Militaria

History in your Hands

Militaria is history. It’s the collection of original items, or replicas, from military services such as the Army, Navy and Air Force, but also sometimes the Police. And if you know the how and the when and the why of the items you know more about the history of the service and of the country.

Militaria is typically thought of as being the collection of firearms, knives, swords and other weapons but it includes all kinds of items from all aspects of the services. These include many antique items from long-gone days such as armour, headgear and banners, but also military orders, decorations, coins, artefacts and so on.

In fact, any items with an historical military past catch collectors’ eyes. Of particular interest and value are patches or badges and there is an entire sub-set of militaria devoted to these fascinating items.

Other items coins, awards, insignia, clothing, uniforms, military sculpture, and items of equipment. People also collect prints, photographs, magazines and posters.

Short History

Perhaps because the United States has such a relatively short history (taken from the landing of Columbus in 1492), many Americans enjoy learning about the history of their country!

However, many also enjoy the history of the UK and Europe from where many of their ancestors came, and those areas have a much longer history and, therefore, a much greater range of militaria. But acquiring such militaria can be expensive because the older an item is, the rarer it usually is and, of course, it must be shipped to the USA.

On the USS Angel site, therefore, we concentrate on American Militaria and you will find thousands of items on these pages listed according to date.

Militaria Money

As with all collectibles, militaria can be worth a great deal of money. You do need to know what you’re looking for and be able to appraise it.

Most people begin their involvement with militaria from an interest in the services and their history and this can develop into a business but if you’re just starting out, there are hundreds of fascinating items you can buy for a few dollars. It’s not necessary to dive into the rarer and more expensive items right away.

Fakes and Replicas

If you do decide to look at the more costly items, you do need to be aware of possible fake items. Whenever money’s concerned, low-lifes and conmen will be looking for an opportunity. So it’s important that you deal with reputable sellers, especially when you’re starting out.

Don’t confuse fakes with replicas which are perfectly legitimate militaria, as long as they are sold as such. Replicas give you the opportunity to study rare items which would otherwise be prohibitively expensive or which might not exist in their entirety at all.

History Lessons

While many militaria collectors may not think that they are ‘learning history’ while pursuing their hobby, that is an inevitable side-effect. It can be used to good purpose, too, to encourage youngsters to take an interest in history and their country.

Militaria can be many things to many different people but it’s a fascinating, educational and worthy pastime for them all.