Sterling Silver KKK Klansman Ring - Whats it Worth?

[Kevin in IN]

I would never melt it down, it is worth far more as an artifact, it is a piece of history just like any other artifact.

TH, I agree with the history part, not all history is good, but we can learn from it.

 

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[etex]

I have always heard that most of the holed coins were made by slaves to wear to ward off bad spirits, Ahab you may need to get rid of that holed coin
Massachusetts was the first slave colony

 

[huntsman53]

There is a very short list of items that I would never bring into my house. That would be one of them. Anything worn by an individual that judged a person solely on skin pigment has got to have some bad juju in it. My gf is always telling me that I might be bringing spirits into our house when I come home from detecting. I always laugh about it. But I wouldn't be taking any chances with certain things. Yes I'm probably crazy lol

I know what you mean about bad juju! When I lived in West Virginia, our' home was only 150 yards from a Graveyard. Many a time while sitting at the head of the Dinner table which gave me a view through part of the kitchen, I saw a dark figure cross the kitchen from right to left as if they had come up from the basement. I also found a carved Bear tooth in the entrance of a cave in Southwest Virginia that was apparently used in ceremonies. As soon as I stuck it in my' pocket and for the next two weeks until I got rid of it, I had round after round of bad luck. As if dark spirits aren't bad enough to get you on edge when you have a wife and three daughters, I sure as hell don't need an item that may have bad juju attached to it in my' home!


Frank

 

[Fletch88]

Frank, that one just gave me the heebie geebies! I don't think I could have slept there long!

 

[huntsman53]

Frank, that one just gave me the heebie geebies! I don't think I could have slept there long!

We lived in the house from 1988 to October 1994 and I spent many a sleepness or restless nights in it. The house had a newer addition but the old main part of the home creaked and popped a lot when the temperature warmed or cooled. Also, my daughters whose bedrooms were upstairs, often complained that someone had walked up the stairs and into their' bedrooms. To make matters worse, we had a local thief that would break into our' basement about once a week and I was often on burglar watch. I nearly shot him on several occasions and couldn't have missed by much. After he or someone else had poisoned 3 of my' dogs which killed two of them, I had had enough! I put the word out in the community in which we lived that the thief would attempt to break into my' basement some night while I was waiting in the big White Walnut Tree only 30 to 35 yards from the basement's door with my' hunting bow and that not soon after, the thief would be in the Hospital's Emergency Room trying to explain to the Doctors and Sheriff's Deputies how he got and arrow and broadhead stuck up his' a$%. That is all it took and there were no more break-ins after that.


Frank

 

[Ahab8]

Frank I know people think were crazy but I've heard more than one story about people removing a Native American item from a burial site or similar acts that resulted in some bad things happening. The kkk was based on pure hatred toward a race of people strictly based on skin color. I've always been bewildered that anybody can hate someone if they don't even know them. To me this item is much different than a slavery relic. I will prob get killed for saying that but hear me out. Not every slave owner hated black folks. Lots of the slaves and families that "owned" them had very good relationships and more of a family dynamic. One of my ancestors had some black servants and it was said that he loved them and they loved him. He loved the ladies so much that African American became a part of my geneology lol. I am in no way saying that slavery was right or ok in any way. It was terrible to believe that any person should be enslaved. But this deep seeded senseless hatred is the worst thing in my opinion. Whoever wore that ring stood for everything that I despise. I do agree that it is a part of our history and I wouldn't destroy it but I def would not want it in my home or around my loved ones

 

[Ahab8]

We lived in the house from 1988 to October 1994 and I spent many a sleepness or restless nights in it. The house had a newer addition but the old main part of the home creaked and popped a lot when the temperature warmed or cooled. Also, my daughters whose bedrooms were upstairs, often complained that someone had walked up the stairs and into their' bedrooms. To make matters worse, we had a local thief that would break into our' basement about once a week and I was often on burglar watch. I nearly shot him on several occasions and couldn't have missed by much. After he or someone else had poisoned 3 of my' dogs which killed two of them, I had had enough! I put the word out in the community in which we lived that the thief would attempt to break into my' basement some night while I was waiting in the big White Walnut Tree only 30 to 35 yards from the basement's door with my' hunting bow and that not soon after, the thief would be in the Hospital's Emergency Room trying to explain to the Doctors and Sheriff's Deputies how he got and arrow and broadhead stuck up his' a$%. That is all it took and there were no more break-ins after that.


