Please help - opportunity to purchase heer & luft helmets

[48stars]

I hear people saying 250 - 300 or 400 for one of the helmets and as much for the other... Where have you found SD helmets of the LW and the Heers for these prices? The helmets are good, the paint is good and the decals are good... So the price will not be that low! I've never encountered a helmet like these on such a price, not even in the classifieds area!

As MG42 has said -

"Also getting numerous items in and out over time increases your knowledge of the items themselves and allows you to have owned and handled more historic artefacts"

I poke around the local flea market in Las Vegas every day it's open, I check the local Craigslist ads hourly some times, hand my card to every guy wearing a veterans cap, the results are this over the years.

1918 mint Luger for 600- sold for 2200-
K98 for 200- sold for 2700-
M1 Carbine for 200- sold for 900-
Double decal Army Helmet trade for a messed with blued M1 Carbine with refinished stock
Two occasions M42 camouflage D Day style, one for 40- the other for 90- but got screwed on those by a dealer because I didn't know any better.
Another Luger with holster and tool for 300- sold for 1000-
A2 Flight Jacket for 40- and traded for about 1000- in squadron Patches
03 Springfield for 200- and sold for 3500-
I even walked away from a Sten Gun one day because I didn't want to spend any time in prison

I could go on for a while but these are just some of the cherries. I could have paid more for some but in most cases I'm just paying the asking price of your everyday Joe. But if I were to spend all day searching for two helmets like in this thread, I simply would not find them today at such a bargain. I tap into every resource available to me and have been doing it this way for 30 years and through 3 different States. I'm about to move on again to Arizona where there's a bunch of swap meets in every direction, about 15 antique stores in town, and the first thing a guy told me when I visited the town was that "There's lots of old timers transplanting here from California". He said it as if it was a bad thing but we all know what "old timers have out in the garage don't we?

I developed a fairly well rounded knowledge of everything and it allows for a pretty consistent buying routine, at least once a week I'm doubling my money at the very least. Of course it does go the other way occasionally but rarely. In about two hours from now I'll be going on a house call for several early Vietnam Navy Squadron Patches and an Aviators Kit bag. I also see from his photos what may be a VN Tropical Ruck Sack or just an every day Alice Pack, The Tropical Rucksack is worth 200- to 250- all day long and an Alice about 20- if you really want one. The guy is askin 80- for everything. So while some guys may know the ins and outs of any German helmet, I know enough about many items to be successful buying them or walking away.

[slados28]

Well, you're talking about speculating in buy low -- sell high, counting on people not knowing what they have. I have also been lucky at times with collectibles, part because I was there at the right time and part because I knew things that others did not or that I was willing to take chances that others were not --- this has led to me getting a return of 20-30 times the price paid. I'm sure most collectors have experienced things like this.
But, this was me collecting and selling only when I absolutely needed to, not something that I focused on doing. It also seems to me that the person here, the original poster, is interested in collecting and not necessarily making a profit and that's why people are saying there's no reason to go in with the dirt cheap offers as it might end up losing this collector something that he really wanted and that was actually offered at rather fair prices in the first place... I experienced this once myself where I was advised to go veeery low, so I did and it "cost" me a very nice untouched helmet and complete gasmask set --- I only found out later that the asking price was actually more than fair but I simply took the wrong advice out of ignorance ---

[rbminis]

So I look for other items at a bargain to trade of flip for profit helping fund my real interests, German Helmets being one of them. We all do that.

No we don't.
I have been collecting seriously since 1980 either in the edged weapons field or the TR and have yet to sell even 1 item from my collection.
I feel that the asking price for these two is reasonable, maybe a little on the high end, but getting them for a little less would be a bonus.
Ralph.

[48stars]

Wow! seems like I ruffled a few feathers here. FYI, I differentiated my own practices with those of a focused collector buying what he craves, and only recently was that apparent in this thread. Also, some of you may have the money to throw around and the other resources to own and care for these relics without much concern. I was simply replying to LizardKing and absolutely not contesting the very good and valid points made elsewhere in this thread. Also, FYI, I pay a fair price for just about anything considering the footwork I do and the time and aggravation I save some sellers. In this day and age, what random seller with a single item doesn't look on Ebay and quote the highest price they find, regardless of it being just an asking price with no sale? I actually use top dollar as a negotiating tactic because you have to be in the right position to ask for it. Then again, I could go buy a 1945 dated Entrenching tool for 200- today from a Craigslist dreamer. I don't take advantage of or focus on those who don't know what they have at all. I simply work very hard as an in-between managing military antiques and pass on a good deal to others as well. The cherries mentioned earlier are just that "cherries" Had no idea of the details on that 03 Springfield other than a 10 minute research before I went to pick it up, and the k98 as well. Some times you just get lucky, and believe me, some times it goes the other way. So kudos to you if you can cherry pick your items since 1980 and enjoy them, most collectors I know have to buy, sell, and trade many items of interest to keep moving forward. In 30 years I have found many AAF wings, patches, etc. that I still have to this day. In the past year, a set of wings and my first actual squadron patch ever out of the woodwork is about it. But if I was loaded, I could buy all day every day from dealers.

So please re-read and see how this thread has developed as opposed to criticizing my ways

I'd also like to add that I only have one real local competitor here in Vegas, he's the guy that would buy a named USMC historical grouping and split every last piece of it thinking to get every last nickle with out a shred or interest in the history or items, Dog Tags to China, Ribbons to Europe, I watch his Ebay and this IS the case. I on the other hand respect the grouping as a whole and preserve the history by offering a a grouping. The whole money thing is just smart buying methods and that's the beginning and end of that story. I could spend all of my time educating people who are asking too low a price or too high a price, but I would probably starve to death in the process while sitting on a pile of stuff I paid fair dealers prices for.

[rbminis]

Well, it would seem you have misread my post, and I do not see any ruffled feathers.
This is merely a discussion with not everybody agreeing on the value of a Luft. and Heer helmet.
I do not have the money to "throw around" either and I am concerned about every piece that I purchase.. I work everyday, sometimes overtime, in the trades industry. I am not rich nor do I have anything given to me. I have worked hard for everything I own. I have a mortgage like most here probably do as well.
I am just very selective concerning what I purchase for my collection. I wait for the right pieces, for the right prices, that is all. Pretty much when an item enters my collection, it usually stays there.
Probably some day I will have to sell it all, but until that day, it is mine.
I give free advice pretty well every day here on the forum, I am not starving to death.
Ralph.

[slados28]

The simple thing of it to begin with, at least for my part, was differentiating between giving advice based on ones experience in speculating in collectibles full time and a simple collector giving advice to a fellow collector that perhaps wants specific items that he has on hand but is concerned about paying a "FAIR" price --- a job is a job, you have to make money to earn your living, I don't see anyone questioning that but the nature of that game is naturally generating profit... collecting at its roots, to me, is not.

I don't see the need to derail this further so let's just wait for the OP to chime in with new photos or whatever progress he may have made... no ruffled feather on my part at least.

[Tank Destroyer]

Guys I think we as a whole are getting off topic. A price was giving by different members it is now between the seller and buyer. I am looking forward to see which is purchased. Marty

[Jerry B]

Prices are OK, but more than I would pay if I was looking for such as this, but probably about the money these, not a bargain but not OTT either. Is the thread starter buying them for his collection or to make money on them, a good enough price if the former, too high if the latter. I do both, pay top dollar if I must have it, less if I am not so bothered, I always try to pay less than going rate when I buy items, but I also always try to sell for less than the going rate when I do sell items, so the new owner will be happy they got a good deal.

Otherwise I think every thing that needs to be said on this has been said so, adios amigo's.