I recently ( 2 days ago ) sold a medal group back to the family at my cost that I paid quite a bit for. If I hadn't saved this particular group from historical destruction, there actually would not have been a group left for the family to buy back.

 

They were quite grateful that I had saved it and evidently the side of the family buying it back is not the side that sold it. I was just glad someone in the family wanted to preserve their family heritage and I decided to sell it back. I would have been just as happy to keep it, and I do have groups I decided NOT to sell back to family members for reasons others have stated in this thread. I look at the circumstances and make a decision based on that. In just the past 3 months I have sold 2 medal groups back to families that I would have rather kept myself. Many times collectors do a better job of preserving history than families do, and I think about that. I also use the word "Many Times" not "Always". That goes both directions.

 

In each case, the family has found me based on posts I put on this forum honoring the veteran. Google is a powerful thing.

 

Kurt

I believe the vast majority of the members on here will do the right thing as far as trying to return items if asked. We have discussed this before under different variants, a great topic called "when the family comes knocking" had some great information about the dilemma faced when people contact collectors wanting to buy back their family heirlooms which were "sold, lost, stolen, given away", whichever the reason.. Some collectors have asked for more "proof" of family relations, a copy of a police report to prove theft and other solid proof before said item was returned, and really they are (collectors) under no obligation to return said items. It boils down to morally and ethically in the individuals conscience what is right..

 

I purchased a rather large collection several years ago from a General who had retired and moved in with a family member out of state. His wife and he were at Pearl Harbor during the attack and both served, he as a Doctor and she served in the Civil Defense. There was a very unique and quite rare set of insignia that the wife was given for her service in Hawaii.. Several years past and saw the insignia that I posted on the forum. She contacted me explaining who she was and what the circumstances were regarding the "hasty" estate sale where they did not have the opportunity to go through all the items in the house.

 

Well, long story short I did the right thing and returned the one artifact that they requested, and was reimbursed handsomely, something I did not ask for but they felt it was also their "right thing to do". I did learn a lot from the experience. I hesitated at first to return the item, thinking of the scam angle, but I talked to the family on the phone several times and for several hours and I was convinced and felt comfortable after parting with the artifact.

 

I also learned that from this I am cautious to what I post on line now since once it is out there, it can't be taken back. I enjoy sharing with other collectors and have collected for nearly 50 years but again learned that with the advent of the internet there are those who claim false ties to posted artifacts..

 

Some good thoughts on this have been presented, there are many of us who want to tell the stories of those who are no longer alive. We are the caretakers of history and artifacts from those who served. We have an obligation to continue to record and tell the history of those now passed. This is a different generation now and there are many, (not all) who have no interest in what happened 70, 100, or even 5 years ago to our Service members.

 

I take personal pride in the fact that I have been entrusted with many artifacts from families that say that I can honor their families treasures better than they can so many of the items I have were just given to me to preserve..

 

Leigh