Curses!

[jgawne]

Long ago I swore never to collect anything post 1975- then moved that back to 1945. But still military stuff ended up in the basement of doom and collectables.

 

So for some really weird reason I bought a small stash of DCU's from a guy here, and it made me start thinking about all the changes since the M56 gear. Which led to buying "just a few" nice minty items from the gulf, which eld to goign to a show and actually HAVING FUN there passing by allt he overpriced junk WW2 stuff and paying $4 for this mint pouch, $3 for this hat, $10 for this really cool item, (and .25 !!! for a patch I needed).

 

So now I guess I have to continue my collection of "type" items in both combat uniforms and generic standard webbing up to today. M67, LC-1 LC-2 MOLLE.... Which just made a lot of things more fun to me as I am not worrying about the $150 whoozit being humped up, or that painted helmet a fake.

 

Anyone know (or have) any "official" Army manuals on the Post 1980 webbing? I think I have one or two of a 1980's ish small book, but have no clue what they put out more recently.

 

I am indeed a sick, sick man.

[boyt44]

Guys collecting Iraq War stuff (and Afganistan,too) will sure have a lot of headaches deciding what is "correct". I think half the stuff my son had over there was private-purchase (more like Dad-purchase). If any of the guys he was with wanted something, they just got on the 'net and ordered it from US Cav or wherever.

 

 

I've been buying some of this "new" stuff as I see it,too.

[Nkomo]

Honestly, collecting more modern items can be quite fun. I walked away from the Show of Shows with some incredible items that cost a fraction of what WW2 or Vietnam items were selling for. I have talked to a lot of US collectors who are starting to buy DCU's and OEF/OIF items, so they can be on the "ground floor" so to speak.

 

Boyt44 is correct on his statement about a lot of private purchase items being used by the soldiers. It will be a headache in the future for collectors to sort out who used what or even if it was used during either war. That is why I'm buying things as a I see them now. :thumbsup:

Arch

[bond007a1]

Boys...you could NOT have said it any better. However OEF/OIF collecting is going to get crowded pretty quickly, Arch & I have been collecting this stuff for years already...and now we are seeing stuff drying up rapidly...and the prices are starting to climb...a perfect example is to look what DCU jackets & other "current" or "modern" militaria are selling for on this very forum...and compared to what they were...say...1 or 2 years ago.

 

It used to be next to impossible to sell a DCU jacket & get anything for it other than $6 or $7...and now people are asking $25 or more for them....So my advice is the same as you fine fellows...better grab em' quick because they are not going to be around forever...at least at the nice low price...

 

But of course, I am not buying to resell them...I am collecting them for the historical aspect of things...and to preserve the past. My grandfather is a perfect example of why I collect stuff...He finished WWII, came home and sometime or other threw out all of his uniforms & stuff....I was lucky to get several dog tags & ribbons & some Japanese items...I would have killed for his uniforms.

But since I cannot go back in time...I CAN however preserve the present & future...

 

Steven

[Mercenary25]

Haha same here. I vowed to only collect vietnam era but recently, I steered to OEF/OIF because of price wise. I buy bundle while I can before the prices go up so I won't regret it.

[gtpcamaroz]

It seems like stuff is already drying up. It has been next to impossible for me to find any DCU pattern coats with 10th mountain insignia on them. I currently own only one and have only seen less then a handful on my mainstream of places that I normally look.