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Is it just me?

I think it's a stupid amount to pay for a real one as well - I wonder if somebody didn't read the description carefully? That would be a surprise!
 
Yes, it is insane. Yes it screws up the market for everyone that is sane. Yes, I'm going to start making replicas tomorrow.
 
At prices like that Im actually thinking about getting out of the whole hobby all together. Maybe keep one or two things and turn the rest to gold.
 
Boy, that is an item from inert products that is made in bulk for UXO training lanes at most major bases. These are the people that still sell the replica red devil grenades in their kits. The item is good for training joes but they could have bought the whole kit though inert products. Just remember it's cheaper for the DOD to use plastic training devices. There is nothing wrong with the items when used for there intended purpose.
 
In other words thousands of soldiers a year use these. They just need to know the basics of the items for id. The real items are just to heavy and cost to much money to let some 18 year old kid play opfor with. The items never intended to be sold to collectors. The ones you have to look out for are the people that try to push fakes as the real deal.
 
It is also worth remembering in situations like this that it wasnt just one person bidding - it takes two bidders to push the price so high!!!

I have seen modern replica kit, sold as such, sell for much more than original period kit - I dont get it either - takes all sorts I guess.
regards Kev
 
INSANE I TELL YAH TOTALLY INSANE!!!!!
Hell of a price to pay for a training aid
Yah I have couple of (inert) training aids (mines and sub mus and such)
I try and stay away from the cast resin and plastic stuff but I get it in box lots and stuff
If I don't have that particular piece I'll keep the plastic/resin copy until I find one or get tired of it.
Now a question.
Does Inert Products sell to the public.
I've been to their site and right on the home page it states
Our products are restricted to official use only and are NOT AVAILABLE to the general public
I sold them one of my 105MM M1 to use as a model for there molding process. Their plant is about 50 miles from me
in Scranton PA Home of the Chamberlain Manufacturing Corporation munitions plant now owned by General Dynamics
http://www10.mcadcafe.com/nbc/articles/view_article.php?articleid=286408
Well any way as it has been said in many a topic on bidding
It's worth what the collector or idiot is willing to pay.
I can't wait to see the market flooded with these once the troops return and the
kits start getting "relieved" of critical pieces or missing from training and end
up on the auction sites.
 
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ordman;[COLOR=#ffff00 said:
It's worth what the collector or idiot is willing to pay. [/COLOR]
Click to expand...

I would respectfully disagree, though after paying it they - and others - certainly seem to think so. This takes us back to Hazord's comments. Just because some idiot pays that amount does not make it worth it -
 
let me clarify

I ment it as" the collector thinks it's worth that to him /her"
(The collector determines the price)
Not meaning it's worth that price
It's like the $1000.00 M67 grenade that drove the market clean out of
site for reasonable price collectors
 
Yeah, I knew better. Just a pet peeve of mine. I had another guy last weekend lecturing me on what his junk 3.5-inch was worth because of one he had seen offered for on Gunbroker. Figured I was trying to rip him off because I didn't want it for $150.00. Sorry to drag you into it, we're on the same side.
 
Speaking of a 3.5 inch, what would you value one at?
I saw one at a gunshow last week, OD, old OD paint, yellow lettering on the tail stem, what looked like a ground area, not painted but blue in color and a button on a strap on that area. Some cut wires tucked up into the tail.
Just a guesstimate.
 
A 3.5-inch - a nice one, not like the piece of junk I was offered - is like so many other things, worth nothing. The demand is low, they are not historically significant. No matter what you pay you may not ever be able to get your money back, so pay what makes you happy. It has been some time since I've seen one available, so it's hard to say. $150-200 for one with HE markings might interest me, depending on the model and condition. But I buy a lot of stuff that nobody is interested in and I don't worry about re-selling. The one I was looking at last weekend was a fired and beat up practice, worth about scrap metal cost. I had a little interest in the fuze, but the rest would have hit the bin. I've been looking at some neat experimental variations of the 3.5 lately in photos, but even then, what is it worth? Nothing. Put it on Gunbroker you might get $500, next week $50.
 
