Organisational Badges My Party badge collection

[Hauptmann]

Hi all,

I know I've posted the GPB before but figured I'd put all these together as a group, especially as two of them are getting ready to go to a new home.

So without further ado, we'll start out with my Golden Party Badge:

[attachmentid=39964]

[attachmentid=39965]

#71889

Next are my standard Party badges, starting with the enameled type.

First off is one with an unusual (at least in my experience) pin on the back... one reason I love it so much:

[attachmentid=39962]

[attachmentid=39963]

M1/120

M9/72

Another standard Party:

[attachmentid=39966]

[attachmentid=39967]

[attachmentid=39968]

M1/120

Edited May 19, 2006 by Hauptman

[Hauptmann]

Now for a late war painted example which is soon to be in it's new home:

[attachmentid=39969]

[attachmentid=39970]

M1/163

Next is a DVG Westmark badge which is going with it's brother to a new home:

[attachmentid=39971]

[attachmentid=39972]

And last, but not least my HJ member badge:

[attachmentid=39973]

[attachmentid=39974]

[attachmentid=39975]

Otto Hoffmann

Ges. Gesch.

Many thanks for taking a peek,

Dan

[Mossy]

Noice GBP! always liked these awards, very simple and elegant, yet what they meant was far beyond any rack of medals. I'm presming that tracing these would be impossible?

A bit rude of me, i know, but what do these sell for?

Sam.

[Hauptmann]

Noice GBP! always liked these awards, very simple and elegant, yet what they meant was far beyond any rack of medals. I'm presming that tracing these would be impossible?

A bit rude of me, i know, but what do these sell for?

Sam.

Hi Sam,

Why rude? At least in my eyes it's part of everything we do and should be doing here with our fellow collectors. Prices are part of what every collector needs to learn. I myself have an awful time with this on many of my TR and other pieces I got fifteen to twenty some odd years ago. I dropped out of the loop for many years and when I came back it was like I'd walked into the twilight zone with some of this stuff and how it had gone through the roof.

I can't speak for now... but back when I got this... which was I believe around eighteen to twenty years ago if I remember correctly, I believe I paid around $300-$350 for it. Those that are ID'd of course go for more.

And yes, some can be traced through the SS ranglistes and such. Sadly I have no ID for mine but I keep hoping that someday I'll get one.

Perhaps one of the other members would be kind enough to step in as far as prices now as I really don't know. I moved into Soviet and Warsaw Pact militaria and awards years ago and only dabble in TR now on rare occassions. I've let alot of my TR go during the years and just haven't kept up with pricing unless I needed to know in order to sell something off.

Anyhow hope this helps a bit at least.

Dan

[Mossy]

Thanks, Dan. The reason i said it was rude was that i know a few people who don't like talking about prices and so forth, believing it "Isn't proper". I personally see no problem with it, as it helps us collect smarter and more safely.

I wouldn't be suprised if the number did come up eventually, probably in the middle of something completly unrelated. I wonder whether there is a way to 'date' these, by using the numbers of IDed badges as rough guide, similar to the system used in the soviet awards section below.

I myself don't collect TR items much, but i must admit to having a soft spot for some of the political items and documentation. I guess i'll have to dig some of it and post it now, eh?

Whoops, back on to the topic, what is the DVG Westmark badge for? Probably something amazingly simple and obvious, but i can't for the life of me recall it.

Sam.

[Hauptmann]

Thanks, Dan. The reason i said it was rude was that i know a few people who don't like talking about prices and so forth, believing it "Isn't proper". I personally see no problem with it, as it helps us collect smarter and more safely.

I wouldn't be suprised if the number did come up eventually, probably in the middle of something completly unrelated. I wonder whether there is a way to 'date' these, by using the numbers of IDed badges as rough guide, similar to the system used in the soviet awards section below.

I myself don't collect TR items much, but i must admit to having a soft spot for some of the political items and documentation. I guess i'll have to dig some of it and post it now, eh?

Whoops, back on to the topic, what is the DVG Westmark badge for? Probably something amazingly simple and obvious, but i can't for the life of me recall it.

