on cleaning ? Cost £1.99 + postage.

2. Legion Badge - Enamel damaged/missing , only bought for other item with it ......

3. Legion Inter Games 1937-1913 winner medallion (hallmarked Silver) - Should I clean it and how ? Cost including Legion Badge £4.99 + postage.

4. 1915 On war Service - A couple of spots on front , verdigris ? , and rear plate flattened. Not bothered about back but what to do about front ? Cost £2.20 + postage.

5. Flanders Fields Poppy - Took a chance as it could have been fake but it arrived today and is genuine (compared it with my original one) . Only "damage" was that bottom of box had water damage , had a spare box at home so it is now perfect. Cost £20.00 + postage , half the cost of my original one.

Any advice gratefully accepted.

Will sort out 'Legion Collection' and add it to Poppy Album in a few days.

Hi Mike

Still looking for my "spare" 1921 poppy. Still happy to send you an "NZ" one, f.o.c.!

All contributions gratefully accepted ! :D

Buyers Beware !
 

Just saw a new batch of poppies for sale , there is 2007 and 2008 with a starting bid of £50 being asked for each. OK they may be genuine but I doubt it because there is also " Remembrance Day Poppy pin 2016 somme & Passchendaele pin" being offered together with a starting bid of £24.99 being asked for the pair.

The mistake the seller has made (apart from claiming they are "from my own collection of poppy pins") is to include photos of the backs of the pins.

Compare them with my originals , if these 2 are obviously junk then I doubt the other dates ones are any good.

New badges
 

Saw a photo of one of these and thought that even though they aren't "official" RBL ones they will make a great addition to my collection.

Bought them quicky before they get banned ! :D

TRBL
 

I recently acquired a 15 year service award Brooch in the "new" style (TRBL) , still attached to J.R Gaunt card.

Anyone know when this style was introduced ?

The second small badge was a 'place holder' as it has a pin fitting (rather than brooch type) and I guessed was a modern copy.

Back in time !
 

While doing a search on the internet I came across a Spring 2015 edition of the RBLWS "Circle" magazine. There was a page showing merchandise "Special Conference Offers !".

Have copied details about past 'Annual Stick Pins' , check out the prices !!!

I wish I could go back in time. :D

New D-Day Lapel Pin
 

Poppy Shop are taking pre-orders for D-Day 75 Poppy Pin (£29.99 + postage).

"The very heart of each enamel Poppy is made with real sand collected by hand from Arromanches, part of the Gold Beach landing area.

Each rhodium plated pin comes in a D-Day 75 box presented with a commemorative certificate dedicated to a fallen soldier from The Battle of Normandy."

Picked this one up recently , nice pin about size of 10p piece.

Anyone got any info about it ?

Another batch uploaded to album.

D-Day 75
 

Arrived today , very nice , will make a great addition to collection.

RBLWS are still producing these badges.

The one for 2019 has "Winchester" on it. I assume that is where the annual meeting was held?

2019 Poppy
 

Does anybody know what is happening with these yearly dated poppies?

It is already late May, and I have only seen one 2019 dated poppy for sale.
I am not sure that it is official RBL issue.

Being past the 100th anniversary of 1918, the final year of WWI, we are now back to having just the one date on the poppy.

Very nice indeed, I take it these are a limited addition.

I tried e-mailing RBLWS asking if earlier/current badges were available to purchase anywhere but got no reply. If you ever come across any please let me know , thanks.

Annual meeting this year was on 31st January at Winchester Guildhall.

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.

I feel the same way but people don't always have access to a shop , a lot will go on to the Poppy Shop website only to find that the items they want are not even available for sale there.

It is 11 days until D-Day and the first thing I knew about the anniversary poppy pin was when I saw it on eBay ........ and I'm an RBL member who regularly checks the Poppy Shop website.

A final point about eBay , a seller can sign up to automatically donate all profits from particular items directly to a charity of their choice. A charity ribbon appears next to the item and in the text it states what percentage is donated (seller also get back a portion of eBay fees).

The Royal British Legion has a "shop" on eBay but have no items at all for sale and haven't had anything for between 3-6 months (these were mainly signed football shirts which were auctioned off ).

Yes, many people certainly don't have physical access to a shop, there seem precious few actually on the high street and of those that are, I have never been inside one that has the full range of stock available.
I walked past a larger branch yesterday and there appeared to be absolutely no D Day related material, whatsoever, for sale, which was a little surprising given that they had sold both the handsome Somme and Passchendaele poppies in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

They are doing themselves no favours , if people can't get official stuff from them (in store or on-line) then they will buy from eBay , which is what the RBL is (apparently) trying to stamp out.

From a more positive D-Day angle , the Battle of Britain Bunker (Uxbridge) is holding a 4 day event (6th-9th June) . Tour , exibition , lectures and a screening of ....The Longest Day !

As it is walking distance from my place I hope to attend all events. :D

What on earth am I missing?

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F133074199573

Our branch now has these and like everyone else they are £3 each.

On the subject of official sellers on eBay, my PAO keeps telling me that he has been told he is not allowed to put pins etc on it or any similar site, he is only supposed to collect within our branch area and is supposed to report any that he sees.

Michael

Hi Michael ,

These pins originally had a starting price of £2.75 + postage , there was also a "make an offer" option. I paid £5.00 which is the amount I would have given a Poppy seller if they were available. The seller donates 100% of money to the RBL.

The fact that bidding on this pin has now reached £23.00 and there is still 4 days to go shows that people want this pin and (in my opinion) the RBL has made a serious error in the marketing/distribution of this item.

I saw this problem coming when the D-Day pins were not available from Poppy Shop.

I reported another seller for charging £9.99 (he has sold 3 pins) , I didn't get a reply but the listing now states that "the item is no longer available".

As I have said previously , if the RBL/Poppy Shop are not going to make these items available to the general public then people will look elsewhere and that will encourage copies and 'profiteering'.


Added info : I can't understand why bidding is at £23.00 when another seller is offering D-Day pin for £3.99 "Buy it now".