eBay is a wonderful place to begin your militaria collection. However, to start collecting militaria from eBay, you need to know what you’re looking for. You also need a good understanding of what’s real, and what’s been faked. It’s important to do your research and know the characteristics of the military collectibles you’re interested in. That’ll help you be certain that you’re getting the real thing. Fortunately, doing the research is actually pretty easy.

There are lots of excellent books out there on just about every military subject imaginable. Most people stick to a relatively small area of research, and become experts on it, and there are books that can help. In fact, there are volumes devoted to just helmets from WWII, just uniforms for the US during that period, and many other niche subjects. These books will help you identify the items you’re most interested in and will help you learn about their history. You’ll find information about identifying markings and other important features.

One of the top clues that an item isn’t the real thing is price. If a niche item is popular or extremely rare, you’re not likely to see a real auction for it often. When you do see it sold, it’ll be pretty expensive. For instance, original jumpsuits from the US Army Airborne are extremely hard to find. By the close of the auction, they run into the thousands. If you see something of this sort offered for less, it’s almost certainly a fake.

You’ll pay more for German items from both World Wars than you will for US militaria, British or French collectibles, or many other militaries. German collectibles are more popular, and thus priced higher. To determine what a good price for any given item might be, watch a few auctions before you bid. See what the average sale price is. Remember to use variations when you search, too.

Minor typos, variants on a word, or slang could bring up an auction that other people haven’t seen yet. Use an auction sniping service to make sure your bid gets in, too. It might not seem fair, but almost everyone else is using one, and bidding by hand on a hot item can be pretty tricky. Plus, you don’t want to drive up the price inappropriately – everyone’s after a good deal.

Remember that you might run across sellers offering reproduction militaria or items from another war as something they’re not. Fortunately, doing your research (which is fun, anyway) can help you find these quickly and easily. Ask careful questions if you’re not sure, and don’t be taken by what looks like a good deal. In general, if something looks too good to be true, it’s because it is! Remember to be realistic about what you can expect to find, and know the rarity of the item you want. Also, don’t bid during media trends – they’ll drive prices up. They’re a great time to sell, however!