Fair Offer

[aptech77]

I have a good friend that offered these to me. They are from his later father in law. He is looking at me for guidance on a fair offer. Any ideas? I know the ACC M3 is an uncommon variation and the best one in the bunch. Please give your suggestion on an offer.

1. ACC M3 w/m8 sheath
2. M5a1 w/m8a1 sheath
3. M5a1 with kM8a1 sheath
4. Garand type bayo no marks w/ km8A1 sheath
5. Same

[aptech77]

[aptech77]

[aptech77]

Any ideas? Anyone?

[dave]

I am not up on prices on these and know little about them. As far as I can tell the only thing that may be worth any real money is the M3 knife but again I don't know that much about them---the maker is unfamilar to me. The M1 rifle bayo just above that is a Korean cutdown I believe. They were selling for 5 bucks at one time. The M5A1 I only know that a few years back the were also very cheap. I have one and it will not fit on any of my Garands. Some of the scabbards may be foreign made or of more recent manufacture. As for value now on any of this stuff, I really have no idea. I would do some carefull research on that M3 however as it could be worth over a hundred bucks, if genuine US.

[sac troop]

Looks like you have two U.S.G.I. M8/M8A1 sheaths and two Korean sheaths.
The M1 bayonet cut down to 6” is probably a Korean item. So in this case the Korean sheath is a nice match to the blade. I don’t think they would be worth much, but I don’t collect foreign militaria either. IMHO I would keep the price below $50 for the two.
The M5A1 with the Korean sheath I’m sure was not a Milpar Col bayonet made for U.S. Government contract. The pictures you provide showing the markings on the guard also show the way the blade grind terminates near the guard and it’s all wrong for a period Milpar bayonet. When Milpar decided to stop making blades they sold off their remaining stock. A lot of bayonets, ( M5’s, M6’s, and M7’s), got made with Milpar parts using blades that were made after 1974 and cut for the then new Government specifications for the blade grind. The company or companies that made these bayonets had no U.S. Government contracts, (Can you imagine the U.S. Government excepting an item made by one company and named to another? I can't.) and the items were sold on the commercial market. It does put a big fly in the ointment when it comes to collecting Milpar bayonets.
The second M5A1 with the V.P. Co sheath, (a good U.S. sheath), may have the same problem. I can’t really see it with the soft focus on those pictures. At this time I can still find M5A1 bayonets made for U.S. Government contract in unissued condition for about $40 without a sheath. IMHO I don’t put much value on the foreign made M8A1 sheaths. To me I won’t pay more than $15 for one in new condition.
The Aerial M3 is another matter altogether. It’s in much better condition than you will typically find for the Aerial M3’s. It is a guard marked M3 as opposed to a blade marked version which will command a higher price than the guard marked. The sheath is period correct for this knife. Aerials aren’t the hardest M3 to find but they aren’t the easiest either.
As far as a price goes that’s always a matter of opinion. Right now the market is leaning towards the buyers. The going prices these days are lower today than they were just two years ago. IMHO I would put a far market value of $200 to $250 on this knife and sheath. If this item was put up on auction it wouldn’t surprise me to see it go for as much as $350 to $400 either. At the same time I’ve seen some auctioned M3’s go for some very low prices, IMHO, lately.

[dave]

Good info, thanks for the education. I suspected as much however I am waaaay behind on M3 values, I own one that I got 30 year ago for around 30 bucks with original type M8 sheath!

[aptech77]

Great info.