All About Pocket Knives

Mr. Blister, you might try posting this over on the US Militaria forum http://www.usmilitariaforum.com Lotsa collectors there . . .

Why did fleabay pull it Mr. B

Miller Bro`s wrote:Why did fleabay pull it Mr. B

Sale of medals is illegal. Lots of 'em get sold anyway.

* The Stolen Valor Act (SVA) makes it a criminal offense to buy, sell, trade, exchange all decorations and medals; there are increased criminal penalties when the decorations involved are the Distinguished Service Cross/Navy Cross/Air Force Cross, Silver Star, and Purple Heart.

FEEBAY pulled it because it violates the "Stolen Valor" Act that was passed in congress about selling US medals of valor,which includes the Medal of Honor,Navy Cross,Distinguished Service Cross,Bronze Stars,Silver Stars,Purple Hearts,,,all campaign and long service,good conduct,etc are not affected by the imbecilic legislation,,,

I did not know about that law.

Thanks guys for telling me

And by the way, a warm welcome to Militarymania to the best and friendliest forum.

Ray

Thanks Ray for letting me know about this site,,looks GREAT,,,,and I hope I can be of some help to others now and then,,,,,and I Love your Palladin Avatar....Robert

One more case of blaming inanimate objects for the actions of their bearers.

Well guys I might be standing alone on this and going against the grain but I honestly don't think awarded medals like the Medal of Honor, Bronze & Silver Stars, and Purple Hearts should be allowed to be sold. Those medals were not "given", they were earned by the people that received them. If the person awarded the medal passes away, and the family doesn't wish to keep the medal to be handed down to family members, then I think the medal should be buried with the person that was awarded it. Those medals represent something that can't be bought or sold, and shouldn't be. I'll step down off my soap box now.

Respectfully, Aimus

medals.like most things,are personal property and should be allowed to bought,sold,traded,bartered...this trafficking in decorations,foreign included,allow succeeding generations to acquire,research,and most of all,appreciate the sacrifice and valiant deeds and also serve as a reminder of the bravery and courage of those who earned those awards.If the award is to be buried with the recipient,then all of this will be lost forever to the next generation,,,,at best,the award should be returned to the Government upon death of the brave warrior,still resulting in the loss of heritage to the family and the community of the courageous at large,,,my opinion from collecting medals,decorations,and awards the world over for the last 49 years,,,,& why no concern about it then,but just recently?,,,,this is due to imbecilic legislation that has been allowed to become law...

Well guys I might be standing alone on this and going against the grain

No...your not alone.I feel the same way.
I think it is in very poor taste to sell or barter a deceased soldiers medals.
I know and have known several people who collect such items....main reason for collecting?...VALUE!!
Its all about the money....has very little to do with the history behind the medal...or unless the history makes them more valuable.
But to each his own....its just not for me.

i agree that many collect because of value,and many like me collect because they love history,,,its only the high demand and short supply of anything, that makes a item have value,,,i am sure that many here also collect for value,,,that's just the way the world works,,,

I'm a veteran.I think medals are important to those who earned them in ways non-vets don't always appreciate.I feel when someone commits a crime,such as misrepresenting themselves by wearing medals they didn't earn,they should be punished.When I'm dead, I hope my family keeps mine for a generation or two before they lose the connection.After that,they can do what they will with them,for without the story and the connection they just become things.If someone decides to parade around wearing my "things" after that,punish them..they're cheapening the meaning of all medals that still have a connection and mocking those that earned them. That wrongful act is already regulated,but enforcing it requires effort.It takes less effort to create more regulations,this time about the object.Somehow that will fix it.More regulations remove responsibilities from individuals and place them on the state.Parents and mentors throw up their hands and quit doing their jobs.I'm not sure I like the way it's going so far.Sorry,just my 2 cents worth of ranting...I'll shut up now.

Thank you for your service to our country, Elbertson!

i want to thank you for your service to our great country,,,i have had many relatives in the service too,fought in wars and one was a POW in a Japanese internment camp,,,all my relatives gave me their decorations and insignia as their families had little to no interest in them,,,i guess this is how i got started in my love affair of collecting militaria items,,,i agree with you about people wearing decorations that they did not earn or warrant,and should be punished,,,but this seems a mostly unprosecutable offense unless it is extremely blatant i have found,,,i find it interesting that average people can be held liable for such things,but if it is against the law to wear such awards,how does Hollywood (actors etc) or historical re-enactors merit such an exception to the law???...prosecute all who violate this law or dont prosecute any...

Thank you both,I felt honored to serve. Both my parents served in the army in WW2,and my paternal grandfather in WW1,who immigrated here as an orphan from Germany at the turn of the century and returned to serve his country,this country.I guess I must have been inspired by example,although my service pales in comparison.

On the issue of actors wearing medals,I don't have a problem with that.They are portraying a character..we all know it..and as long as they've done their homework as to the details (one of my pet peeves),then it's fine.It's those outside of acting that live as frauds I resent.

i could be wrong,,but i havent read where the law makes exception for "theatrical performance" and since they didnt earn the award,,,they are in violation of the letter,if not the spirit of the law,,,i know i am nit picking,but this inane legislation is a tribute to our mostly congressional jerks,and need to be totally scraped,,,,i have said enough,i think,,,

I don't mean this toward anyone who's posted here and don't want to offend anyone but I think if someone wants a medal they should go sign up for one of the military branches and take their turn of dodging bullets and grenades while living in a fox hole (more like a rat hole) to get it. That's just my take on the subject. Thank you to all that have served in any branch of the United States of America military.

Respectfully, Aimus

The point I was trying to make is it would be easier for me to condone if people collected medals solely for history's sake and not for their monetary value...But thats NOT how the world works.
Medals are earned.. not bought!!

johnnierotten wrote:The point I was trying to make is it would be easier for me to condone if people collected medals solely for history's sake and not for their monetary value...But thats NOT how the world works.
Medals are earned.. not bought!!

You the man JR. 100% correct.

Aimus

This is only my opinion. I would much rather anything of intrinsic or real value I own to go into someones collection somewhere when I am dust in the wind. That would include any medals I have earned also. Seems to me this would be a far more fitting remembrance of the original owner whether any familial connection remains or not. I reckon some folks would just rather things go to the garbage dump(not much honor involved there.) after that final estate sale where it was against the law to sell them. Again just my opinion.
moss

I can't believe this old soldiers family sold that stuff, he had to have someone left and it's just a shame they got rid of it.
They could have donated it to a local museum at the least.

Just my opinion though.

snorkel wrote:I can't believe this old soldiers family sold that stuff, he had to have someone left and it's just a shame they got rid of it.
They could have donated it to a local museum at the least.

Just my opinion though.

Snorkel, yer heartfelt opinion is simply based on errant assumptions on YOUR part. "this old soldiers' family" left his treasured medals on a concrete floor in an abondoned storage unit. The lovely and talented MRS BLISTER salvaged these items and more, and they NOW reside in a wonderful private museum in NY, where we're sure they'll be respected as they shud be.

regards Dave