Frank

Btw I absolutely love animals. Anybody that would hurt an animal is the lowest of the low. No I am not talking about people who hunt for food. I'm talking about people who hurt innocent animals because they get off on it. I once was driving and saw a guy on the sidewalk kicking his dog. My girlfriend tried to stop me but I was not about to let that pos get away with that and think their would never be any consequences. If she and a few others hadn't yanked me off of this guy I prob would have just kept on hammering away. When I caught my breath I asked him how he liked getting beat. I am by no means a violent person but if an animal or a child is being mistreated in my presence somebody is gonna get taught a painful lesson. There's gotta be consequences for those actions

 

[jfreakofkorn]

anything like this is always going to hit both side(s) of the fence ...

its OUR history and just live w/ it ( or do not comment to it )

we have to accept it and move on from learning from it ( so it doesn't happen again )

dwelling on the past, not only poisons the present but also the future ( IMO )

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I know what you mean about bad juju! When I lived in West Virginia, our' home was only 150 yards from a Graveyard. Many a time while sitting at the head of the Dinner table which gave me a view through part of the kitchen, I saw a dark figure cross the kitchen from right to left as if they had come up from the basement. I also found a carved Bear tooth in the entrance of a cave in Southwest Virginia that was apparently used in ceremonies. As soon as I stuck it in my' pocket and for the next two weeks until I got rid of it, I had round after round of bad luck. As if dark spirits aren't bad enough to get you on edge when you have a wife and three daughters, I sure as hell don't need an item that may have bad juju attached to it in my' home!


Frank

I lived within 30 foot of an old but active country cemetery from 7th grade to Junior year of high school, hunted squirrels there, high school kids used it for parking. Several of my indian artifacts are grave or death related, (no I did not raid any graves)...

 

[treasuresalvor]

I'd a figured on a treasure forum people would be a little more realistic and not get so easily butt hurt about an inanimate object. It's a nice find that I would be proud to display or sell. If found to be somewhat old, it's a very nice semi historical item that should never be destroyed and I'd bet it doesn't have any evil spirits hovering around it to make anyone lose sleep over. My grandfather was a very well renowned antique dealer for the better part of his life and acquired many klan items over the years, old original stuff along with plenty of Nazi ,SS artifacts (after fighting against them), and other items that were offensive to the thin skinned. If you want to make a buck in this business you need to put your personal beliefs aside. If you delve a little deeper back into the history books you may find that the klan didn't start out how you may think it did. That ring of course is not that old but a nice find none the less. To answer your question, to a dealer it's not worth much at all because it's not old and the market for such an item is very limited, even the old ones don't go for much nowadays . As bad as this may sound, your best bet is to find a klansman who wants to wear it, and I'd bet you can find one easier than you think.

 

[diggummup]

I'd a figured on a treasure forum people would be a little more realistic and not get so easily butt hurt about an inanimate object. It's a nice find that I would be proud to display or sell. If found to be somewhat old, it's a very nice semi historical item that should never be destroyed and I'd bet it doesn't have any evil spirits hovering around it to make anyone lose sleep over. My grandfather was a very well renowned antique dealer for the better part of his life and acquired many klan items over the years, old original stuff along with plenty of Nazi ,SS artifacts (after fighting against them), and other items that were offensive to the thin skinned. If you want to make a buck in this business you need to put your personal beliefs aside. If you delve a little deeper back into the history books you may find that the klan didn't start out how you may think it did. That ring of course is not that old but a nice find none the less. To answer your question, to a dealer it's not worth much at all because it's not old and the market for such an item is very limited, even the old ones don't go for much nowadays . As bad as this may sound, your best bet is to find a klansman who wants to wear it, and I'd bet you can find one easier than you think.

