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Common Questions

We run the Militaria business in our spare time, and our full-time work often involves working away without internet access. We have made this page to give you a speedier response. 99% of the questions that people ask can be answered by using the information or hyperlinks on this page - please read this page before asking questions by e-mail. Click on the heading in the table of contents to take you straight to the answer.

Table of Contents

  1. How do I place an order / May I order by telephone?
  2. How much will my order cost including shipping / postage?
  3. Do you mail / ship insignia to my country / BFPO address?
  4. Can you identify or date this photograph, badge or button or tell me which unit is pictured?
  5. Can I send you an image of a badge / button that I would like you to identify?
  6. Is the price for a single item or a pair?
  7. Are fastenings included?
  8. Is the item genuine, original and in good condition?
  9. Is the item still in stock / How many do you have?
  10. Are you likely to get any of the following items in the future? Can you obtain an item for me?
  11. Can you make an item for me?
  12. What is your returns policy?
  13. Questions about specific items of stock
  14. What does your abbreviation mean?
  15. What size is your hat?
  16. What size is your belt?
  17. Do you stock blazer buttons?
  18. I can't find what I want in your online catalogue
  19. What is the item price in my currency, for example US Dollars or Euros?
  20. How can I pay - do you accept credit cards?
  21. Do you do discounts or reduced-price offers?
  22. How quickly can you deliver?
  23. My order is urgent: do you have a shop, can I collect in person, or do you offer an express delivery service?
  24. You want me to send you money - how do I know that I can trust you?
  25. What is a 'Limited-Value' cheque / check?
  26. Will you send me additional images of an item from your catalogue?
  27. Will you reserve or put an item aside for me?
  28. Do you stock insignia to the following unit .....?
  29. Do you have a Beginner's Guide?
  30. Do you do valuations or appraisals - how much is my badge worth?
  31. I have items to trade, sell or swap....
  32. Do you accept 'Wants Lists'?
  33. Do you have items that my relative may have worn during the war?
  34. Can you recommend a book about.... ?
  35. May I have your phone number / will you telephone me?
  36. Questions about regimental history?
  37. Genealogy Questions
  38. Questions about current British Army units
  39. Do you stock medals?
  40. Do you have any knives, guns, bayonets or German NAZI items?
  41. Can you recommend another dealer?
  42. Why should I buy your snail-mail postal catalogues if I have internet access?
  43. My question has still not been answered....

Questions about specific items of stock

If you are asking questions about specific items of stock, please include our 6-figure stock reference code for the item in question. This is a combination of letters and numbers - it is shown on our website for each item and is the first 6-figures on the relevant line of our hard-copy catalogues.

Also see our answers to questions about :

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Is the item still in stock and how many do you have?

If you cursor over the picture of an item, the word 'More' will appear below. Click the word 'More' and you will be able to see how many of that item are in stock.

Sometimes we might have more than one example of an item, but they do not exactly match. We are not manufacturers, but deal in original items for collectors and in the nature of authenticity, variations do exist - this could be because the government has placed supply-contracts with different manufacturers over the years, or because of how the original wearer polished or washed the insignia.

There is a 'comments' box at the bottom of the Order Form so that you can specify things such as minimum quantity, such as 'Only process my order if you have at least 4 matching buttons'.

If you send a message to ask about items of stock, please bear in mind that in the delay between you sending the message and me replying to your question, the quantity may have changed and the item(s) may have been sold. Also see reserving items.

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How quickly can you deliver?

As a small business, we usually despatch orders once a week on Mondays (except for Bank Holidays, and provided that we are not away on business or holiday). We can also get swamped with orders immediately following the publication of a Postal Catalogue, but most 'straightforward orders' are sent in the next available Monday mail collection.

The mail is usually sent on Monday mornings and we normally stop processing new orders on Saturday evening in order to pack everything for Monday.

Depending on insurance value, our mail is sent by First Class post or Special Delivery, both are normally next-day delivery within the UK.

Overseas mail is normally sent by Airmail unless the packet is very heavy and you have requested 'surface mail' to save cost. Airmail usually takes about 3 - 14 days depending on which country you live in.

NOTE: Complicated orders might be delayed until we have time to try to work out what the customer wants. The following are typical reasons for delay:

  • customers not using our online ordering system
  • Customers trying to part-exchange items without telling us how much they want for their swaps.

