A couple of weeks ago I met a comrade in a plowed field. As usually happens at such meetings, we said hello, talked about what was going on and how. Well, God himself ordered us to show off our finds. I opened the swag bag, the comrade shook his head contentedly. He put his finger into his jacket pocket and pulled out a handful of his finds. Everything is in one heap, fragments of crosses, copper coins, horse meat and one button. It was the button that immediately caught my attention.
Two crossed cannons, and the inscription 3.R. the button had traces of silvering, and on the back it was unclear, but the manufacturer’s inscription was visible. “Wow!!!” I exclaimed. “What a find!!!” Such delight caused bewilderment among the comrade. What's wrong with that? Well, a button, just a button. Or is it not easy??? This button would have ended up in the trash bin if I hadn’t told the comrade what such a button was worth, and in such an amazing state of preservation. Maybe up to 10 thousand rubles.
The reality is that I sold this lot for 2 thousand rubles wholesale.
Therefore, in this note, I decided to share my experience of how, in the field, you can easily and quickly determine whether you have found something expensive or whether it is not even worth your attention. And therefore, the place of this find is still in the same bucket with the shmurdyak.
Rule one. Everything that is not a toss. I think that any digger with more than one month of experience has at least once found an orlyanka button. This is the most common type of uniform buttons, since in terms of rank such buttons were assigned to all civilian ranks in the sovereign service. So, remember this plot and then use the rule when examining the next find. Anything that differs from the standard pattern can cost good money. In this case, the word “may” means an increased probability of this event. This means that this button is definitely worth either checking in catalogs yourself or posting in a specialized forum for identification.
My discovery, this was really a shame…
Rule two. Overhead coats of arms and emblems. If you come across a button on which the image is not pressed out with a press, but is soldered in the form of an overlay, it is definitely something expensive. Such things must be treated with care. Do not rub it on the back of the glove, do not throw it in the same pocket with other finds, but very carefully put it in a separate place if you do not have a special bag. Remember, if you want to sell such a find, all you need to do is wash it with a soft brush and soap, and then photo experts will figure out the degree of preservation themselves.
Rule three. Coats of arms, monograms and emblems of institutions. This is a separate category of collecting. Here, as elsewhere, rarity and belonging play a major role. For example, the coats of arms of famous noble families and specific historical figures. However, one should not be mistaken and mistake a button with some kind of openwork ornament for the coat of arms of a noble nobleman. Also, there is a very stable demand for buttons with emblems of civil and military institutions. So, for example, such a button from the Shosten Powder Plant can cost from 5 thousand rubles, depending on the degree of preservation.
Rule four. Foreign military on Russian territory. This is a separate category of buttons that is in steady demand not only among our collectors, but also abroad. Everything related to the Wehrmacht and especially the SS sells well on eBay in the USA. Buttons from the uniforms of Napoleon's Grand Army deserve special attention. And, as we know, the French themselves were 30% in that army, the rest was that same forty-lingual army of the peoples of Europe. But still. Judging by the aisles at auctions, the most expensive buttons are those of troops from among the interventionists in the Crimean War of 1853-1856.
Addition. What, doubles and triples the cost of a button? In addition to the general state of preservation of the product, the increase in price is affected by gilding or silver plating; better, of course, all silver))). This means that the buttons were not soldiers’, but officers’, or belonged to the highest ranks in the department. The price of a button is also affected by the manufacturer's mark. Kopeikin, Brothers Bukh, Linden, Nordemstren and so on. Here, as elsewhere in collecting, the price directly depends on the rarity.
How to find out the real price? Everything is not so clear here. The question is complex because the price on the market is determined by demand. And, in recent years, it has fallen sharply and continues to fall. Therefore, if you see that a button similar to yours was sold a couple of years ago for 10 thousand rubles, this does not mean that you will be able to sell your find for the same amount. The best option to find out the real price and quickly find a buyer is to post photos of your finds in a profile group on social networks. The main rule is that if you want to be on the safe side, you should post such photos via a message to the admin.