Good place to buy Soviet Headgear/Helmets?

[Dimitri]

Hello!

I'm new to the forums, and I hope this is the right place to post this. I'm a Russian currently living in the USA, and have started a year or two ago collecting war memorabilia and already have a pretty sizeable collection (mostly ww2). I have a large amount of Russian items I had picked up while visiting home, but I have yet to find a good place to buy items from the second world war. I have bought most of my items in real life, or from militaryantiquesmusuem.com. I'm familiar with multiple websites already, yet I haven't found any that aren't extremely overpriced (for example back in Moscow you could buy Soviet ww2 pilotka for only 50 dollars, yet cheapest I found was 300 dollars). I hope someone could help me out, and I look forward to being a part of the community!

Thanks,
Dimitri

[Composite]

This isn't going to help you directly but have you thought about financing your hobby by trading stuff you buy when you go "home". When I've traveled to Moscow I've been worried about customs confiscations....when I (used to) buy from Russia I fretted about "missing in the post" and the MASSIVE postal costs......and I ALWAYS worry whether what I'm buying is genuine (even though there are probably THOUSANDS sitting in storage).....if I could buy for $50 and sell for $300 I know what would be in my newly-bought second suitcase... :-)

[Dimitri]

I have already done similar things in the past selling certain items for profit but the problem is I usually buy stuff I personally like, meaning I don't buy stuff for pure profit. I suppose I just never have space in a spare bag after seeing something I like! But yes that is a technique that is very commonly used, especially if you go to Berlin I have seen multiple people doing that. Buying items in Russia and marking them up to sell in Berlin.

[PapaStalin1943]

This isn't going to help you directly but have you thought about financing your hobby by trading stuff you buy when you go "home". When I've traveled to Moscow I've been worried about customs confiscations

Hi- I am a bit confused, so how did you send the medals out of Russia without them being confiscated? I am trying to get my great grand uncles medals out of russianto keep in the family, but I do not know how to send it to the US (where I live- I am just visiting Russia) without it getting confiscated, since it is illegal to export medals and orders out of Russia. Thanks.

[Composite]

I’ve only ever bought “Tourist Militaria” (soft, non-metallic stuff) in Moscow...and even then worried about getting it through customs....this is probably simply a matter of paranoia.....I don’t speak the language, can’t read the alphabet....and as such feel exposed...and I assume everything is searched in detail...and that stuff shouldn’t be in the case will either result in arrest or theft......all because I simply don’t know - it’s ignorance.

.....but helmets can’t really be hidden in the dirty laundry bag in a suitcase...and would defo show up on any type of X-ray. I wish I knew how the Russian Helmets I’ve seen have made their way out of the country.....but I guess that’s been someone else’s problem....

My thought process is that someone from the country OR a regular visitor would be more familiar with / aware of what ACTUALLY happens at Customs or in the Postal System.....

I’m sorry but I can’t help you re the medals

[magnetom]

eBay is a good start but one must be very careful to confirm what they are buying is authentic or not, i've had pretty good luck with my purchases and authenticity, plus you can sometimes make counter offers.

[RichieC]

Tread carefully and ask any and all questions BEFORE you commit to buy.

There are a good number of knowledgeable English-speaking Soviet collectors on this forum.

[PapaStalin1943]

A good eBay seller to buy from is 79Grunn. I believe he also runs the website sovietorders.com if I’m not mistaken.

[Egorka]

Hi- I am a bit confused, so how did you send the medals out of Russia without them being confiscated? I am trying to get my great grand uncles medals out of russianto keep in the family, but I do not know how to send it to the US (where I live- I am just visiting Russia) without it getting confiscated, since it is illegal to export medals and orders out of Russia. Thanks.

As I remember it is NOT illegal to take your family items out of the country. You might need to. E ablento prove you are related though.
Otherwise there is a legal way to get a permission. That is what my father did for my grandparents awards. So it is doable.

[PapaStalin1943]

Would I just have to prove it if they open up my luggage when I were to leave the country, and let’s say they question me? Or when?

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Would I just have to prove it if they open up my luggage when I were to leave the country, and let’s say they question me? Or when?