Hoard thread

**MAP** · 06-11-2016, 04:41 AM

by BOB COLEMAN

I forgot about the DAK caps. I never heard the story about the bee hive. Before that stash was found in the mid 60's, the caps were fairly rare and selling in the $35 range. There were so many of them that flooded the market, they could be found at every gun show at $15. With all of the caps that hit the market, that had to be a gigantic bee hive. My thought is that is folk lore as all of the caps were like new.

LoL....Yes it must have been a HUGE beehive. Have read it on this forum a few times.

Might be old folklore but here are a number of "references" to this hoard. Apparently found in the '70's

https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/cap-a...riginal-62532/

https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/cloth...inions-130550/

Tropical sidecap by Brandt, 1942

**MAP** · 06-11-2016, 04:43 AM

[QUOTE=Glenn66;1637796]My sidecap was allegedly from the 'beehive hoard'. Typical small size and unissued condition. If the story is true, some Italian farmer found (or looted) a warehouse at the end of the war and used bundles of caps to insulate the walls of his hives. I have never seen photographic evidence of this 'find'.

[QUOTE]

I think I have one as well.

**Friedrich-Berthold** · 06-11-2016, 05:48 AM

by BOB COLEMAN

In the 1960's, a huge hoard of Luftwaffe M43 caps was found in the Netherlands along with a large amount of paratrooper bandoleers in gray, tan and camo. There was also a large number of Luftwaffe other ranks flight tunics with various branch colored blank collar tabs attached. Sorry no pictures but the market was flooded for years with these items. They have now all been absorbed in to collections.

I well remember these caps and the flight blouses, which did not have all the rank wings to them.
They were everywhere, and cost USD 25. The Lw M-43 were like sand on the beach. This was ca. 1969-70.