When milling about an antique store one lazy afternoon, I came across an assortment of red and blue discs, haphazardly displayed inside a locked curio case. About the size and thickness of a penny, made from fibrous material, and designed to look like currency, I soon learned these tokens—and millions more like them—once served a vitally important role in America’s wartime economy during World War II. Read more
Military antiques, known by collectors as militaria, are closely associated with military and police artifacts, and collected for their historical significance. Within the militaria trade, there’s one category of memorabilia that evokes controversy and heated debate among collectors, dealers, governments, and the general public; Nazi artifacts. Inevitably, a familiar question is posed: Is it okay to buy, sell, trade, or collect Nazi related artifacts, especially those bearing the swastika? Read more
On this Labor Day, we revisit the role propaganda posters played in helping America win WWII. Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. government realized that the production of war material was going to be crucial to its success in fighting both Japan and Germany.