Sam.

Hi Sam,

Personally I agree on pricing. As for myself I feel like a total cretin if I know everything else, I buy something and end up "then" being told by fifty of my fellow collectors that I paid too much and could have had it for pennies on the dollar. In my eyes, we need to teach not only about repops, dishonest dealers, etc. but also things like pricing. And that tends to vary so much throughout the country and the world. In some locals daggers seem more popular... in other medals. At least that's how it was back in the day... assuming it's the same now. If I remember correctly Tennessee and Kentucky used to drink up daggers like no tomorrow as a for instance.

And I'm not trying to say anything to go against the fact that "gentleman" should not brag about how well they did on this or that purchase. I, personally never take such as bragging unless it literally is written to come across in that way. I think most of us are mature enough to know the difference. I ask about pricing quite often... and often don't get answers. So I flounder... and end up very frustrated. I have a ribbon bar that I just purchased which I "think" I did well on... but so far no confirmations on that. So I just hope it was money well spent. It was an item I didn't set out to get but as it was so unusual and I got the thumbs up on it from two people I deeply respect I went for it. I'm proud to have it in my collection... well once it arrives that is... but I'd really like to know how well I did on it.

Money has of course always been a tricky subject... along with sex, politics and women (in the case of men) and such subjects are generally taboo in an officer's mess, at least in the U.S. for the reason that such subjects can get some folks hot under the collar.

So I deeply hope no one will take anything either of us are saying here in a bad way as that is certainly not how it's meant. To me it's like any other piece of info I want to be armed with when making a purchase. Do I get this one for $$$$ or should I wait, comfortable in the knowledge the same or better can generally be had for $? I'd much rather know before I reach back and grab my wallet and start forking over my hard earned cash. And honestly, there are pieces that I just don't know this on.

Thankfully, when I was recently "seriously" considering trying to work out a purchase on a Soviet medal with document, I shared this with one of the members and asked for advice. He said steer clear. Number one the set was a mismatch... which as I do not read cyrillic I didn't know and number two they went for much less than what it was being advertised for... and commonly so. So I'm now happy to wait, secure in the knowledge that another, perhaps several, will come my way and for much less than I was possibly prepared to shell out.

Actually if you check out my original GPB post:

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=7391

you'll see in post #5 Rick gave me the following info on my GPB:

"71889 was given to somebody processed as a member between 5th and 13th December 1927. My Gau Hessen-Nassau list brackets your number with these dates."

Again many thanks to Rick Reseach for that information.

And to me, that's a pretty darned narrow time frame! A nine day period! Like... WOW! Can't do much better than that unless you nail it on the head and know when and to whom it was awarded... at least not in my estimation.

On collecting TR... I've actually pulled back from it a great deal over the years. Fakes got to be too much trouble for the kinds of money things go for nowadays. Was bad enough back then. And as I've full well admitted many times I do not mind nice "copies" when sold as such, purchased as such and used as space fillers for items that are well beyond the budgets of most collectors or are just unobtainable at any price. I mean, how many of us can seriously afford an original German Order... or a Soviet Order of Victory... and they don't even come up for sale!

As for me, the beauty of such pieces is too great to just drool over them as pictures in books. If I can obtain a "nice" copy for not too much money then I have no problem with that.

What I hate and dispise are those who misuse such pieces... or pure and simple "junk" to take advantage of those who are new to the hobby and just don't know. But then again that's why I preach over and over again to each and every new collector I meet... study, study, study!!!! Buy references more than pieces to begin with. Read them until you memorize them and then read them again. Join a group like this fine club. Meet with fellow collectors and view their collections. Go to museums and view their collections as well. And if you are nice, polite and have a very good sad puppy dog look the curators of same will "sometimes" give you the private tour and let you see behind the scenes and perhaps even (gasp) get to handle some pieces you'd otherwise never see outside of reference books.

I'm a strong believer in the theory that the more good (and bad) pieces you see and handle the better armed you are to defend yourself against fakes and those who would try to con you out of your hard earned money. Knowledge is your best defense! I see an old fashioned war time poster in that...

