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Is This Really a $305 DI?


KASTAUFFER
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This closed on EBay last week. I am very familiar with the history of the 200th CA. My Uncle was in the unit and was a POW.

 

My question is, what makes this a $305 DI?

 

Kurt

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/US-Army-200th-Coast-Artillery-Bataan-DI-DUI-CREST-PB-Dondero-x0036-/202482667373?nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2349624.m43663.l10137#vi__app-cvip-panel

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Wow, yes that is pricy and I don't know for sure if that particular DUI is that scarce/valuable. Looking at the bidding history, there were 4 bidders involved from the $100 point onward with 3 of them in a bidding war to the final hammer. I suspect the seller was very delighted with the auction outcome!

 

Tom

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The Dondero hallmark generated the price. Makes it a nice pre-WW2 example - that's what would have been in use in 1941.

 

Is that true of Dondero hallmarked pieces in general or this particular piece?

 

Tom

 

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Is that true of Dondero hallmarked pieces in general or this particular piece?

 

Tom

 

 

Just this DI with that hallmark. There are many pin back Dondero-made DI's worth just a few bucks.

 

Not that this DI is really worth $305, but it is one not commonly found for a "cool unit" and apparently 2 collectors really wanted it. DI values are fickle on Ebay. If you're the first guy to list a scarce one, the price could go nuts. But once the two crazy (price is no object) collectors get what they want, subsequent offerings of the same item may sell for much less.

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Having lived on Point Loma in San Diego before I joined the Army I would like to make this observation. Coastal Artillery units have many small museums and housing prices on the coast are usually pretty high...meaning the locals can have a nice wallet. This means that I have seen some CA DIs fetch some pretty good coin by docents/tour guides that add them to their jacket or either the exhibit. Just my little thought.

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Thanks Ken, these are actually not my uncles medals. I have his uniform and prisoner of war mail. These medals actually belonged to a Native American from New Mexico who was in the same unit and captured as well.

 

My Uncle was captured after the fall of Bataan in 1942 and was liberated in Feb 1945.

 

Kurt

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Just this DI with that hallmark. There are many pin back Dondero-made DI's worth just a few bucks.

 

Not that this DI is really worth $305, but it is one not commonly found for a "cool unit" and apparently 2 collectors really wanted it. DI values are fickle on Ebay. If you're the first guy to list a scarce one, the price could go nuts. But once the two crazy (price is no object) collectors get what they want, subsequent offerings of the same item may sell for much less.

 

Thanks, that completely makes sense to me now.

 

Tom

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

 

Just this DI with that hallmark. There are many pin back Dondero-made DI's worth just a few bucks.

 

Not that this DI is really worth $305, but it is one not commonly found for a "cool unit" and apparently 2 collectors really wanted it. DI values are fickle on Ebay. If you're the first guy to list a scarce one, the price could go nuts. But once the two crazy (price is no object) collectors get what they want, subsequent offerings of the same item may sell for much less.

 

 

To illustrate my point: here just a couple of weeks later, a screwback Dondero example is listed and it brings just $80.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/US-Army-200th-Coast-Artillery-Bataan-DI-DUI-CREST-SB-Dondero-x0036-/202493400830?hash=item2f258c16fe%3Ag%3Aa%7E8AAOSw48Vb4Kzs&nma=true&si=xmPnvlQEUrw8Hgekqx16s%252BJe%252FMk%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

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