A collector’s journal
Notes on medals, militaria, and the things that turn up in estates
I have spent decades around old collections, the kind that come out of attics and footlockers when a family is cleaning up after a loved one. This is where I write down what I have learned about identifying, caring for, and valuing those finds. No store here, nothing for sale. Just one collector sharing the work.
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01
Spotting reproductions: a beginner’s eye for fakes
Every field worth collecting draws fakes, because fakes follow money. You do not need to be an expert to avoid most of them.
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02
Collectible edged tools and knives for the new collector
Knives are a friendly place to start. Small, everywhere in estates, and a good one does not cost a fortune.
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03
Caring for inherited service medals and insignia
The fastest way to cut the value of a medal in half is to polish it. Here is how to care for what you inherited.
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04
How to identify and value military medals from an estate
Most medals I see did not come from a collector. They came from a family clearing out a house. Here is how to read what you found.
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05
Dating old photographs: paper, mounts, and clues
A shoebox of photos with no names on the back is a puzzle. The picture itself usually tells you more than you think.
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06
Storing and displaying a collection so it lasts
A collection is a loan from the past that you pass to the future. The rules for keeping it safe are simple and cheap.
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07
Trench art: what soldiers made and what it is worth today
An engraved shell casing on the mantel is easy to walk past. Some of these pieces are worth real money.
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08
What usually turns up in a veteran’s estate
The family points at a closet and says they have no idea what any of it is. That is normal. Here is what tends to be in there.
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09
Reading the hallmarks on antique silver flatware
Those tiny stamped marks on the back of a spoon are a code. Once you can read them you know what you are holding.