Well, to climb down off my soapbox... I for one would love to see what TR pieces you have. I still love them, yet just don't tend to actively seek them out these days. Got far too hooked up in Soviet and Warsaw Pact goodies... but I always love to see new goodies, even if it's the hundreth wound badge. Always a pleasure. So please, post away!

And last but not least (Whew! Deeeeep breath! ) the Westmark badge. Here's what one dealer site said:

"Used by residents of Westmark traveling outside their homeland to identify them."

Beyond this I don't know alot about them. I liked the black enamel and it was cheap at the time so it came to live with me. Hopefully some of the other members can fill us in in more detail on this one.

Looking forward to seeing your posts of TR goodies you've acquired over the years.

Thanks for stopping by to chat and to drool over my pretties!

Dan

[Mossy]

Dan,

Agreed, as much as we don't like to admit, the money side of things is very important. After all, the more people start paying, the more prices in general will rise and so on, at which point many collectors will be excluded from the hobby due to price rises. I think everyone is guilty of a little bragging occasionally (I know i am), but doing it on a constant basis is just silly.

"between 5th and 13th December 1927" Wow, definetly can't complain about that! Especially when so many TR awards are simply anonymous, with us know nothing of when or to whom they were awarded. This looks to be one of guys who joined during the early stages, or just before, the great depression hit germany. Man, this stories this thing could tell, eh? Tough times.

Don't get down off that soapbox for too long. Although many people do say it these days, it really does need to be pushed, knowledge is vital. Know as much as possible about what you are looking at, ignorance is may be bliss, but to be knowledgable is to be ecstatic! (On the other hand, too much may drive you insane and make you worship long gone queens... ) Some of the first things i bought when i started collecting commonwealth medals were books, not only on the medals themselves, but also on the campaigns and people, to help me better understand not only what the piece was, but what it meant.

There aren't many good war museums down here, i think there may be one, but i'll start work on the puppy dog look tonight. I just hope the mirror survives!

I have myself started moving into soviet items, some of those medals are just , but i've started off with some smaller groups, like this one here: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=7944. What attracted you to the soviet area?

I'll get scanning some of my TR stuff, and post it after the weekend. No internet on the weekend sadly.

Thanks for the info on the Westmark badge. Interesting, i wonder if there were similar ones for different regions?

Sam.

[Hauptmann]

Hi Sam,

Hey, wow... an appreciative audience for my soapbox rantings... now all I need is a beer hall and... oh wait, did I say that out loud!

Seriously though... I found this quote... can't remember if it was used by another member here or what but I fell in love with it:

As Benjamin Franklin said:

If a man empties his purse into his head,

no man can take it away from him.

An investment in knowledge always pays the

best interest.

I'm working hard towards my copy of the McDaniel Soviet reference as we speak. Hopefully I'll be able to order it on Monday (fingers tightly crossed) and have it within the week (fingers at breaking point!).

My biggest problem is that I can't afford every reference book known to man, at least for my various hobbies. I guess some would say I've spread myself too thin... but hey, keeps me off the streets.

And I must say... I love that book you found! Covet, covet... heavy on the covet!!!! I sincerely wish I could find one even a third as good as that one seems to be. Great find!

And I say it yet again... Rick is fantastic! Terrific! Wonderful! Glorious! The Greatest! Now to go collect my 10% fee again! Seriously he does work miracles... come to think of it he does look a bit God-like and messianic in his avatar... I wonder? Might explain alot. He could be God... or, dare I even think it... President of the Epson Scanner Corporation!

On my interest in Soviet... well, I've always been interested in it. Would see documentaries my whole life plus all the interest in the space race... they were like our arch rivals during most of my early life so we were always hearing something about them. But could never find much in detail on their militaria. Once the wall fell I was dying to jump in but knew I had to learn tons before I did. I managed to get a few pieces here and there in trades and such but never with high values. I passed on an Order of the Red Star early on which was at like $300. It was beautiful but at that stage I didn't even know what it was much less what it was worth. May have been worth that... but probably not.

