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PT-109 Purple Heart grouping with John Kennedy letter


Bob Hudson
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http://www.rrauction.com/John-F-Kennedy-PT-109-Letters.html

 

 

This grouping is being auctioned this month:

 

"Amazing archive of material, highlighted by four letters by John F. Kennedy, from the family of Harold W. Marney, one of two crew members killed when the PT-109 commanded by JFK was sunk by a Japanese destroyer. In addition to these letters are the Purple Heart medal posthumously awarded to Harold W. Marney, the telegram sent to the family informing them of his loss, a few photos, and various related correspondence. "

 

I read elsewhere that it is being sold by the nephew of the KIA sailor. Just yesterday I was explaining to someone how a lot of medals that come to market come from nephews and nieces of WWII servicemen who had no children when they were killed in action. Their medals were sent to their mothers and fathers and then often handed down to a sibling, who then left them to their children, and in some cases they've been handed down to great-nephews/nieces. We are now at a point where baby booomers and the children of baby boomers are in possession of medals and other artifacts that were posthumously awarded 70 years ago to people they never knew and have no personal connection to.

 

Some of us wonder how a "family" could ever get rid of such things, but honestly, a lot of people feel no familial connection to ancestors who are not even in their direct line: a great grandfather is one thing, a great-uncle is quite another.

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Im speechless. This is one of the most historically significant Purple Heart groups I have ever seen. The WWII letters individually on the autograph market are probably 10K+ each. I am afraid someone will buy the group and sell off the JFK letters separately to make money.

 

Kurt

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Wowser! Really neat to see it. I'm sure that will bring out some big guns! It's also got the crossover effect involved. The high end presidential collectors and the high end medal collectors will have to fight it out.

 

JD

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Bob,

 

In those situations, I believe it is almost better that a community of collectors preserve the medals, instead of having them lost in a basement and damaged by neglect.

 

S

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This is the kind of thing that will attract bidders who've never even considered buying millitaria or presidential collectibles. This may be the only chance ever to bid on artifacts related to perhaps the most iconic moment of arguably the most iconic US president of the 20th century: something from JFK related to PT-109. The Purple Heart, sadly, is almost a side note in this auction.

 

One pre-auction estimate is US $40-50 thousand, but that seems low to me: I can't recall when any JFK PT-109 artifact has come up for public auction.

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I just recalled the auction for JFK's G1 flight jacket in early 2013. That had a $20-40 thousand estimate and sold for over $600 thousand!

 

post-2-0-50506500-1361198211.jpg

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I am afraid someone will buy the group and sell off the JFK letters separately to make money.

 

 

We mere militaria collectors who see the Purple Heart as the centerpiece wouldn't be able to even come close in the bidding for this and the final price will be such that it'd be hard to make money by breaking it up.

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We mere militaria collectors who see the Purple Heart as the centerpiece wouldn't be able to even come close in the bidding for this and the final price will be such that it'd be hard to make money by breaking it up.

If it happens I think it would be an autograph dealer or collector who would sell the medal and documents, rather than a Militaria collector keeping the medal and selling the letters.

 

That happened on a group I own to one of Ike's aides who became a POW in North Africa. The autograph dealer kept all the IKE letters, and sold off the POW material and POW letters. I now own the POW items, but he did leave 1 Ike signed photo in the group that I have.

 

Kurt

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I grew up a few miles from the house Marney's parents lived in. I always had this fantasy that I would someday come across these items at a yard sale. Oh well, so much for that dream.

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I could buy this, I just have to sell everything else in my collection, my three dogs, one car, and a kidney(I've got two). :)

Seriously, this really is a rare grouping that passes across so many interest types that it will go big and I have to agree with Bob, it'll easily go over $50K. The shame is that the sacrifice of Harold Marney might get lost in all the hoopla.

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The shame is that the sacrifice of Harold Marney might get lost in all the hoopla.

 

I do see that his name is in the first sentence of the press release, but it is easy to get lost in JFK's shadow.

 

I did a Google search to see that other auctions have had PT 109 artifacts and what I found was a model of the PT 109, obviously built long after the war, but owned by Kennedy. There was also a copy of the book signed by JFK (that sold for about $4,600).

 

But this pending auction seems to be the first ever auction of war-time artifacts from the PT 109 saga, with the letters and Purple Heart. Because JFK was Marnet's CO, I would think the letters could be considered official wartime documents. Certainly, they are in a class by themselves compared to anything JFK may have written about PT 109 after the war. It certainly seems to me they should be worth at least as much as a flight jacket given to him in the 1960's.

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Now this grouping definitely fits the definition of "Priceless" ! The condition of the Purple Heart suggests that perhaps his mother might have worn it on a necklace. If advertised well it should bring a high 5 figure bid! Wonderful to see this sad but very historic group. R.I. P. Petty Officer Marney.

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Some of us wonder how a "family" could ever get rid of such things, but honestly, a lot of people feel no familial connection to ancestors who are not even in their direct line: a great grandfather is one thing, a great-uncle is quite another.

 

Yes, wonder and amazement. Your observation about the niece and nephew (and other non-lineal descendant) phenomenon of cashing in their nominal ancestor's tangible military legacy is undeniable. I also wonder if there were any nieces or nephews of this man who would have had sufficient familial pride to caretake these iconic items rather than just seeing them as a potential mid-6 figure "ROI." Investment is not the right word, since they were given the "stuff" by happenstance of birth. The ancestor they invariably never knew invested his life and lost it. Maybe the nephew's really hard up and had to sell this "high value asset" to make ends meet. Or maybe he just wants mo' money. Then it's wonder and amazement for some of us, but at the end of the day, to each his own. What's nice to see, is the phenomenon of the descendant, lineal or not, who wouldn't sell their family military heirloom for all tea in China, but instead shares it with others as we sometimes get the chance to see here.

 

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Now that's something you don't see every day. I hope it stays together. Any guesses on the hammer price?

 

The Purple Heart is missing the ribbon. May not even crack 500 bucks.

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The Purple Heart is missing the ribbon. May not even crack 500 bucks.

I think you are right Kurt. ..I called and offered them a ribbon and broach for $27,000.I am waiting for the response.

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So much for Zachariah Fike's (PurpleHeartsReuinited) constant speil about Purple Hearts only being lost or stolen, this is a prime example.

 

This group is extremely historic as others have already stated, and it will bring a good amount at auction. Truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire a grouping like this, the Purple Heart to a PT109 crewmember with documents and JFK letters. It would be great to have VERY deep pockets at this moment.

 

Will be interesting to watch how the auction ends.

 

Philip

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