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My order is urgent: do you have a shop, can I collect in person, or do you offer an express delivery service?

Sorry - we do not have a shop and you may not collect in person. Our busy lives mean that we cannot wait here for you to collect from us. The badge business is conducted in our limited spare time, and mail-order is the only way that we can run the business effectively and have a family life.

We usually despatch on Mondays, but we will try our best to help if you pay promptly and tell us that you need an item urgently for an event such as a wedding, funeral or important parade. There is space on our online order form for additional comments.

If you cannot wait until the following Monday collection and we have to make an additional journey to the Post Office just for your order, we may impose a £10 surcharge to cover our time and fuel costs.

Orders over £50 in value are automatically sent by 'Special Delivery' or 'Signed-For' Airmail. This is due to insurance in case of loss, but these mail services also offer priority delivery. Please note that they will need someone present at the receiving end to sign for the packet. You may request 'Special Delivery' or 'Signed-For' Airmail for packets worth less than £46 if you wish, provided that you cover the additional postage cost. Please see the Royal Mail website for more about these priority services.

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Do you mail / ship insignia to my country / BFPO address?

We buy and sell world-wide including Australia, Canada and the United States of America.

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How much will my order cost including postage / shipping?

Postal / shipping costs are automatically calculated as part of the online ordering process. You can use the checkout system to view the postage cost without committing yourself to buy the items.

You will need to enter your address details so that shipping costs are calculated for the correct country.

Delivery costs depend on size, weight and value of the parcel, also the destination and speed of transit.

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What is the item price in my currency, for example US Dollars or Euros?

This business is based in the UK, so all prices on our lists are in British Pounds Sterling (GBP).

Due to rising bank charges, we no longer accept payment in other currencies.

We welcome overseas orders with payment via Credit Card, Debit Card or PayPal - when you place an online order, the currency conversion will be done as part of the transaction so that you pay in your own currency. This is a common routine process.

Exchange rates fluctuate daily and the exchange rate used by card companies or PayPal at the time of the transaction will apply. To give you an approximate idea of cost, we suggest that you look at an online currency conversion calculator such as www.xe.com

If you do not wish to send an electronic payment, you may select 'payment by cheque' - the total cost of your order will be calculated as part of the order process, but please note that the cheque must be in British Pounds using a bank based in the UK.

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Is the price for a single item or a pair?

Nearly all items are sold as single items, including collar badges, shoulder titles and rank badges. We are not tailors or outfitters. Our main business is with insignia for collectors, and collectors tend only to want single examples. The other factor is that we might only have a single example, particularly of older rarer items.

Sometimes we might have more than one of an item, but they do not exactly match - this could be because the government has placed supply-contracts with different manufacturers over the years, or because of how the original wearer polished or washed the insignia. We are not manufacturers, but deal in original items for collectors and in the nature of authenticity, variations do exist.

If any items are sold as pairs, they will be clearly marked "(Pair)". Where there is potential for confusion, some items are also marked as '(Single)'.

Sometimes we list items as "Pair Available", this means that we have a matching set in stock, but the price will be based on single items. In other words you need to order 2 if you want a pair.

If in doubt, assume that the price is based on single quantities. We sell items as collectables, and collectors tend to want only one of a kind, not duplicates.

Some military collar and arm badges are made as "mirror-image" pairs: typically these are badges with animals and they are made to face left or right; usually, so that they face forwards when worn on a uniform. We usually sell these as single items and use the following abbreviations:

FL Facing Left (as seen by an observer)

FR Facing Right (as seen by an observer)

If a badge is marked FL or FR, it is undoubtedly a single, not a pair.

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Will you reserve or put an item aside for me?

If you order online and choose the 'pay by cheque' option, items are automatically reserved for 7 days in order to allow time for your cheque to arrive. Please note that we only accept cheques that are drawn in Pounds Sterling from UK-based banks.

Otherwise, we do not reserve items or 'put them aside'. We are simply too busy to keep track of individual requests and experience has shown this to be an unsound business practice. Many items are stocked as single quantities, so the fairest way with orders is first-come, first-served.

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Do you stock insignia to the following unit .....?

Try using the search box at the top of each web page. Try typing the name of the unit in full instead of using an abbreviation.

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What size is your hat?

