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Where is the
best place to sell my German helmet? |
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People who are
not collectors but wish to sell their helmets can benefit from one
of the many online auctions that exist around the world.
However, some also choose to sell their helmets directly to
militaria or antique dealers who specialize in this kind of
material. A third choice would be to sell the helmet directly
to a collector. A request for an appraisal along with an offer
to purchase can be sent directly to the
webmaster.
Whatever the choice may be, you should be aware of a few aspects
regarding your approach. Most collectors consider online
auctions to be a "risky" place to buy helmets. The reason
being simply that most counterfeit helmets are sold through online
auctions. In addition, some online auctions forbid the sale of
any item associated with Nazi Germany. Selling to established
dealers is an excellent way of ensuring a sale, however dealers
offer less than market value in order to account for the required
mark-up necessary to resell your item to collectors. |
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I am not a
collector but want maximum or above market value for my helmet.
How do I do that? |
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In this case
your best bet is to offer the helmet through an online auction in
the hopes of getting enough people to bid on your helmet to lose
sight of their own sense of market value. This assumes of
course that the auction service has enough buyer traffic to ensure a
reasonable number of bids to drive your helmet above the normal
amount typically paid for such an item. In reality, its best
not to expect full market value if you are not a collector.
The reason being that most collectors are looking for below market
deals. Others are of course looking to rob a person blind by
offering such ridiculously low prices that they hope to take
advantage of a person's lack of knowledge. Overall, do not
expect to get top dollar unless you are very well connected into the
market and the hobby. Getting 60% to 80% of true market value
is a reasonable assumption going into your sale. |
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What do
collectors want to see when I sell my helmet? |
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To make wise
purchasing decisions collectors demand high quality photographs of
your helmet. This includes all of the related components
including the interior, chinstrap, and insignia. |
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Should I
offer a refund privilege? |
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Most helmet
collectors demand or expect a return refund in the event they feel
the helmet is a reproduction or fake. As a result, it is wise
to offer at least a three days inspection on any helmet sold. |