I'm glad to see someone has a realistic view of things around here.

While we're on the subject of the KKK, here is one of my recent finds - http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/g...43-found-symbol-racism-but-piece-history.html

 

[huntsman53]

I'd a figured on a treasure forum people would be a little more realistic and not get so easily butt hurt about an inanimate object. It's a nice find that I would be proud to display or sell. If found to be somewhat old, it's a very nice semi historical item that should never be destroyed and I'd bet it doesn't have any evil spirits hovering around it to make anyone lose sleep over. My grandfather was a very well renowned antique dealer for the better part of his life and acquired many klan items over the years, old original stuff along with plenty of Nazi ,SS artifacts (after fighting against them), and other items that were offensive to the thin skinned. If you want to make a buck in this business you need to put your personal beliefs aside. If you delve a little deeper back into the history books you may find that the klan didn't start out how you may think it did. That ring of course is not that old but a nice find none the less. To answer your question, to a dealer it's not worth much at all because it's not old and the market for such an item is very limited, even the old ones don't go for much nowadays . As bad as this may sound, your best bet is to find a klansman who wants to wear it, and I'd bet you can find one easier than you think.

I would expect others to be or at least try to be more sensitive to other's feelings on such items! You have not walked in our' shoes nor experienced the things that we have experienced during our' lifetimes. I don't get butt hurt and am always realistic and honest about such things when I write them or convey them in a conversation. In an attempt to be somewhat brief, I did not tell the whole story about the Carved Ceremonial Bear's Tooth. A friend (Jeff) took me to the spot (Cave entrance) where I found the Bear's Tooth and after having round after round of bad luck for two weeks, I called and told him that I was bringing the tooth to him and asked him to return it to the cave. It was late in the afternoon when I arrived and gave Jeff the tooth, so he could not return it to the cave that day. Well, later that same evening, Jeff's two year old son got into and took some of his grandmother's (Jeff's mom) heart medication, was rushed to the hospital where he spent the whole night in ICU and almost died. As soon as Jeff's son improved and was no longer in danger, Jeff took the Bear's Tooth back to the cave and threw it into the entrance, returned back to the hospital and neither he or myself have had such unexplained bad luck as we experienced by just having the Bear's Tooth in our possession.

Then there is the Nazi items! I met my now ex-wife in Germany and out of respect for her and her grandfather who served during WWII, I would not bring Nazi coins or other Nazi related items into our' home even though I did and still do a lot of buying, selling and trading of all types of collectibles and other items. You see, her grandfather Herr Eugen (Eugene in English) Keller lived in the little town of Lich (Stadt Lich) and when the Nazi Party came to their' town to induct the people of the town into the Nazi Party, Herr Keller hid out on the rooftops of the town eating and drinking only what little bread and water family members could sneak to him. Even though he was successful and was not inducted into the Nazi Party, Herr Keller was still drafted into the German Army and because of what he did and as punishment, they sent him to the Russian Front where he was wounded and captured. If it were not for an Allied Battalion reaching the POW Camp when they did, the Russians would have massacred every prisoner in the camp and although the Russians tried every tactic they could to get the Allied Battalion to walk away, they refused.


Frank

 

[Ahab8]

I'd a figured on a treasure forum people would be a little more realistic and not get so easily butt hurt about an inanimate object. It's a nice find that I would be proud to display or sell. If found to be somewhat old, it's a very nice semi historical item that should never be destroyed and I'd bet it doesn't have any evil spirits hovering around it to make anyone lose sleep over. My grandfather was a very well renowned antique dealer for the better part of his life and acquired many klan items over the years, old original stuff along with plenty of Nazi ,SS artifacts (after fighting against them), and other items that were offensive to the thin skinned. If you want to make a buck in this business you need to put your personal beliefs aside. If you delve a little deeper back into the history books you may find that the klan didn't start out how you may think it did. That ring of course is not that old but a nice find none the less. To answer your question, to a dealer it's not worth much at all because it's not old and the market for such an item is very limited, even the old ones don't go for much nowadays . As bad as this may sound, your best bet is to find a klansman who wants to wear it, and I'd bet you can find one easier than you think.