Please tell us the size that you want, rather than asking what we have in stock.  There is no point in us listing hat sizes that you don't want.

We are not hatters, milliners, tailors or military outfitters, but sell collectable used hats, caps, helmets and berets. Unless customers specify sizes, we assume that hat size is not important to them and they are collectors who would not necessarily want to wear items in their collection. Our hats are in good condition, but are generally not new. Many are one-off items and we cannot guarantee to have specific sizes.

We prefer that you do not specify hat size when ordering. Most hats are stocked as single quantities and it is very time-consuming for us to check hats for size. Orders for hats of specific sizes will be put to the bottom of the order-pile for us to deal with when we have more time.

If you need hats of specific sizes, please use metric sizes when ordering - this is because traditional British hat measurements look similar to US hat sizes, but are actually different sizes. Modern British hats use metric sizes - this is the circumference of the head in centimetres and can be measured using a cloth tape measure. The following size chart may help.

UK/Aus 6 3/8 6 1/2 6 5/8 6 3/4 6 7/8 7 7 1/8 7 1/4 7 3/8 7 1/2 7 5/8 7 3/4 7 7/8
US 6 1/2 6 5/8 6 3/4 6 7/8 7 7 1/8 7 1/4 7 3/8 7 1/2 7 5/8 7 3/4 7 7/8 8
Metric 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64
Other S M ML L XL XXL
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What size is your belt?

Please tell us the size that you want, rather than asking what we have in stock.

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Do you stock blazer buttons?

Our buttons are sold for collectors: we are not tailors or military outfitters. The uniform buttons that we sell are mainly official-issue buttons, rather than the special blazer buttons favoured by some Regiments and Corps. 

Blazers are not usually governed by military Dress Regulations, so the style and number of buttons is a matter of personal choice and fashion.  This can sometimes mean that several different types of blazer button exist for the same unit.

Many people do wear official-issue uniform buttons on blazers, but please be aware that there is sometimes a difference. Where we do stock special non-issue blazer buttons they will be clearly marked as blazer buttons, and are often more expensive than issue-pattern buttons.

Whilst we may have some buttons in large quantities, many are held as single items. Even the same size and type of button can vary due to age, polishing or manufacturing variations. This could be important if you require matching buttons for a blazer. If you specifically want matching buttons "all or nothing", please make this clear on your order form.

We are sometimes asked simply for a 'set of buttons', without a clue as to the size or quantity required.  Please note that the number of buttons in a 'set' will vary between different types of jacket.  For example, a double-breasted blazer (boating jacket) will have more buttons that a single-breasted blazer. Please tell us the diameters (in millimetres) and how many buttons you need, rather than expecting us to know the details of the jacket that you have in your possession.

If you wish to sew official-issue uniform buttons onto a blazer, and the blazer has already been made, it is worth checking the size of the buttonholes to make sure that the buttons will fit before ordering.  The diameter of our buttons is shown on our website, rounded to the nearest half-millimetre.

If you are trying to replace missing buttons on a jacket, please tell us the diameters (in millimetres) and include clear pictures of the fronts and backs of the buttons that you wish to match.  The backs of buttons often show a 'backmark' with the name of the original manufacturer. 

Unless they are made and bought at the same time, it can be very difficult to match buttons exactly, so it is worth buying a spare of each size if you have the opportunity.

There is a 'comments' box at the bottom of the Order Form so that you can specify things such as minimum quantity, 'all or nothing' or 'only process my order if you have at least 4 matching buttons'.

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I can't find what I want in your catalogue

Try using the electronic search box at the top of our web pages, simply type a few words describing what you are looking for in the entry box, then click [Search]. The more words you type in the box, the more matches you get.
Capitalization doesn't matter. The ranked results will come from a total match on the words and phrases which you supply, so try to think of several specific terms for your topic and spell them correctly using British-English spellings. It's worth trying a few variations on the theme - as examples, try -

  • 'Parachute' as well as 'Para', 'Paratroop' or 'Paratrooper'.
  • 'Canada' as well as 'Canadian'.
  • 'Welch' as well as 'Welsh' or 'Wales'.
  • 'Gurkha' not the Microsoft mis-spelling 'Ghurkha'.
  • Traditional spellings - 'Serjeant' as well as 'Sergeant'
  • Try singular as well as plural nouns - 'Beret' as well as 'Berets'
  • I try to avoid unit abbreviations - also try a search using the full unit title - "Special Air Service" as well as 'SAS'

To narrow your search, enter searches for the names of units such as 'Royal Marines' rather than generic headings such as 'Marine Insignia'. Please make sure that you are using British-English spelling and the same abbreviations as I use.

