Buying/Collecting/Selling Civil War Artifacts - Profit vs Pleasure

Oh Ive done that for years. I used to have a big rating number but they reformatted the way the rate buyers/sellers so my value was reduced.
 
... A very good friend of mine and I used to justify our purchases, by saying it was better than playing the stock market, of course this was around 2007-2013, but now the trend is the opposite...

... Perhaps these items will accrue value over time making them a better investment than stocks, hard to say.
From a personal collecting standpoint I am grateful the items are still relatively affordable, whether they increase in value or not...
The stock market has been known to take some pretty big hits. I remember a few years back my 401K was decimated by economic conditions that rendered all the previous gains made in previous 10 years a complete wash, the point being the stock market is no great investment vehicle, either, my guess is not much better or worse than ACW antiques. At least you can enjoy a nice antique collection!

On the other hand, that was one excuse for making my recent purchases - my portfolio of IRA mutual funds has increased about $15,000 over the past six months, and rather than just wait for the bottom to fall out - Again! - I decided to convert some of it to the things I like!
 
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https://civilwartalk.com/threads/m-...r-co-contract-dated-1863.141398/#post-1713635

I created a separate thread on this Wm. Muir & Co. contract M.1861, my latest purchase, but will talk a little about its price here. I bought it also from Jackson Armory in Dallas where I'd recently bought a couple of Colt revolvers I described above. The price of this bears out what I had been told about the value of somewhat lesser pieces. This one was priced between $700-800 and when I asked "What's wrong with it?" was told only that it had been over-cleaned with rounded wood (missing a very small piece at he upper band). It had belonged to a late reenactor/collector and was part of his collection that had been disposed of by his son. It is in every way acceptable to me - and a lot better than a similar specimen they'd had a few years ago, priced similarly, that had a pieced stock!
Happy to hear you were able to get it!
 
Just my 2 cents worth. Although I do prefer my collection, not to go down in value, it really doesn't matter a whole lot. I do not plan on selling anything unless I had too. To feed my family, or some other unexpected emergency. My plans are to raise my son and what ever the other one is (wife currently pregnant with our 2nd) to enjoy the history of the artifacts and for them to divide them up between themselves. My son is 6 and he loves going into THE ROOM and looking through the glass. He already said "mine" on several of the items so there is hope yet for the hobby.
 
Just my 2 cents worth. Although I do prefer my collection, not to go down in value, it really doesn't matter a whole lot. I do not plan on selling anything unless I had too. To feed my family, or some other unexpected emergency. My plans are to raise my son and what ever the other one is (wife currently pregnant with our 2nd) to enjoy the history of the artifacts and for them to divide them up between themselves. My son is 6 and he loves going into THE ROOM and looking through the glass. He already said "mine" on several of the items so there is hope yet for the hobby.
Collecting for the passion! I have found in discussing with my ACW dealer friends that the enjoyment of collecting is diminished when it becomes a business, but then again they are making a living doing what we all love, so I guess it cuts both ways.
 
My problem has always been the passion of collecting and keeping anything period including the mundane! Even simple items as cutlery could have many reasons to collect several examples bone or wood handles, 3 or 4 tines , the inlay on the handles. Makers marks stamped on the blades! Don’t even get me started on civil war images! My wife will say don’t you have one of those.... well yes but I don’t have THAT one!?! But those of us who deal and collect these items,are keeping them alive and in the light of day thank you all!
 
My problem has always been the passion of collecting and keeping anything period including the mundane! Even simple items as cutlery could have many reasons to collect several examples bone or wood handles, 3 or 4 tines , the inlay on the handles. Makers marks stamped on the blades! Don’t even get me started on civil war images! My wife will say don’t you have one of those.... well yes but I don’t have THAT one!?! But those of us who deal and collect these items,are keeping them alive and in the light of day thank you all!
Yes, my other half is fond of saying, "our house smells like musty wool, gun oil and old leather", to which I reply "isn't it great!" So far she has let me get away with it.......but there is a more frequent, "and what did you pay for that ratty old thing, don't you have plenty of those?"
 
Yes, my other half is fond of saying, "our house smells like musty wool, gun oil and old leather", to which I reply "isn't it great!" So far she has let me get away with it.......but there is a more frequent, "and what did you pay for that ratty old thing, don't you have plenty of those?"
Ha yes I know! I’m allowed one room in the basement. Then that leaked into a display in the living room and there’s a little over flow in the garage....... but there is the fleeting moments of victory when I tell her what I got from selling a item!
 
Ha yes I know! I’m allowed one room in the basement. Then that leaked into a display in the living room and there’s a little over flow in the garage....... but there is the fleeting moments of victory when I tell her what I got from selling a item!

I am way behind in my cataloging of artifacts, but then again I am surrounded by an office mess I can tolerate.........
messy office.jpg
 
My problem has always been the passion of collecting and keeping anything period including the mundane! Even simple items as cutlery could have many reasons to collect several examples bone or wood handles, 3 or 4 tines , the inlay on the handles. Makers marks stamped on the blades! Don’t even get me started on civil war images! My wife will say don’t you have one of those.... well yes but I don’t have THAT one!?! But those of us who deal and collect these items,are keeping them alive and in the light of day thank you all!


LOL, My wife is the same way. I always think of some little difference to make it look like it is totally different animal. It worked until I used "But it has a different serial #" referring to a Colt 1860 Army. I blew my cover at that point.
 