Not sure who's "butt hurt" but just because you have a different opinion of things doesn't mean that others are wrong in there's. And your experiences may be very different than others. Regardless there's a polite way to voice your opinion.

 

[diggummup]

Not sure who's "butt hurt" but just because you have a different opinion of things doesn't mean that others are wrong in there's. And your experiences may be very different than others. Regardless there's a polite way to voice your opinion.

Who was being non polite besides all the ones spewing their personal views of the hate group known as the KKK? I see someone who replied with a common sense and logical approach to the object being discussed here, a ring with a klansman depicted on it. The OP of this thread (which is posted in the "what's It Worth?" forum) asked for help on the age and value of his find. He even states and I quote- "I'm not trying to offend anyone one just curious about the value and history behind this ring". The ones being rude are the ones not staying on the subject of this thread, that includes you, me and most of the replies here.
Of course there are many who would be offended at such an object because of the history/hatred it represents. Duh. If we are splitting hairs, the only "non polite" reply came from MUD(S.W.A.T). His reply actually violates the rules of this forum and could be removed if someone actually reported it. Personally, I could care less. The bottom line is... the OP asked for help valuing his ring, not your personal opinion of it.


There is no such thing as bad juju unless you want there to be. Holding that ring or bringing it into your house isn't going to conjure up anything other than what you want it to conjure up in your own mind's eye. That goes for any inanimate object.

 

[Alchemy]

First, why are we calling this an "artifact"? The KKK is still alive and just as sick (unlike "alive and well") Could this not have been made within recent times (like last year?)
What do we know about it? Who's the maker and in what year was it made?
Secondly, a material thing is just a thing. It's the persona of the owner of it which makes it visually offensive or perceived to be offensive.
If I owned it, it would simply be in a drawer as an item of some value and most likely forgotten about.
If sold to a member or non member of the KKK, if someone wanted one bad enough, they're going to find one or have one made. It wont stop other KKK rings from being made or showing up.
It wont stop the KKK from existing if it's melted down. Honestly, if I found it I would sell it to whom ever would pay the highest. Someone "should make a profit" off their find.
And while I don't condone the KKK what so ever, if I owned it, some how "me" making a profit off an item like that, what it represents, would be a bit ironic!
So yeah, sell it for what it's worth or keep it in a drawer, but don't melt it for some "ethical" reasons, because a "thing" has no ethics, it's just a thing!

 

[scaupus]

There are still an awful lot of people who share at least some of the views of the KKK regarding race and regional identity. I've heard enough of it myself to know that's true. I would be happy to sell it to a collector, but I would not want to sell it to someone for whom it would be inspirational, or a racist status symbol among his confederates.

That's a pun by the way. You may all laugh now.

 

[Tejaas]

I never understood this... folks would regard a slave tag as a banner find, but tons of people apologize or offer a "not trying to offend anyone" disclaimer for simply posting a photo of Nazi/KKK materials.

Its an organizational ring.
Yes - the KKK are a bunch of bigots and hoopleheads, but you are seriously just the caretaker of that item. Your not trying to reunite it with its owner, and your not building a shrine dedicated to the praise of it.

Sell it with discretion, donate it to a civil rights museum, or melt it down for scrap if thats your cup of tea. But don't destroy it just because it says "KKK" on it.

From the historical standpoint - I'd be more inclined to regard a KKK item as "more interesting" than a Nazi Party item.... Dating back to Reconstruction, it was another example of political and moral division between people of the SAME country, and has its roots during the era that a young/still-developing nation had to reunite/rebuild.

The other can only go back to about 1920 in its recognized form... When our nation was already an established and recognized world power.

If we shamed and destroyed everything that had at one point stood for/left a dark spot in american history (like your ring), i'd recommend we start with abolishing the iconic Mickey Mouse from american culture, and maybe we should also strike Franklin D. Roosevelt from the textbooks as the "New Deal" hero, and instead label him as a douchebag...?





~Tejaas~