Remember that this is a fairly basic search and will only tell you whether the item is listed and which page of our website to open for further details.

You then need to open the relevant web page and do a second search using the search function on your Web Browser. If using Microsoft Internet Explorer you can search the relevant page by pressing 'Ctrl' and 'F' together.

If you still have no success and are looking for British and Commonwealth military and police insignia post-1881 you are in the right place - please try again in a couple of weeks - I have over 10,000 different items for sale and our stock is changing all the time.

If you are still having no success, then ask us, but keep your questions short and simple so that we can give 'yes or no' type answers. We have other commitments apart from badge dealing and our time is limited. Click here to send an E-mail message to us. We will be more sympathetic if you say that you have tried our online catalogues with no success.

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Do you have a Beginners' Guide?

Yes - click here - Dictionary and Beginners Guide

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Why should I buy your snail-mail postal catalogues if I have internet access?

In 1990 our business started as a purely Postal Catalogue before the Internet boom. We still have many postal customers from pre-internet days, and owe these regular clients a debt of loyalty. Although we update our fresh stock web page on a regular basis:

  • we stop adding to the fresh stock web page a few weeks before the mail-order catalogue is issued.
  • we deliberately keep selected good-quality items for the supplementary postal lists so that loyal postal subscribers get first-pick of them.
  • we have good stocks of insignia waiting to be catalogued and use this stock to 'balance' the postal lists so that there is something for everyone.
  • many of the items on the postal catalogues are stocked in single quantities; if these are sold to postal subscribers, they never make it as far as the web pages.
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How do I place an order / May I send a cheque? / May I order by telephone?

To place an order, simply find the item on our website and click the 'add the cart button'. Once they are in your cart, you can adjust quantities as necessary and go through the online check-out. To view your shopping cart, and pay for the items, click the link at the top-right of any page and go through the check-out process.

Postal / shipping costs are automatically calculated as part of the online ordering process. You will need to enter your address details so that shipping costs are calculated for the correct country. You can use the checkout system to view the postage cost without committing yourself to buy the items.

There is an option at the check-out of paying by cheque if you do not wish to pay electronically. If you order online and choose the 'pay by cheque' option, items are automatically reserved for 7 days in order to allow time for your cheque to arrive. Please note that we only accept cheques that are drawn in Pounds Sterling from UK-based banks.

The Militaria business is carried out in our limited spare time - we choose not to give out our phone number in order to manage our time more effectively. Our other work can be at irregular times of the day and week so we cannot guarantee to be here to answer calls.

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Are you likely to get any of the following items in the future? /
Can you obtain an item for me?

We deal in collectable genuine insignia, and in the nature of the hobby, some items are scarce and patience is required. We are not manufacturers, tailors or outfitters. We deal in original items for collectors, and cannot predict what we may get as future stock, or when we might get it.

In the ‘chance’ nature of dealing in collectable original items, many items are one-of-a-kind or stocked as single quantities. We can not 'buy to order’ or predict future stock: we might not get any for years, or might buy 20 next week.

The badge business is run in our spare time, and the amount of time and effort required for us to search for specific items is not usually cost-effective. In the case of one-off items, my advice is to buy whatever you can, whenever you can, as it may be a long time before you get another opportunity.

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Can you make an item for me?

We are not manufacturers, tailors, hatters or outfitters. This is an online antiques and collectables shop – we sell original items for collectors – these date from Victorian times to the present day.

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Please let me know when you get an item that I want

Sorry - with over 14,000 collectors on our books, we find it difficult to remember individual requests.

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I have a badge or button - how much is it worth?

We do not do valuations or appraisals. We cannot tell from an internet image whether an item is genuine or not.

Beware of confusing rarity and value.

You should also note that the 'selling price' will probably be different to the 'replacement value'. If you are valuing for insurance purposes, then you need to know the replacement value.

If you are valuing an item with the intention of selling it, chances are that it would be sold to a dealer or via an auctioneer. In each case, they would want to make a profit, and would not pay you the full 'replacement value'.

