VC-90 grouping on eB*y

[Matt-M]

I am wholly against breaking apart groupings, and just wanted to say that in my opinion, continuing to bid on individual lots as rivals, will encourage other sellers to break up groupings that have stayed together for years. As for me, I will not be bidding further on any of the lots. I would so much rather see one person acquire all of the lots and preserve the grouping intact. Hopefully, lower closing prices will discourage others from doing the same. My .02. and would ask that others consider taking the same course of action.

[Wake1941]

It would help to show what youre talking about, at least an item number

[CNY Militaria]

Please post photos, descriptions, and/or item numbers so that this topic is more relevant for discussion as well as preserved for the future when the auctions are gone.

[KASTAUFFER]

Here is one of the lots:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ORIGINAL-WWII-US-NAVY-BOXED-DISTINGUISHED-FLYING-CROSS-MEDAL-USN-VC-90-SQUADRON/372680352426?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055359.m1431.l2649

 

I would have to say it is revolting the way this was split up. I am not going to bid on this lot to try and keep it together.

[Blacksmith]

Generally, there are enough topics over the years on USMF about splitting groups - is it good / bad? - that I will not stoke those coals. What I will say, is we as a collector community own a large piece of that, and there is no putting the genie back in the bottle.

 

Specific to the group under review, while well-intentioned, you not bidding has realistically no effect on outcome. This is roughly analogous to the Prisoners Dilemma; except there are now millions of prisoners, not just two. You would have to get every prisoner to be silent for a reduced sentence to be had.

 

Bottom line, I respect the individual decision to not participate; but it wont change the result. That is the rigors of groups like this getting to market.

 

I will add, that using words like revolting is through a collector lens. A dealer might call trying to sell it as one lot - and minimizing selling price - idiotic. It comes down to what your motivation is.

[JDK]

Here is one of the lots:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ORIGINAL-WWII-US-NAVY-BOXED-DISTINGUISHED-FLYING-CROSS-MEDAL-USN-VC-90-SQUADRON/372680352426?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055359.m1431.l2649

 

I would have to say it is revolting the way this was split up. I am not going to bid on this lot to try and keep it together.

Yep..I stopped bidding on split groups years ago. I particularly dont like it when I see premium photo albums pulled apart and individual photos sold from it. To each their own I guess.

 

JD

[KASTAUFFER]

From an economic point of view , it depends on the type of group. Splitting up medals can have the opposite effect. Ive seen groups go for less because they have been split up. Once the first medal is sold, everyone else bails out on bidding because they know they cant keep the group together. That same mentality can happen with the other groups too. Once the first key item is sold, everyone else bails because they know they cant keep a group together. This could be spun a number of different ways. On this particular group Im choosing not to bid just because its not worth trying to keep it together due to the number of lots and the frustration of seeing it broken up the way it was. If by not bidding, and not becoming the second highest bidder or the highest bidder on any lots then Im speaking with my pocketbook and making a difference to the outcome,

I specifically chose the word "revolting" because this person regularly sells and understands militaria and knows exactly what theyre doing. Ive bought quality items from them before. This wont stop me from bidding on other items they sell, just not this group.

 

I think this group would have sold for @ $2000 as a group. Lets see how its does split up.

Kurt

[TheMariner]

We have touched on this many many times here on the forum. The topic of breaking up groups is basically going down the rabbit hole. After paying very heavily to save a couple groups and still missing certain piece I came to the realization that for large groups breaking them up is the only option such as trunk groupings etc. One of the best idea's someone posted on the subject was when breaking it group if you feel you must do it the best plan of action is to sell each part of the group to people who collect that sector, this allows the veterans service to be enjoyed by multiple parties while still keeping together medals/ uniforms/ gear pieces/ documents etc. Sadly some very greedy collectors will split every single piece including unnamed medals, random patches and insignia, these pieces will most likely will lose there attribution forever which I find sad. I dont know about the group in question but a lot of the big ebay dealers can be very shady about breaking up groups, adding too groups or doing unsuspecting work this is how they make their money!