Plus, my wife Kim loves the beautiful enamels the Soviets used on many of their awards. Always pays to keep the wife happy. So this stuff is something I can really share with her and she appreciates it.

Plus TR stuff was getting so screwed up with fakes and dishonest folks ruining everything. If you can't have fun move on... which I basically did. Still love the stuff but just got tired of that plus having to explain to all and sundry that I'm not a nazi just cause I collect the stuff. I never collected camp or SS stuff. Shoot... I have Jewish relatives for crying out loud! And funny thing is, I've yet to be accused of being a commie because I collect Soviet or Warsaw Pact stuff. Lord knows the commies have probably killed a gazillion times the number the nazi's did and yet there is not the same stigma. It's a strange world.

Amen on learning the history! None of this stuff would mean anything without the history behind it. I mean, take the smallest, most common ribbon or medal. By itself it's nothing... meaningless. But you learn what someone had to go through to be awarded that little piece of cloth or metal and suddenly it takes on great meaning.

Remember the line from The Blue Max? "It's a piece of scrap worth exactly 5 Marks!" Yes, but it's the deeds and the men behind that piece of scrap that make them priceless... or nearly so!

History to me is a living, breathing entity. If you understand it, it can help to guide you and help you avoid mistakes. It changes minute by minute. And what is written about it can also change rapidly depending on who is doing the writing.

Those who have lived in it's corredors scream out to we who have come after them... remember... REMEMBER! Don't forget what we have done and why we did it!

If we do we have committed a crime against all who have gone before us... as well as ourselves for we too do history make!

So how did you get hooked on collecting the red?

I'm looking forward to see your TR posts and also more Soviet as if the book was any indication will be well worth waiting for!

Not sure about other badges having been issued similar to the DVG's... have to step aside for those with more know how on the subject than I.

Well, I'm off to a long awaited and I hope well deserved sleep. But can't wait to get up and see all the new posts and hopefully make a few more of my own. Hoping to start posting my DDR collection, or at least the awards over the next day or two or thereabouts.

Have a great one! Night all!

Dan

[Gold Party Pin Guy]

Hi Dan,

Nice Gold Party Badge.

It's always a thankless task to be the bearer of bad news, but the first regular party badge with the wonky pin is a fake. I bought one similar in about 1975 from WWII Inc. for $3. The markings are all wrong ("canted M" in RZM logo, looks like a "M9" prefix only used on tinnies, stamped in marks instead of raised), plated nickel instead of silvered, and the "O" on the front should be round, not oval in RZM pieces. Ususally the red is too dark and the dots underneath are faint.

The HJ badge is also bad I'm afraid. "Otto Hoffmann" never made HJ badges. These came out a few years back and can be found in all colours of the rainbow. They can be found on most repro sites. In any event, diamond HJ badges should be RZM'd, not maker name marked.

Sorry for the bad news.

[Hauptmann]

Hi Dan,

Nice Gold Party Badge.

It's always a thankless task to be the bearer of bad news, but the first regular party badge with the wonky pin is a fake. I bought one similar in about 1975 from WWII Inc. for $3. The markings are all wrong ("canted M" in RZM logo, looks like a "M9" prefix only used on tinnies, stamped in marks instead of raised), plated nickel instead of silvered, and the "O" on the front should be round, not oval in RZM pieces. Ususally the red is too dark and the dots underneath are faint.

The HJ badge is also bad I'm afraid. "Otto Hoffmann" never made HJ badges. These came out a few years back and can be found in all colours of the rainbow. They can be found on most repro sites. In any event, diamond HJ badges should be RZM'd, not maker name marked.

Sorry for the bad news.

Sigh. It's been an insane day and now this. Not your fault. It's just gotten (at least for me) where I can't tell the real from the fake anymore. Now I'm officially glad I gave up on TR quite a number of years ago.