Dealers often buy from auction houses, so there would then be two profit margins to account-for (the auctioneer's and the dealer's), and it is therefore often cheaper to sell directly to a specialist dealer.

If you want to know the replacement value, look on our online catalogue. If it is not there, then we are sorry: we cannot help.

If you wish to sell items to Ian Kelly (Militaria), then please see the Purchasing policy on our website.

Factors that affect the value of insignia are:

  • Are they genuine originals or not?
  • Are they damaged or badly worn? Metal detecting 'finds' are usually too badly corroded to be of interest to military insignia collectors.
  • Are they old or modern?
  • Are the Officers’ or Other Ranks’ (Enlisted Men & Women)? There are fewer Officers than Other Ranks, so Officers’ insignia is rarer. Officers’ insignia is often made of more expensive metals and fabrics.
  • Does anyone want to buy the item? Something might be rare, but if no-one wants it, it has no value.
  • Are they being sold individually or as a ‘job lot’? If you want to sell items as a 'job lot', this allows you to do a 'clear-out' but might include items that the buyer doesn't really want. The price that a buyer is prepared to pay for a job lot will generally be lower in order to allow for unwanted items.
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I have items to trade, sell or swap....

Please see our purchasing policy.

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Will you send additional images of an item from your catalogue?

We will try to help where possible, but this will have to wait until we have spare time.

We do not reserve items, so the effect of this delay is that the item may be sold to someone else before we have time to scan it. The easiest way to see what an item looks like is to order it - you may send it back if it is not what you wanted.

If you still want more pictures, please quote our stock number for the item and tell us why you want the pictures.

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Can I send you an image of a badge / button that I would like you to identify?

Sorry - we run a small business in our limited spare time and simply do not have time to deal with lots of requests for information. Please also see -

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Is the item genuine, original and in good condition?

You may assume that the items we sell are genuine originals, in good 'collectable' condition unless otherwise stated in our catalogue. Our criteria for inclusion is 'Would I have this in my personal collection?' If the answer is 'no', then we do not offer it for sale. Some items are unused, but the majority have 'seen service'.

Unless otherwise stated, you may assume that the fastenings of cap and collar badges (such as sliders or lugs (loops)) are intact, however, split pins (cotter pins), back-plates and clutch grips are not included, but are usually available separately.

If any item we send you does not meet your standards, then we are happy to take it back. Please see our returns policy.

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What does your abbreviation mean?

Try our abbreviations and references page, or for more detailed explanations, try our Dictionary and Beginners Guide.

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Do you accept 'Wants Lists'?

Collectors sometimes make long lists of items that they are searching for, called 'Wants Lists', and circulate these lists around several dealers.

We will happily look at Wants Lists - but tend not to reply to Wants Lists unless the item is in stock, and we only retain lists sent by paid-up subscribers to our postal lists.

We give priority to dealing with orders that are submitted using our stock codes, and urge you to look at our catalogues as these show the majority of the items we have in stock.

Collecting is about hunting and the excitement when you eventually track-down a rare item. These pleasures do not come through asking someone else to do the searching for you.

From our point of view, it can take a long time to deal with 'Wants Lists'. Our time is limited and it is usually faster to look at our catalogues instead of sending Wants Lists.

Also see our answers to the following:

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Do you stock medals?

We do not deal in medals. These are outside our specialist field. We deal in badges, patches and buttons.

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You want me to send you money - how do I know that I can trust you?

We have been in business since 1990 - ask other people who have dealt with us - look at our FaceBook page. Add your own comments to help other collectors.

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How can I pay - do you accept credit cards?

We accept credit cards, debit cards and PayPal. UK cheques and postal orders are also acceptable.

Due to high banking costs, we no longer accept overseas cheques. We do not accept payments via Western Union because there is no Western Union Agent near to us.

We welcome overseas orders with payment via Credit Card, Debit Card or PayPal - when you place an online order, the currency conversion will be done as part of the transaction so that you pay in your own currency. This is a common routine process.

To place an order: simply add items to your shopping cart, once they are in your cart, you can adjust quantities as necessary and go through the online check-out.

Postal / shipping costs are automatically calculated as part of the online ordering process. You can use the checkout system to view the postage / shipping cost without committing yourself to buying the items. You will need to enter the delivery address so that shipping costs are calculated for the correct country.

