Age can either greatly increase of decrease the value of a given thing, how does this affect military patches?
The worth of old military patches in today’s market varies greatly, from very little to a great deal. More common patches can be worth around two dollars whereas more rarely and valuable patches can be worth up to several thousand.
How can you discern what makes one military patch valuable from another? Lets explore the variables
How scarce they are
Scarcity has a significant effect on the value of a military patch. The greater the scarcity, or the lower supply of the product, creates a greater sense of demand since fewer people can own the badge. This is why easy to create products, such as hamburgers as Mcdonalds, can be sold so cheapy. The supply of the given product is nearly infinite.
However, scarce and limited-time products, such as the McRib, will have a higher price due to the lower supply available. As a result of this, the more common or popular a particular badge is, the less it is worth. Correspondingly, patches that have a low supply or were uncommon to acquire in the military will have higher perceived worth.
How old they are
The age of the particular patch will also have a significant impact on its market value. The reason behind this is, generally speaking, the longer the duration of time, the harder a given product is to find and acquire. This is why the price for older versions of the bible costs so much more than more recent ones: they’re hard to find.
Ultimately, the harder a given item is to find, the higher its perceived value will be to the market. Likewise, the more accessible or convenient it is to purchase, the less valuable it is considered the collectors, and the cheaper it will be to purchase.
The history behind them
There is an inevitable effect on the history of an item, and the overall worth it. For example, a patch used by a World War 2 general will be worth far more than that of a private during the Vietnam War. Patches that have history attached to them, whether it is a famous story or a particularly well-known person, will have a dramatic increase in price result from it.
The Popularity
If the item or Patch is regarded as desirable to society as a whole, the price will likewise see a large increase. Humans are by nature competitive, and the desire to possess something that is considered fashionable or desirable to others will motivate them to spend more money. This is why bidding wars occur, and cause the price of a given product to be so overinflated; it stems from the human desire to fit in and have something desirable.
Something to consider, however, with popularity is how long this given product will fall under this perception of being desirable by society. Fortunately, in the eyes of collectors and those who desire military badges, if the product is old and in good shape, its popularity will not be changing anytime soon.
Most Valuable Military Patches
- Military Patch SEW ON Original TAB UDT 22 Underwater Demolition Team Vietnam
This particular patch retails for over two hundred dollars. This value of this particular patch is a result of several factors. The first factor is the fact that is badge was for members of the underwater demolition team, an exclusively group. As a result, the supply of this particular badge is low, which drives the price of it up.
The next factor that further drives its price up is its association with the Vietnam war, which happened nearly half a century ago. The age, scarcity, and exclusivity of the particular badge explains its high price and value in today’s market.
- WWI 1913 US Military Aviator’s patch
This particular badge retails for over four thousand dollars, significantly more than almost any other badge on the market. The reasons behind this high value are first and foremost, because of how old it is. This badge was issued over a hundred years ago, so inevitably the supply of these badges that still exist left is likely a small number.
Additionally, this badge happened to be issued during World War One, which makes it an especially attractive badge to history enthusiasts. The combination of all these factors makes this patch worth as much as some used cars.
Best Places to Shop and Sell Military Patches
If you are looking to purchase a patch for collection, curiosity, or even investment purposes, it is important to know where the best place to find these would be at. The supply of stores that provide these services is dwindling as a result of an increase in consumers buying online, so expect to find more variety and selection by shopping online.
Likewise, if you desire to sell your patch for a profit, it is important to know where you can go to connect with an interested and reasonable market of buyers. Before you decide where to look, the first thing that needs to be considered is if you acquired your patches from military service or not. If you serviced in the military and were given your patches there, you are eligible for special privileges.
For example, if you lose a particular patch, the military will send it to your free of charge. If you do not fall under these fortunate circumstances, no worries. Your best option to buy and sell your patches will be on eBay, USAMilitarymedals, and Amazon. These are all great places because they provide two things that are crucial to being an effective retailer. The first being, they have access to a broad and diverse market, which makes finding a wide variety of different badges a much easier and simple process.
The second is that it gives you an accurate indicator of what your particular item, or the item you’re searching for, is actually worth. This can be done by simply comparing the item to others that are similar to it, and seeing the price difference.