I've sold off the majority of what I had and now I'm tempted to just get rid of all the rest of the TR save a few pieces that were gifts or that I got from Jack Angolia as those have great sentimental value... like the GPB. Thanks for admiring that one. Have loved it since the day I got it.

I swear... I spent a ton on reference books and have read them to death and it seems something else always pops up. I guess it's my own fault for not specializing in one thing and just getting into a little of everything.

I don't have much in these... perhaps $10 each but still... just gets me so frustrated. I really did love TR... the history, the stuff. But there's just no fun left in it anymore. It's like the large number of badges Avitas got only to find out they were bad. I hate it when that happens.

Again, don't feel bad... not your fault and I don't shoot messengers.

Live and learn I guess. In fact I had a dream right before I woke up this morning. No idea where it came from but it was like someone was telling me to sell out the rest of my TR and put it towards other things I want/need right now. Perhaps this is yet another sign that I should do just that.

Thanks for the heads up.

Dan

[Gold Party Pin Guy]

Hey Dan,

Thanks for the mature reply - I've all but given up offering opinions because of the "shoot the messenger". We all get it in the ear sometimes and no one (including me) likes to find a clunker, but we all have a few in the "live and learn" drawer.

I review a lot of Gold Party Badges for buyers and sellers, and sometimes the news isn't good, but at least some people can save a couple thousand dollars. I saw "Hitler's" Gold Party Badge sold for something like $50,000 last year - a total fake, so with only $10 of your money invested there is some comfort.

[Hauptmann]

Hey Dan,

Thanks for the mature reply - I've all but given up offering opinions because of the "shoot the messenger". We all get it in the ear sometimes and no one (including me) likes to find a clunker, but we all have a few in the "live and learn" drawer.

I review a lot of Gold Party Badges for buyers and sellers, and sometimes the news isn't good, but at least some people can save a couple thousand dollars. I saw "Hitler's" Gold Party Badge sold for something like $50,000 last year - a total fake, so with only $10 of your money invested there is some comfort.

Hey,

No problem. Hey, you were just passing it on, and I do deeply appreciate it. Had I ever sold it and "then" found out I would have felt "awful". Kinda figures it would be "the one" I really, really liked too. LOL! Some days...

But it could have been worse... could have found out the GPB belonged to some really awful, horrible war criminal who killed tons of people in which case I probably would have wanted it gone like mucho pronto. Of course I guess it could have, but that's an unknown so at least for now I can sleep at night.

So things could definitely be worse.

I myself keep waiting for the fabled "Hitler's Toothbrush". I'm guessing platinum with gold inlay and lots of swastikas and eagles... and probably Fritz the Tooth giving a tooth decay message engraved on it somewhere. Really, it's gotta be out there! It will probably be the last "great" piece of AH's property to show up and be sold long after we're all gone so we'll miss all the excitement.

But seriously, it is a shame that TR got that way. But there are tons of hobbies that folks fake stuff in. Look at something as simple as those little cast iron banks they used to have. Tons of fakes... I like them but won't even go into the field or touch them with a ninety metre cattle prod! Glassware is nearly the same thing. You have to nearly become a complete expert before you so can much as look much less buy the first piece. No telling how many collections out there are totally bogus. But when you do take the time to study and learn as much as you can and still it happens... sigh. Just got to be too much for me years ago but was fairly secure in most of my stuff. The only ones I really had any suspicions of have been cleared on here a ways back and I was overjoyed! I'm just so happy that there is a place where my brother and sister collectors have banded together to help each other to "fight crime", wear silly costumes... well, perhaps not that... and uphold truth and justice in the world of militaria collecting.

But hey, capes would be nice... really. I think they'd look great... oh wait, I saw The Incredibles... capes, getting sucked into airplane engines... okay, bad thing... bad... definitely bad! Maybe a neat ball cap would do the trick instead!

Well, here's hoping that someday I at least can really figure out who my GPB belonged to as that would be really, really cool and would definitely make my day... except for that above scenario. Someone with an interesting history but who never killed anyone would be just fine.

