Ok so my title is a little harsh but what I'm trying to feature in this blog post is the collectible items that sell for great $$ in the Boy Scout category that are a little more unusual. You won't find any felt patches or medals with sterling silver birds hanging on them in this blog post. Instead I've highlighted five listings that sold last week that are definitely an acquired taste. Of the group my favorite is the 1910 Baden Powell game. A close second would be the Lady Liberty poster because I'm an old history teacher.
In the Hot Finds newsletter the focus is usually on patches and neckerchiefs that are changing hands among collectors. However, there have been a lot of other Scout memorabilia produced over the years and some of it is very unusual. I tracked down five auctions that closed last week on eBay which are great examples of this. In fact Dan Beard's mantel sold for more than any other listing on eBay last week!
It is very rare that an old uniform sells for big bucks on eBay just solely based on the birthday version of itself. Often its not the naked uniform but all the pins and badges that adorn them that drive auctions through the roof. The five auctions that I've pulled here from recent eBay listings are great examples of this process. That WWI era uniform is sweet but did you see what's sewn on it? Click on the text or picture links to see all the real treats in these auctions.
Many of these eBay listings found their way into the Hot Finds email newsletter. Checking in on them now that they have closed shows that many might have benefited from that extra attention. These listings probably didn't need any help as they did very well on their own merit.
I think about three months ago I wrote a blog post about conversations I had with collectors that led me to believe that the prices for vintage merit badges had plummeted. Well although its a thin bit of evidence I'd like to show you three auctions that defy that logic. Coming with just a single bidder here are three merit badges that sold for over $300. Now I couldn't leave out the best sashes that sold last week although they seemed to be priced at a more reasonable level.
Its not very often that you see Scouting auctions on eBay ring in for over $1000. The last month on eBay saw three different items that broke that glass ceiling. As you can see two of these were items with high minimum bids that got popped by a single bidder. However, the most intriguing auction was of course the great Eagle medal that is one you never see. The Dieges & Clust medal took off in just a few days to over a thousand and kept on climbing.
eBay Scouting Friday Morning Hot Finds: IPO For the Trading Group #constantcontact http://t.co/yhlQMz9z - posted on 19/05/2012 13:28:32
This new video gives you the inside scoop on my latest prices realized guide. With 315 unique items focused on... http://t.co/Tl06jUKD - posted on 18/05/2012 20:40:21
I kinda enjoyed the open mic format after having done so many prerecorded interviews. So I've already picked my... http://t.co/V1HxZDsm - posted on 18/05/2012 15:09:14
I've got some really cool pieces closing in the next two hours after a 7-day run at auction. There is a little... http://t.co/EgVND6Ug - posted on 17/05/2012 23:28:22
Ok if you need a good belly laugh check out this fresh post for Boy Scout collectors on my forum! http://t.co/Tm14UBLD - posted on 17/05/2012 21:29:19
DISCLAMER:
SCOUTINGHOTFINDS.COM It is not officially affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America, the Girl Scouts of the USA or the World Organization of Scout Movements.