Warning about craigslist antiques + collectibles for sale

[Red James Cash]

I was checking out antiques and collectibles on craigslist the other day and came across an ad for a nazi dagger. Whoever was selling it added the info on the dagger thats inscribed into the blade. It said made in berlin (in german of course). To make a long story short it took less than 5 minutes to find out the original daggers were manufactured in solingen not berlin.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Diving for Pleasure and Treasure - Grab it through Amazon!

[Treasure_Hunter]

I was checking out antiques and collectibles on craigslist the other day and came across an ad for a nazi dagger. Whoever was selling it added the info on the dagger thats inscribed into the blade. It said made in berlin (in german of course). To make a long story short it took less than 5 minutes to find out the original daggers were manufactured in solingen not berlin.

In todays world with the resourses at our finger tips anyone who doesn't do a little research is asking to be scammed....

 

[Red James Cash]

Thats right man you hit the nail right on the head.

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Yes, please be careful. I was just ripped of a couple weeks ago for 500.00

 

[Bum Luck]

Nazi daggers are notorious for being fakes, starting with 'parts daggers' made in Spain with real parts right after the war by the same guys that made them just a few years earlier. How you gonna spot those?

Indian artifacts as well. I got burned buying some copper arrowheads many years ago, never again.

I refuse to buy arrowheads any more, it's just too easy to fake them.

 

[LM]

Not unique to craigslist. It's an issue of Caveat Emptor, everywhere. Ebay, antique shops, etc.

I remember when these things (fake Nazi medals, daggers, etc) hit the scene hard in the late 1990's, how many people were getting hosed left and right. The lesson is, in the internet age, always do your research. If you're buying something based on 'hunch' and you aren't an expert in that field, you can safely assume that there's a workshop somewhere in China striving to make copies that will screw you hard and you'd better be prepared to take a loss.

If it's an 89 year old woman selling it off at a garage sale along with a GI Footlocker full of other WWII stuff, that's one thing. If it's some random moron from the internet, something entirely different and warrants total caution.

I refuse to buy arrowheads any more, it's just too easy to fake them.

Yeah. I'm pretty much at the point that unless something can be fully quantified as being authentic (either via institutional provenance or scientific testing), I have no interest in buying it. This goes for pretty much all stone artifacts and most ancient coins.

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

You are all correct, of course,

But, I'd like to add "sellers" to that list. If you have something to sell, make sure you know what you are selling - sometimes sellers think things are reproductions, and they aren't, or they really think something is real, and it isn't.

If you are going to sell something - take the time to "check it out", also.

If you ever watch "Pawn Stars", you will see lots of folks who think they have something great, and don't, or think they have something but don't know what, and people who will take 100 bucks for a piece worth $10,000. (luckily, the Pawn Stars are being taped and are honest).

Not every seller knows what they have or what it is worth.

Beth

 

[crazyjarhead]

Craigslist? Shop at your own risk There are so many scams and lurking crooks hiding behind there computer Buyers beware