Send us photos via WhatsApp on +34 665 164 779. Within 24 hours you will receive a free valuation, and if we reach an agreement, we pay immediately. For larger collections we come and see them in person: we travel to you in Cologne, with payment in cash on the spot if you prefer.
Where can I sell militaria in Cologne?
In Cologne and throughout the Rhineland there are antique dealers and auction houses that also accept militaria — usually as one category among many, not as a specialism. It is always worth comparing prices before selling, and that is exactly what we recommend.
Cologne is among the most heavily destroyed cities of the war — the first attack with over a thousand bombers fell here at the end of May 1942. Much of what comes from Cologne families today has therefore not survived the war within the city itself, but with relatives in the Bergisches Land, the Eifel, or the Westerwald. We buy across the whole surrounding area, not only within the city ring.
Our offer differs from the classic trade in one respect: we buy for our own collection — with no dealer's mark-up. A shop has to factor the later resale margin into what it pays. We do not, because we keep the pieces.
What we buy in Cologne
Historical pieces up to 1945: orders and decorations, uniforms, helmets, Blankwaffen (edged weapons) such as sabres and daggers, documents, photo albums, equipment — right through to military vehicles and motorcycles.
The Rhineland came under Prussian rule in 1815, and Cologne became a Prussian garrison and fortress city: an entire ring of forts grew up around the city, remnants of which still stand in the green belts today. Accordingly, many nineteenth-century Prussian decorations turn up in Nachlass collections in the Rhineland — the Roter Adlerorden (Order of the Red Eagle), the Kronenorden (Order of the Crown), Landwehr long-service decorations — often in the same drawer as the crosses of both world wars.
What we do not buy: firearms and replicas. A considerable proportion of what we are offered is reproduction work — checking for originality is therefore always part of the valuation.
How a sale works
- Photos via WhatsApp to +34 665 164 779 — two minutes, no obligation.
- Free valuation within 24 hours — we tell you whether the pieces are original and what we will pay.
- Payment in cash, at the agreed price — handed to you directly at the appointment in Cologne. If you send a single item by post, we pay by bank transfer immediately after inspection.
Frankly: we are not based in Cologne
We are a Spanish collectors' house based in Madrid, and we buy throughout Germany. Distance makes no difference to the valuation — it happens through your photographs. For collections and extensive Nachlass collections, we travel to Cologne and handle the purchase at your home, discreetly and without you having to transport anything. Cologne, Bonn, Düsseldorf and the Bergisches Land lie on a single trip for us; appointments in the Eifel are no problem either.
On the legal side: trading in original pieces from before 1945 is legal in Germany. The public display of certain symbols is restricted under § 86a StGB (the German Criminal Code) — which is why we treat photographs showing such symbols confidentially and document the pieces strictly in private.
Frequently asked questions
What does the valuation cost?
Nothing. The WhatsApp valuation is free and non-binding — even if you decide against selling afterwards.
Do I need to know what the pieces are worth?
No. Most enquiries come from heirs who are seeing the items for the first time. Simply send photos of everything, including papers and photo albums — the value is often hidden where you would least expect it.
Do you also buy complete Nachlass collections in Cologne?
Yes, especially those. For complete Nachlass collections we arrange an appointment in Cologne, review everything on site, and pay immediately in cash if you wish.
Send us photos via WhatsApp now on +34 665 164 779 — free valuation within 24 hours, payment without delay.