Fake Militaria Items

[tmark]

I logged onto the antique firearms website at oldguns.net. The website page posted an interesting caution describing a variety of fake (reproduction) military items that are described as "original" and genuine USGI items.

An interesting fact mentioned is the sudden appearance of a quantity of "original" USGI items that show up at gunshows. "Buy the book before you buy the item" is wise advice. Unfortunately, fraud remains a profitable endeavor for many dealing in USGI hobbies.

[Art]

On anything made of cloth stitching can be a dead giveaway. I have seen some counterfiet Brit surplus items too.

I should also say I have ordered a few things I assumed would be fakes but turned out to be genuine USGI.

[Sunray]

Reproduction German/Nazi stuff sold as real kit is rampant too.

[Johnny P]

The Civil War was hardly over when enterprising sellers started stamping CS or CSA on weapons, and following WWII Nazi medals and awards were still being made in the original dies. Nothing new except the faking has moved down the value ladder with cheap Chinese labor.

[Mossy]

I collect WWII ETO weapons and other related items. The hardest ones to identify (for me anyway) seem to be some of the German Daggers. Most of the k98's that have been humped are fairly easy to catch but there are a few sophisticated rip off artists out there that have become pretty good.

[Dan Shapiro]

If someone could make money off fake dinosaur crap, they'd do it.

[Cecil]

I collect WWII ETO weapons and other related items. The hardest ones to identify (for me anyway) seem to be some of the German Daggers. Most of the k98's that have been humped are fairly easy to catch but there are a few sophisticated rip off artists out there that have become pretty good.

A while back I sold a K98 that was missing a couple numbers for $750. A month later I saw a $2000 100% matching rifle with the same serial number as the one I sold a month earlier laying on a table at the same gun show.

In Central Texas there is more fake Nazi stuff than was ever made in Germany. If you need an "upgrade" i.e. serial number on a part, this is the place.

[John Sukey]

Remember Barry Sadler? The guy who wrote "the ballad of the Green Berets? He collected nazi stuff, and found out to his disgust, that 80% of his collection was FAKE

I have come across fake British regimental badges. Struck from the ORIGINAL dies.

[JBinIll]

A while back I sold a K98 that was missing a couple numbers for $750. A month later I saw a $2000 100% matching rifle with the same serial number as the one I sold a month earlier laying on a table at the same gun show.

That is entirely possible that it had the same serial number.They manufactured them in blocks of serial numbers then started over again with a letter,a ,b,c,etc. added to the serial number.

[JBinIll]

At a gun show awhile back I had some mint condition genuine WW2 U.S. web gear.Couldn't get any interest in it,everybody thought it was repro stuff.Another dealer told me he doesn't even bother bringing the minty original pieces,everbody thinks they're fake.I got to the point I bought a blacklight to check the cloth stuff,it isn't infallible but it is better than nothing.Then I saw a posting on fakes where someone was cutting up old uniforms and using thread that was vintage to manufacture some rare insignia.

[Cecil]

That is entirely possible that it had the same serial number.They manufactured them in blocks of serial numbers then started over again with a letter,a ,b,c,etc. added to the serial number.

Sad thing is it definetly was the rifle I sold.

[Michaelp]

I've fooled with Lugers a lot over the years.
They are vry much messed with today=a real minefield.
Fairly closely followed by many other collectables in today's age of advanced technical fakery.

95% of all nazi crap is fake.
They were making really good daggers in the 60s.