[Blacksmith]

Kurt - that is a great point on medal groups, and one I had not thought of. Interesting dynamic.

 

 

From an economic point of view , it depends on the type of group. Splitting up medals can have the opposite effect. Ive seen groups go for less because they have been split up. Once the first medal is sold, everyone else bails out on bidding because they know they cant keep the group together. That same mentality can happen with the other groups too. Once the first key item is sold, everyone else bails because they know they cant keep a group together. This could be spun a number of different ways. On this particular group Im choosing not to bid just because its not worth trying to keep it together due to the number of lots and the frustration of seeing it broken up the way it was. If by not bidding, and not becoming the second highest bidder or the highest bidder on any lots then Im speaking with my pocketbook and making a difference to the outcome,

 

I specifically chose the word "revolting" because this person regularly sells and understands militaria and knows exactly what theyre doing. Ive bought quality items from them before. This wont stop me from bidding on other items they sell, just not this group.

 

I think this group would have sold for @ $2000 as a group. Lets see how its does split up.

 

Kurt

[MAW]

BTW, this seller has been discussed before....he sold a bushmaster officer group recently.... Suspicions were that most of it was good but perhaps enhanced...and he split off the coolest hat with regimental pin, which brought big bucks.

[KASTAUFFER]

My math isnt too far off. I predicted the group would sell for @$2000. it went for 2300.

 

The poor guy who bought the DFC and AM paid over $700 for the pair and subsequently got outbid on every other lot he bid on to try and keep the core of the group together.

 

The Flight log went for a reasonable price. He didnt win it though.

 

The rest was busted up to the high winds. I don't think the seller got the "big bucks" he was looking to make splitting it up. I think someone would have bought it as a group in the same price range.

 

Kurt

[dustin]

Who here got any of the lots?

[jerry_k]

Another great Navy grouping gone Thanks Matt for your point of view...

 

Grouping was split but for good luck on small groups of items. Still better than last VBF-1 grouping from abramsantiques which split 30 or 40 items one by one to make better profit. This seller is sponsor of this forum (if Im correct) what is totally ridiculous for me...

 

Regards,

Jerry

[manayunkman]

The seller has not broken the law.

[Matt-M]

I'm happy to see that this topic invokes opinions on all sides, as it helps keep ones intentions of how they approach this hobby in perspective. Again, I for one, collect history for the sake of preserving what the serviceman /servicewoman felt important to them. To keep their experiences of their service alive by keeping intact, what they kept intact. Will it hurt to sell and extra flight helmet from the group? An extra class A that's un named? IMHO, no, but seeing groupings that are so complete such as the one I mentioned to start this thread, get it's core pieces separated, is truly sad for me. Together and preserved for 65+ years, now dispersed. Their story now diminished by breaking it up into pieces. Their sacrifice now more obscure. Their moment in time once clear, now blurred. Should anyone hear of a grouping being broken up in hopes that it will bring more money, I ask that they reach out to collectors such as myself and others like me, first. I would have happily paid 2k for this grouping and with shipping, would have paid 2200. After fees, the hassle of packaging several lots,waiting on stragglers to pay, waiting for feedback, etc., the seller would have actually come out ahead by selling it as a grouping. I will make it much easier. If it's in my wheelhouse, I would be honored to preserve what I can. Thanks for reading and participating.

Cheers! It's 5 o'clock somewhere.

Matt

[Matt-M]

Also, something to keep in mind. We live in a digital age now. I encourage all to make hardcopies of any research they have gleaned. Remember the BetaMax ? Your VCR ? My point being that a hardcopy will never crash, get corrupted and hence unreadable, be ina format that can only be retrieved from a piece of obsolescent hardware. With history in a digital format being so easily rewritten, we as a community should be the vanguard of preserving the true events as they happened. Good, bad and ugly included. History repeats itself when its forgotten. Evil pevails when good men do nothing.

Cheers!