Interesting conversation on military fakerys?

[Rob Fast]

One can never be to cautious when purchasing a collectable artifact.
http://www.network54.com/Forum/18074...tary+Trader+UK

[Robin Craig]

Sadly we here do not have the mindset to go after people aided by laws such as in the UK, if only we did.

R

[Ed Storey]

I certainly feel sorry for Mr. Bateman that he fell victim to purchasing a large number of military fakes and it is good to hear that he did get some restitution. I also shake my head when I look at what he spend nearly $24K Canadian on, things like Guy Gibson's escape axe and an RAF 617 Signalling Lamp! Come on, did this guy really think that during WWII there was someone who actually saved Guy Gibson's escape axe!? Or that somehow a common signally lamp could be linked to perhaps one of the most famous RAF squadrons to ever fly?

The collector forums are constantly populated with messages asking, "what I have bought and how much is it worth" and it is easy to find on a daily basis the absurd prices now being paid on eBay for military items.

Fraud exists in many forms but the collectables angle seems to work very well as there are many eager 'collectors' who are flush with cash and low on knowledge.

[David Dunlop]

Ed. Your last line sums it all up, and it is not exclusive to collectors. Take the guy in Denver last week who dropped $60,000 on a brand new Dodge Challenger Hellcat and totalled it less than an hour from picking it up at the dealers. More money than knowledge or skills!

David