WWII german helmets

[General Patton]

Hello everybody, there is something I have always wondered about, where can I find and inexpensive stahlhelm/ww2 german helmet that is guaranteed to be authentic? I've wanted one since my collection started a year ago. Im only 16 so im working with low funds however my biggest concern is buying an expensive helmet and finding out its a fake. So is there a place I can buy an inexpensive authentic ww2 german helmet? thanks for looking

[Inf Div 121]

Look on eBay for relic helmets.

Regards,
Andris

[davejb]

It really depends on what you want in a german helmet, ie, one with just the shell, or one with a liner or one with a decal if you want the whole thing then im afraid you will be paying a substancial amount, this also depends on condition, a battle weary helmet with say a rough liner and very little decal would still set you back about £250-300, but one without decal or liner with reasonable paint remaining £100-120, you never can tell, you can get lucky and end up with a very good helmet from say a estate sale or a vets family who just want rid of it and at low cost, the best thing to do is start to learn about the types of helmets there are and how to tell the difference from fake and real, this will help you in deciding what you expect to pay, militaria fairs , go to as many as you can and handle as many real ones as you can , but dont just rush in and buy the first one you see unless you know for sure that its the real deal and at a good price, be wary of E-bay , a lot of fakes are passing through their hands, but you can get the odd good deal, good luck with your collecting, cheers Dave

[ObKrieger]

Send me a P.M., I will help you find an authentic helmet for a good price.

[DougB]

The words "inexpensive" and "authentic" typically do not belong in the same sentence with German helmets unless you also include the word "condition". Condition will drive price up or down. So set a budget and know what you want and be patient. New collectors looking for the cheap, real shell and are impatient are the ones who will pay the price when they go to sell and find out their entire collection is fake. Sadly I have seen it happen all too often where 90% of a collection is bad.

It is great to see young people get into the hobby however so dont be discouraged, knowledge is power so learn all you can. If you can save $500 (isnt your generation flush with disposable income, that is what the marketing departments on 5th Ave in NYC always say...) you can get a nice starter no decal helmet in nice condition and move up from there.

Get as many real ones in your hands to study as you can and get the bibles and study.

Finally post anything you want to buy before you lay the cash down or have a 100% money back guarantee.

ww2germanhelmets.com is a great place to start as is germanwarhelmets.com both are good honest guys and prices are usually really reasonable.