Gotta run for now... a few more replies to make then I'm going to go try to shake off the effects of a bad sunburn, mostly on my face (Yes! My face hurts!!!! ) that I earned by being a moron and telling my wife about an auction that was being held a block away from the house today. Woke up, thought, do some chores, get them out of the way, make a nice breakfast and relax. Oh now, got to the breakfast part and she'd gone off to see, then come back and grabbed me to go. Then, after fifteen minutes "she" has to go eat... leaving me hungry and frustrated with a bunch of tool guys with endless bank accounts buying up every single solitary thing I was intro'd in. But I did get the most important thing... a Dremel tool with accessories for $21 so guess it wasn't a total loss. Been better had it had a ton of accessories but ya take what you can get. And no pocket or sheath knives... all those tools and no knives! I couldn't believe it! But with those vultures they'd have pushed the prices through the roof. They could afford it, but I couldn't. Oh well.

I'll play some Medal of Honor... blow some things up... shoot some enemy troops and I'll feel much better.

Have a great one! And again I do appreciate the info. I'll file those pieces away under

Thanks,

Dan

[Avitas]

As someone who has had quite a few bad pieces, I can appreciate the feeling Dan

It never feels good to find out, but is WAY better to know the truth than to live in denial and get mad at the messenger. I can't believe that some people would get angry at someone who is trying to help them out! Oh well, I guess the truth is hard but when you post items on the forum you have to expect the experts might find a few bad pieces in your collection. This only helps the owner of such bad pieces to determine in the future what is bad and what is good. My point is: Never shoot the messenger and if you don't want to hear bad news, maybe it's best not to post the items. The help on this forum is invaluable and the last thing beginners like me need is people beating up on the messenger and making it less of a free environment to leave opinions. I for one am just as grateful for getting bad news as I am good news, at least its some news! So Gold Party Pin Guy- don't be afraid to leave opinions, any one who gets mad is just in denial and the help you give is awesome. Nice painted membership badge and DVG Westmark badges too by the way , can't wait!

Later,

Pat

[Hauptmann]

Hi Pat,

Couldn't agree more. I've been very lucky in that I've only had a few things that have turned out bad and all things that I've got very little in. I'd probably be very angry were it a piece I had several hundred or thousand dollars in... and there are folks who have had that happen. But I surely would not shoot the messenger. It's definitely a dirty job but a necessary one. As you say it's a learning experience, but on here it remains so for others to see and get a feel for what is good, versus bad and why.

So a huge thank you to all the messengers out there. Keep it coming! You are all appreciated!

Thanks!

Dan

[JNoble]

Sam,

Here's what I have been told about the D.V.G. Deutsche Volksgemeinschaft

(German Community) badge or what you call the Westmark badge. It was worn by those Germans living in the Saar region that was given to the French after the first world war that supported the reunification of the Saar and Germany in 1935. Here is another supporters badge from Hungary. These badges were primarily produced for German's living and working in Hungary. Reverse has a rare Hungarian makers mark (A.HYNGAR.BUDAPEST)

[Hauptmann]

Sam,

Here's what I have been told about the D.V.G. Deutsche Volksgemeinschaft

(German Community) badge or what you call the Westmark badge. It was worn by those Germans living in the Saar region that was given to the French after the first world war that supported the reunification of the Saar and Germany in 1935. Here is another supporters badge from Hungary. These badges were primarily produced for German's living and working in Hungary. Reverse has a rare Hungarian makers mark (A.HYNGAR.BUDAPEST)

That's definitely a beautiful piece. Have never seen one before.

Thanks for posting it.

Dan

[Gold Party Pin Guy]

Nice to be in a forum whith such thoughtful people.

We should start a thread with a "Hall of Shame" and dig out all the honking fakes we keep in the sock drawer.

I forgot to mention that Gold Party Badges are now routinely $1200-$1500 - more for low numbers, military pinpbacks or personality pieces - and I've seen them much higher on dealer sites.

My recollection is the DVG badges were for Nazi-supported unification organizers/supporters in the Alsace-Lorraine border region (Westmark-Lotharingen) with France.