There is an option at the check-out of paying by UK cheque if you do not wish to pay electronically. If you choose this option during the checkout process, your order is automatically reserved for 7 days to give you time to post a cheque to us.

To view your shopping cart, click the link at the top-right of any page.

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What is a 'Limited-Value' cheque / check?

Items on our catalogue sell faster than we can update our catalogues, and customers sometimes try to order items that have already been sold. If they have sent a cheque, this will often mean they have paid too much.

Whilst personal banking in the UK is usually free of charge, because we run a business, our bank charges us business rates on our bank account. We pay a fee every time we pay money in or out of our account. This means that it costs us money to send you a refund cheque.

We prefer that customers pay using Limited-Value Cheques. A Limited-Value Cheque is one that you sign and date, but instead of writing the exact value of the cheque, write “Not More Than £_____ only”

For example, if you work out that your order and postage comes to £25, write across your cheque “Not more than £25 only”.

If an item you want has been sold before we receive your order, we will complete your cheque for a lower amount. If the cheque is lost or stolen in the post, no-one can complete it for a higher amount than you specified.

Please see the example below:

Limited Value Cheque

This method of payment is a simple, effective way of reducing banking costs. It DOES work - our customers and their banks (UK and overseas) have been happily using this method since we started business in 1990.

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Can you identify or date this photograph, badge or button, or tell me which unit is pictured?

Sorry - we run a small business in our limited spare time and simply do not have time to deal with lots of requests for information. We have made a Beginners' Guide page which is a good starting point to help you in your research.

If asking other people for help to identify insignia, it is useful to show:

  • clear pictures of the front and back of the insignia,
  • the size of the items,
  • maker's marks or hall-marks,
  • colours of metals or fabrics,
  • wording that might appear on the items,
  • where you found the item - this might narrow-down the country of origin.

For old British & Commonwealth badges, try the combined brain-power of the British and Commonwealth Military Badge Forum - they routinely deal with this type of question.

For identification of buttons, try the British Button Society - they operate a button identification service.

To date buttons, if they have a maker's name and address on the back, you can look this up on the following website - https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/pages/button-makers.html

Please see our Beginners Guide page - as well as a section on buttons, this has helpful advice regarding identification using the materials and colours used, also using the design including dating the badge or button using the shape of the crown.

For identification of military cloth patches, try The Military Heraldry Society

For identification of badges, photographs and non-British items including weapons and equipment, try the Gentleman's Military Interest Club .

The book Army Records for Family Historians may also be useful.

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Do you have items that my relative may have worn during the war?

Please be specific about what you want - remember that I do not deal in medals, bulky equipment or complete uniforms - just insignia. Please be specific - do you want cap badges, collar badges, buttons, etc.?

Please see our Help for Beginners page.

You also need to know your relative's unit, approximate dates of service and whether or not he or she was an Officer.

  • British military insignia is usually based on different designs for each unit - even rank badges can vary between units. Some Territorial Army badges are different from Regular Army badges.
  • Insignia has changed over the years, both in design and production materials -
    • Key dates are 1901 and 1952 as the shape of crowns on badges changed. Not all badges have crowns, but I mark on our list if they do. QVC indicates pre-1901. KC indicates 1901-1952 and QC is post-1952.
    • Our lists show an abbreviation for production materials. From about 1950, Staybrite - Anodised Aluminium (A/A) started to replace Brass (Br) and/or White Metal (WM) as the main metal for military badges.
  • Officers badges are often different from Other Ranks badges.

If you don't know exactly what you want, then ask me, but please keep your questions short and simple so that I can give 'yes or no' answers - I have other commitments apart from badge dealing and do not have time to read entire family histories. I am quite happy to answer 'yes or no' questions such as -

'My father served as a Sergeant in the Welsh Guards in WW2, I want to buy a cap badge of the type he may have worn. I found the following on your online catalogue - is it a WW2 pattern badge?'

Welsh Guards L5B721 KK 920 Welsh Guards Brass £8.00

With that style of question, I can quickly and easily reply.

The book Army Records for Family Historians may also be useful.

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Do you do discounts or reduced-price offers?

