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  #1  
Old 20-07-21, 09:40 PM
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Default A seriously expensive OWS badge?

Hi all,

I'd put a watch on this one:

https://www.ebay.com/bfl/viewbids/15...p2047675.l2565

I'd previously posted a photo of my example which cost me about 40 quid a year or two back.....

Forget Bitcoin, invest in war service badges!
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  #2  
Old 20-07-21, 09:42 PM
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Now, I'm going to have to get a safe or build a strongroom....
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  #3  
Old 20-07-21, 10:22 PM
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Charliedog012012 Charliedog012012 is offline
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Quite a few nice OWS badges appearing on eBay of late and all attracting high bidding. I have been staggered at how some people are bidding above dealer prices. I had a go at one badge but the bidding was monopolised by two bidders hell bent on being the winning bidder…I watched on in sheer disbelief. I then went to a dealer site and bought a beautiful example of the same badge with free postage at a price lower than the final bids on eBay. It seems people no longer do their research and cling to the belief “it’s on eBay and so it must be cheaper”.
The badge that you refer to dumdum was twice the price of the beautiful gold hall marked munitions badge (1916) for the La Bassee munitions factory in Scotland….engraved with the name of its owner/ recipient and dated 11/11/18, it must have been produced as a tribute badge and was a stunner and went for over £200. A nice one presently on a dealer site for £240 (oh, I wish I was rich!)The logic escapes me!
Cheers
James
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  #4  
Old 20-07-21, 11:14 PM
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Hi James

I must confess that I've chased a couple of these but when it gets to "silly money", one is just completely and utterly perplexed.....

I was thinking about the badge for the HM Factory that you or Mike gave me some gen on. It may have cost a tad more than 40 but it wouldn't have been more than 60...

Is it a side effect of lockdown? Is it because of sunspots? Global warming?

I personally think that someone has either won the pools or else inherited vast amounts of dosh and is casting about for ways to spend it....
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  #5  
Old 21-07-21, 09:46 AM
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Saw that there were quite a few OWS badges appearing in the past few weeks , didn't check if it was the same seller splitting a collection or simply one badge getting 'big money' and other sellers/dealers trying to jump on the bandwagon.

There are a couple of buyers willing to pay silly money that end up in a bidding war and drive prices up to ridiculous levels. This has a knock on effect with other sellers expecting to get similar high prices.

I always have my own 'limit' , the last two items I got for a reasonable price because I was the only bidder . But I also missed out on a couple because it was obvious that some other bidders had set a high maximum bid and I wasn't willing to 'try' and outbid them.

PS. I normally do a bit of research to find the 'average' prices and to see what dealer sites are charging.

.
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Old 21-07-21, 10:14 AM
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Hi Mike

The lot that I think you are referring to appeared to be from one collection (often photos are taken on the same background). I just didn't bother this time round as there wasn't much point....

I think we've all seen this "go one better" affair and I guess the new owner must really be committed to collecting this type of item. Most unlikely that they will ever be able to resell at even a fraction of what they've paid.

For me, it's the history of the piece and what you can learn about it through areas such as the Forum.

You, and others, have passed on info that I could never have found out by myself and for that I sincerely thank you.
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  #7  
Old 21-07-21, 10:45 AM
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Talking about "silly money" , here is an item that fits your areas of collecting - RBL and ANZAC .

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/324539795...QAAOSwvEJga5YB

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  #8  
Old 21-07-21, 12:20 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dumdum View Post
Hi Mike

The lot that I think you are referring to appeared to be from one collection (often photos are taken on the same background). I just didn't bother this time round as there wasn't much point....

I think we've all seen this "go one better" affair and I guess the new owner must really be committed to collecting this type of item. Most unlikely that they will ever be able to resell at even a fraction of what they've paid.

For me, it's the history of the piece and what you can learn about it through areas such as the Forum.

You, and others, have passed on info that I could never have found out by myself and for that I sincerely thank you.
I wholeheartedly agree with your statement when you refer to learning about a badge and it’s history. By doing such research, one gains a huge amount of respect for the munition and factory/ shipyard etc workers who not only had a hazardous job but also suffered ill health because of the noxious fumes that they were forced to endure on a daily basis. Unsung heroes in my opinion and the badge reminds me of the contribution they made to the war effort. My favourite OWS badge is beaten, chipped, scratched, discoloured ……but it proudly shouts its history and I would not part with it for all the money in the world.
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  #9  
Old 21-07-21, 04:40 PM
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If you think that's crazy, see the price of WW2 Home Front helmets: a couple of years back, they struggled to get over £75 - now people are asking for £250, £300, £400 for them.

But once one idiot pays that for an item, that seems to become the going rate.

Indeed, it's pretty much the same across all militaria: I suspect a mixture of lockdownitis, greedy sellers and buyers willing to chuck any amount of money.

Add to this toxic mix more fakes and fakers than I can remember, plus ebay, despite users reporting, not bothering to do anything about blatant illegality (because they get a cut of the sale price), then you have the perfect storm.

There has also been suggestions of when sellers hide the bidder identities (private bidders) that shill bidding is boosting the final sale price.

Astonishingly, to add to the bonkersness, many bidders are clearly bidding on these fakes without even doing their research.

As my old dad used to say, 'Any fool can spend money...'

Last edited by ARPCDHG; 21-07-21 at 04:46 PM.
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  #10  
Old 21-07-21, 11:17 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Charliedog012012 View Post
I wholeheartedly agree with your statement when you refer to learning about a badge and it’s history. By doing such research, one gains a huge amount of respect for the munition and factory/ shipyard etc workers who not only had a hazardous job but also suffered ill health because of the noxious fumes that they were forced to endure on a daily basis. Unsung heroes in my opinion and the badge reminds me of the contribution they made to the war effort. My favourite OWS badge is beaten, chipped, scratched, discoloured ……but it proudly shouts its history and I would not part with it for all the money in the world.
Hi James

Absolutely! It's such a shame that we can't "unmask" some of these unsung heroes of the industrial past. I have a Turner Bros badge and their main claim to fame was that ubiquitous product of a bygone era....asbestos.

I spent 3 months in a factory that blatantly flouted H & S and these days I'd probably happily "shop" them but I was young and stupid.

I've just cast an eye over some of my OWS badges (I've posted just a few photos) and hate to think what they might be worth to some of these moneyed chumps.

Anyway, I like them and I'm keeping them!
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  #11  
Old 21-07-21, 11:19 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mike_vee View Post
Talking about "silly money" , here is an item that fits your areas of collecting - RBL and ANZAC .

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/324539795...QAAOSwvEJga5YB

.
As we used to say in simpler times "Good grief, Charlie Brown..."

Nah, I've spent my budget AND you don't get any biscuits with it!
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