Nice and rare "Ungarn" pin

[Hauptmann]

Nice to be in a forum whith such thoughtful people.

We should start a thread with a "Hall of Shame" and dig out all the honking fakes we keep in the sock drawer.

I forgot to mention that Gold Party Badges are now routinely $1200-$1500 - more for low numbers, military pinpbacks or personality pieces - and I've seen them much higher on dealer sites.

My recollection is the DVG badges were for Nazi-supported unification organizers/supporters in the Alsace-Lorraine border region (Westmark-Lotharingen) with France.

Nice and rare "Ungarn" pin

I too had thoughts about such a section... but was afraid many would feel it would be an educational tool if anyone of a shady sort ever managed to get on and check it out... let them know what they're doing wrong and how to make the fakes better.

But to me, the more we educate our folks the better off we are. And since you have to register here hopefully that would be a bit of a deterrent to any riff-raff who might sneak in.

On prices... geeeeeez! I had no idea! I paid around $300 for mine all those many moons ago. If you wouldn't mind, and just out of idle curiosity as I'd never want to let it go... if it's something you can tell from my pics (which I again apologize for... an Epson scanner is definitely in my future) about what would you estimate it to be worth. Again the very end of the foldover on the pin catch has been gone since I bought it, but other than that it seems to be in fairly good shape.

And mucho thanks on the additional info on the DVG's. Always good to learn as much as we can on this stuff.

Thanks!

Dan

[Gold Party Pin Guy]

Your GPB is clearly in the $1200-$1500 range in that condition, a dealer could sell for more. Pins broke all the time and don't take away much from the value. In the last 3-4 years they've shot up from the $800 range.

Glad to bring good news too.

Edited May 24, 2006 by Gold Party Pin Guy

[Hauptmann]

Your GPB is clearly in the $1200-$1500 range in that condition, a dealer could sell for more. Pins broke all the time and don't take away much from the value. In the last 3-4 years they've shot up from the $800 range.

Glad to bring good news too.

Yes, very good news indeed! Again I had absolutely no earthly idea... figured they'd gone up a bit but wow! Many thanks indeed. I owe you a gigantic pizza if we're ever in the same neck of the woods.

Many thanks!

Dan

[Gold Party Pin Guy]

The pizza is getting bigger. The price on these babies just keeps going up. I've asked around and done some more checking, and I'm now seeing them on dealer sites for a minimum of $2500 (mid-range numbers, average condition, not attributed), so a private sale will be somewhere around there, maybe a shade less.

Something I noticed too is the supply is getting thin (real ones, anyway). People are holding onto them, so they are harder to find, which also drives the price up.

They are good investments, and look great too.

I'm sure it will find a good home quickly if you decide to sell.

Yes, very good news indeed! Again I had absolutely no earthly idea... figured they'd gone up a bit but wow! Many thanks indeed. I owe you a gigantic pizza if we're ever in the same neck of the woods.

Many thanks!

Dan

[Hauptmann]

The pizza is getting bigger. The price on these babies just keeps going up. I've asked around and done some more checking, and I'm now seeing them on dealer sites for a minimum of $2500 (mid-range numbers, average condition, not attributed), so a private sale will be somewhere around there, maybe a shade less.

Something I noticed too is the supply is getting thin (real ones, anyway). People are holding onto them, so they are harder to find, which also drives the price up.

They are good investments, and look great too.

I'm sure it will find a good home quickly if you decide to sell.

Hi Stephen,

I deeply appreciate your checking around on this for me and yes, the pizza will be about the size of a planet... probably a Jupiter size one at the very least! Methinks my local pizza place employees will all keel over if you come and visit and we put in that order! But hey, it'll be worth it!

And to be honest... after reading your update I'm thinking I'm a total moron for letting mine go. But as they say you can't keep it all. I just hope selling it and the rest will help me in attaining my life long dream.

You are truly a Gentleman in every sense of the word. I salute you sir!

Along with the pizza, if I do end up getting my "dream car" you'll definitely have to come for a visit and take a ride!

Again thanks so much for all your help and support in this.

Dan