I am sitting here right now with a family member who owned a antique store and has been selling for over 30 years she reminded me over 50. We don't understand what you mean by personal memorabilia everything is personal to someone most antique collectors love to find out the owners and the stories behind them is part of the mystique of the piece. She's laughing behind me saying it unless it was stolen then you definitely don't buy it. Other than that she has always went by the rule if you like it by it it's not about the money because she will never let it go our children sell it and tell stories about their crazy mother.
 
I like collecting for pleasure, but it would also be cool to buy/sell some items to make enough money to buy more stuff! The best of both worlds!

As far as making a profit on buying/selling, it appears to me by what surface browsing I've done on listed and sold items, it looks like the best way a profit is made is by 'buying low' from a reputable dealer [a quality item being sold below market value] and selling high through an auction house.

There seems to be a pretty big gap between what items sell for from dealers and the prices being fetched by auction houses. That gap is the profit margin, and I am assuming this is how investors make a profit in buying and selling CW antiques.

One could also get lucky and find an estate sale but usually an auction house and appraisers are involved so chances of getting a good deal seem slim unless you bought a whole collection at a below market price.

I have been buying selling collecting since 1963, my first purchase was a Union Belt Plate for $9 purchased through a magazine. That plate would sell for $250 - $350 today. Genuine artifacts are always in play and herein lies the rub. There are thousands of Fakes out here which have bastardized the collectible business and auction houses are the leader in selling fake items, should you read their disclaimer it basically says they can sell you a horse and deliver you a cat with no repercussion and or liability what so ever. When I see they have misled the buyer I write them and their response is always the same "we cannot guarantee authenticity as we are at the mercy of our consigner" The good news is if you are an astute collector you can buy valuable items as they have NO expertise in what they sell, so I have been able to make a nice living doing something I love because auctioneers care only about the commission and have no desire to educate themselves on what they are selling. There are exceptions of course which is why I hardly buy anything from Heritage Auctions who hire true professionals that know the artifacts inside out and generate the highest of prices for their clients so if you wish to purchase "the real thing" it will come at a considerable cost, I, on the other hand, have to scour the auctions for genuine items that sell well below what they should due to the negligence of that particular seller. It is a fulltime job going through the hundreds of auctions looking for the proverbial needle but I love it as it reminds me and is very similar to digging as I once did for these remarkable pieces of history, and much easier on my now old man lower back. I hope this helps and sorry if I carried on a bit but I feel like I needed to be thorough.
 
I have been buying selling collecting since 1963, my first purchase was a Union Belt Plate for $9 purchased through a magazine. That plate would sell for $250 - $350 today. Genuine artifacts are always in play and herein lies the rub. There are thousands of Fakes out here which have bastardized the collectible business and auction houses are the leader in selling fake items, should you read their disclaimer it basically says they can sell you a horse and deliver you a cat with no repercussion and or liability what so ever. When I see they have misled the buyer I write them and their response is always the same "we cannot guarantee authenticity as we are at the mercy of our consigner" The good news is if you are an astute collector you can buy valuable items as they have NO expertise in what they sell, so I have been able to make a nice living doing something I love because auctioneers care only about the commission and have no desire to educate themselves on what they are selling. There are exceptions of course which is why I hardly buy anything from Heritage Auctions who hire true professionals that know the artifacts inside out and generate the highest of prices for their clients so if you wish to purchase "the real thing" it will come at a considerable cost, I, on the other hand, have to scour the auctions for genuine items that sell well below what they should due to the negligence of that particular seller. It is a fulltime job going through the hundreds of auctions looking for the proverbial needle but I love it as it reminds me and is very similar to digging as I once did for these remarkable pieces of history, and much easier on my now old man lower back. I hope this helps and sorry if I carried on a bit but I feel like I needed to be thorough.
Possibly my first purchase in this field was around the same time and like yours were also a pair of belt plates, one a Union US and the other a Confederate block CSA; unfortunately had I kept them today they would be worth NOTHING because BOTH were FAKES! When the time came that I wanted to "thin out" my sword collection, I too turned to Heritage: https://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/my-adventures-consigning-my-sword-collection.114828/
 
We live in a capitalistic society with a supply and demand market. Buyers can not acquire collections and pieces without sellers working to provide the assets. Sellers are gambling that they will be able to find the purchaser for their investments so we need them!!
Regards
David
 
I started collecting books and CW in the 1980's. I still have everything as my motivation was to read and learn all I could about a subject that became an obsession, history. The rule was every book I bought (many first editions and inscribed with a history of their own) had to be read before I could buy another. All of the CW items I acquire are associated with solid provenance. I research every angle associated with the artifact whether it be person, place, or thing thus referring back to my book collection. I don't see this stopping, until I someday, am called home.
 
I think quality items and historical items are still holding there own values. GAR and UCV items seemed to have gone up a bunch the last 10 years not sure why . Certain (states) CW items still have a higher demand than others probably due to supply and demand . On the bright side I don't have a collection 1000 Beanie Baby's lol
 
My thoughts on all of above is that the market is and will remain soft for all bu the highest quality, scarcist items. I’m so shy about delving headfirst into buying anything except from a few dealers that i really think have good knowledge about what are legit items—but even they dont know everything. I’ve gotten my best deals when i really put in the time and research an item and then try to find what i want in that area. Dont buy in this field to make a dollar but rather because you love the history or story a piece tells when in your hands or looking at it. As a sidenote, i also dabble in wwii and later military items and that seems to be where there is a lot of price movement currently—gotta watch for fakes on german stuff but that market is crazy currently.
 
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