If you're paying more than $150.00 for 3.5 your paying to much
I have and orginal ODHEAT in near mint condition and only gave $125.00
for it about 5 years ago .
In fact you used to be able to buy the blue practice rounds mint with
shipping tube for around $50.00 (I'm going back say 10 years ago)
Same with the M31 rifle grenades with tube you used to be able
to snag them for $39.00
I'd say ball park price on a 3.5 $100-150
Most the stuff I've seen on GB is over priced to start with.
Case in point
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=263726667 its a plastic projo
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=263727616
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=263939333 this one cracks me up!!!!! LOL
This salvage dude in NJ you see what he's trying to get for his stuff
It'll never sell I think the cheapest ordnance he has listed is like $350.00

Hey SUBs your forgiven I got the same peeve I deal with a couple of junk shop owners that do the same thing.
(Oh and their all experts because they been in the business for 50 years)
(Not puting down the junk shop guys as a whole I deal with a few that call me for and opinion
or know they got something I might like and give me a good price )
Pawn Star syndrome You ever watch that show
Some dude walks in with a piece thinking he'll get maybe $200 for it
The boss has one of his experts athenticate it
The expert says at auction or to a collector this is worth $10,000.00
and the boss guy ask what do you want for it? And he says $10,000
Yeah right
My two cents worth
 
Unfortunately I think we have an incurable problem. The uneducated collector can be impulsive, reckless, ignorant, dangerous and unpredictable. They buy impulsively with no knowledge of the going price for what they are buying, thus ruining the market and inspiring their counterpart greedy uneducated sellers to premium price their common junk. It is a vicious circle, as the stupid buyer sees high priced junk, thinks it is valuable, rare, collectable, and a good investment, and then buys it. The greedy seller is then encouraged to continue overpricing things, because he made a huge profit on the last piece of crap that he sold.

In the mean time, once the idiot buyer discovers that he got ripped off, then he wants to sell the same junk for what he paid for it. In the mean time he might "restore" it, stripping off all the original paint and markings, making it even more worthless. To aggravate the situation, there are a few of these "collectors" that only keep something for a year or two before they resell it, flipping it just like the real estate people that purposely buy and sell realestate just to make a profit, and sometimes manage to "restore" their pieces to junk. One example was a guy here in the states about 25 years ago that had a bunch of disposable money, that bought a number of German rounds from a very well know German collector. One round was a 12.8 cm FLaK round with 95% original paint, which he proceeded to repaint along with the other rounds. He lost interest after a few years, to start collecting miniature cannons, and sold off all of his "restored" German rounds. The original German collector was distraught when he found out that the idiot had ruined the appearance of the rounds that he had spent so much time and effort to accumulate in the beginning. So, is it the fault of the original collector, who failed to question the motives of the person who wanted to buy his collection? Did he have an obligation to only sell to someone that would preserve the rounds in their original condition or not? All of these things have an effect on prices.

A lot can be said for "For sale to a good home", "let the buyer beware", and "do your homework" If these lazy ignorant people would study and identify what they have, then they could sell it honestly for a fair price instead of expecting big dollars, because they saw a high price on something similar at another show or location.
 
Unless one has access to "official", filchable collections, one must deal on the open market. That option results in a rather limited inventory, leading to higher costs. I believe it's called Supply & Demand. Econ 101 stuff. It's a sellers market right now. Is that bad? Not if you're a seller.

EVERY piece I venture to buy is assessed as to its future resale value. That's the capitalist in me. I'm not a museum or charity. I PLAN to make money off this stuff. Some day. I get good deals. I pay too much, sometimes. Hopefully, it's a wash. A screwin' today will be a deal at some point in the future. If not, I can always go to the crafts fairs with some cool trenchart lamps and ashtrays to sell.

Disparaging folks for their asking or buying prices is, well, impolite. If you can't hack the price, stay on the porch. I wish my assemblage consisted entirely of NIB pieces, but I satisfy my urges with the lesser examples. Works for me. And I've ended up with a ton of stuff, no less impressive than the mint items I aspire to. At least to me. And that's what it's all about. Right?

Rick
 
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And part of this site is about asking for opinions. I don't give a flying frig if it's deemed impolite. This is a discussion.
Not everyone here is in this for a profit. A lot of us are in it for fun. I come here for the discussions, sometimes help and above all the comeraderie that this site offers.
I DO stay on the porch when the price is out of range or just plain stupid. That doesn't mean I can't say something about it, posting my opinion. Or is THAT not allowed now?
 
I do undrerstand where both of you are coming from, another odd factor is the area a item is being sold,I'm not sure if it is the same in the States but it is very much so in the UK.
I used to sell general militaria from three different locations and one thing I could always count on was to buy an item in Bournemouth on our south coast then take it 70-80 miles to Hungerford,double the price and it would always sell!
Nowadays I just sell on-line(SA) just so I can buy for my own collection,I tend to put a price on a item which I am happy to sell it for and if the bidding 'gets out of hand' then it is a bonus.
I can never understand why some things sell for the amount they do sometimes,my record so far was a auction from the days of e-bay for a item I paid 25p for at a jumble sale,put it on auction for 2.00 and it went for 250!!!
Totally mad sometimes these auctions!!!

Tony
 
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