Selling to us works in three steps: you send photos via WhatsApp to +34 665 164 779, we reply within 24 hours with a free valuation and a concrete offer, and as soon as we've agreed on a price, payment follows — in cash if we come to you, by bank transfer if you ship the item. For larger collections, we come to you in person, anywhere in Germany.
No form, no account, no shipping on spec. It all starts with a few phone photos.
Step 1: Take Photos and Send Them via WhatsApp
You don't need a camera or specialist knowledge — a phone in daylight is enough. To let us make you a precise offer, a few simple guidelines help:
- Daylight, not flash. Place the piece by a window or outside in the shade. Flash washes out detail and distorts colours and patina.
- A plain background. A table, a light-coloured cloth, a sheet of paper — the main thing is that the piece is clearly visible.
- Front and back. The back is often more important for valuation than the front: that's where you find pin fittings, hinges and solder joints, which is where an original and a reproduction differ.
- Get close on markings and stamps. Maker's marks, numbers and hallmarks — on medals usually on the loop or pin, on helmets on the inside rim, on blades on the ricasso. One sharp close-up of these spots tells us more than ten overall shots.
- For uniforms: also photograph the lining, labels and buttons.
- For mixed lots: start with one overview photo of everything, then individual photos of the more notable pieces. Papers, award documents and photo albums should be included too — they document provenance and can raise the value of the whole lot.
And one request up front: do not clean or polish. Original patina is part of the value; a decoration polished to a shine loses significant value for collectors.
You can safely send us photos showing symbols prohibited under German law via WhatsApp — this is a private transmission for assessment, not a public display. We explain how we handle such pieces at Is Selling Militaria Legal?.
Step 2: Free Valuation Within 24 Hours
We review your photos and get back to you within 24 hours — often within just a few hours for straightforward enquiries. You'll learn three things:
- Whether the piece is original. We'll tell you honestly, even if it's a reproduction. A large share of what reaches us isn't original — that's normal and nothing to be embarrassed about, but you should know it before selling anywhere.
- What it is and how to classify it. Type, period and, where applicable, maker.
- What we'll pay. A concrete offer in euros, not "get in touch and we'll see". We buy for our own collection — with no dealer mark-up: since there's no resale margin involved, we can offer prices in line with the collectors' market.
The valuation costs nothing and carries no obligation. If you turn down the offer, that's fine too — you're welcome to simply use it for comparison.
Step 3: Immediate Payment — Shipping or Collection
Once we agree, you choose how it's handled:
- Single pieces and small mixed lots: insured shipping to us. We confirm receipt, check the pieces against the photos, and make payment by bank transfer immediately after checking. We advise you beforehand on safe packaging and shipping.
- Collections and Nachlass (estate) items: we come to you in person — by appointment, anywhere in Germany, whether Hamburg, Berlin, Munich or a rural area. On site, we look over everything, you get the offer directly and, on request, cash payment in hand. Travel and assessment cost you nothing.
Antique Militaria is a Spanish collector's house based in Madrid. Our process with sellers in Germany runs through exactly this route: WhatsApp, valuation, insured shipping or an in-person visit. The purchase is handled discreetly — with no public listings and without third parties finding out.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Does the Valuation Cost?
Nothing. The photo assessment is free and non-binding, as is the visit for larger collections.
How Quickly Do I Get My Money?
With in-person collection, immediately in cash, at the agreed price. With shipping, by bank transfer, immediately after checking.
Do I Need to Know What My Pieces Are Worth?
No. That's exactly what we find out for you. If you'd like an idea beforehand: our value tables have guide prices for the most common pieces.
Do You Buy Everything?
We buy historical pieces up to 1945: orders, helmets, uniforms, Blankwaffen (edged weapons), equipment, documents, vehicles. No firearms, no ammunition, no replicas. What exactly we're looking for is set out under Purchase.
What About Pieces I Can't Identify?
Photograph them anyway. Unassuming items turn out more often than you'd expect to be the most valuable thing in the lot.
Take the first step now: send photos to +34 665 164 779 (WhatsApp) — free valuation within 24 hours, payment with no waiting.