In short, NO. Here is the background to this business policy decision -

  • We are not manufacturers, tailors or outfitters, but specialise in original insignia for collectors. Much of our stock consists of one-off items that can be very difficult to replace. Dealing in genuine items means that we cannot go to a manufacturer or wholesaler and re-order more.
  • Our prices have been published in catalogues for 28 years and on the internet for 24 years. With over 10,000 items currently listed, people now use our catalogues and website as a way of valuing their own collections. If we subsequently offer items below listed prices, it devalues people's collections and offends other customers who have previously paid full price (in our early years trading, we lost a customer because he heard that we gave someone else a discount and was offended that he did not get a discount - we do not wish to make that mistake again).
    Collectors like to think of their collections rising in value, not reducing.
  • Over the years we have paid varying amounts for items, sometimes paying too much in error. If we offer a fixed percentage discount we may be out-of-pocket.
  • Haggling takes time. As you can read on our website, we are very busy with other work apart from the badge business, our time is stretched thinly and we simply do not have enough hours in the day to haggle.
  • We will consider swaps or part-exchanges but our no-haggle policy works 2 ways. If you want to sell me an item or swap it, we will pay the price you want, or not buy it at all. See our Purchasing Policy for more details.

We think that you will find the prices on our website very reasonable anyway.

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Do you have any knives, guns, bayonets or German NAZI items?

We specialize in authentic British and Commonwealth Military and Police insignia. We do not deal in knives, g uns or German NAZI items and cannot recommend anyone who does.

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Are fastenings included?

We specialise in insignia for collectors and are not tailors or outfitters. Due to established practice and customer preference, our stock is sold without fastenings such as back-plates, clutch-grips, split pins (cotter pins) or shoulder shanks for screw-fit buttons, however, these are (usually) available separately.

Please bear in mind that many badges (such as cap badges with vertical 'slider' fittings) do not require these fastenings, and for many older badges, fittings such as a matching back-plate simply do not exist. With the exception of screw-fit buttons, uniform buttons are normally sewn onto uniforms with a needle and thread and do not usually need special fastenings.

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Can you recommend another dealer?

We prefer not to recommend other dealers unless we have known them a long time and trust them implicitly.

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Can you recommend a book about.... ?

Try our Recommended Books page. This includes details of the main books that I use.

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May I have your phone number / will you telephone me?

Probably not - the Militaria business is carried out in our limited spare time - we choose not to give out our phone number in order to manage our time more effectively. Our other work can be at irregular times of the day and week so we cannot guarantee to be here to answer calls.

We will not 'reserve' badges as experience has shown this to be an unsound business practice.

If you need to send us a message, please use our contact form.

If you wish to order, simply add items to your shopping cart, adjust quantities as necessary and follow the check-out process in order to pay. If you want to see your shopping cart, click on the icon on the top-right of any page.

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Questions about regimental history

Try www.britishmilitaryhistory.co.uk/

or www.britishbadgeforum.com/

Regimental Museums are listed in Windrow & Greene's Militaria Directory & Sourcebook 1998.

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Genealogy Questions

See Roots Web - www.RootsWeb.com

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Questions about current British Army units

Try the British Army Website

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What is your returns policy?

To give you confidence in buying by mail order, everything we send is 'on approval' - if the item you receive is not what you want, simply send it back well-packaged, within 14 days of receipt. We only sell items that we believe are original and in good condition, and we ask that you pay postage costs both ways so that we are not out of pocket. Despite you paying the postage, mail order is still a lot cheaper than driving to a militaria fair, auction or shop in town.

Refunds. Our bank charges us a fee for every cheque we issue. Most of our customers are collectors who return time and again for more insignia from us. Unless you request otherwise, we prefer to hold small refund amounts as a credit against your future purchases. The exception to this is if you originally paid via PayPal, in which case we will send you a refund via PayPal.

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My question has still not been answered

Thank you for working your way through our Frequently Asked Questions - the following e-mail link WILL send a message to me and I will try to help when I get the time. The response may not be immediate as I go away quite often. Click here to send an e-mail message to Ian Kelly (Militaria).

If you want to buy an item, I suggest that you order it rather than wait for me to respond to your questions - I might only have one in stock and the delay caused by asking questions may result in the item being sold to someone else. If the item is not what you expected, you can always return it to me.

99% of the questions that people ask me can be answered by using the information or hyperlinks on this FAQ page - please re-read this page before asking questions by e-mail.

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