Can you sell militaria that is damaged?
Yes. Damaged stock has its own buyers: people who repair and restore, people who want the material rather than the object, and people who want a cheaper one and do not mind a flaw. Nobody should be surprised when it arrives.
The damage buyers look for on militaria
These are the flaws that move militaria down the grades, and the ones a buyer will check first:
- Reproductions sold as period originals
- Renamed or re-ribboned medals
- Items restricted by law in the buyer’s country
- Deactivated items without correct certification
Before you list it
Deactivation certificates, licensing and outright prohibitions vary by country and travel with the item. A damaged piece does not escape any of that — confirm what you are allowed to sell and to whom before it is listed.
Grading it honestly
Fair covers something heavily used, or with a described fault or missing part: around £9 to £180. For Parts covers something not working or incomplete, sold as seen: roughly £5 to £100. Grades are seller-declared and nobody inspects them for you, so grading up does not raise what you get — it produces a buyer who arrives expecting something else. All five grades explained.
Working out what you actually have
Establish the flaw properly rather than guessing at it:
- Photograph any naming, stamps or maker marks
- Confirm the item may lawfully be sold and posted
- Research the pattern and period before describing it
Photographing the flaw
Photograph the damage directly and in focus — it is the evidence that the rest of the description is honest:
- The item whole, on a plain background, in even light
- All maker’s marks, proof marks, unit stamps and dates, legibly
- Any deactivation certificate or paperwork
- Every dent, repair, replacement part or area of wear
What to state in the listing
Alongside the flaw itself, buyers of damaged militaria want these confirmed:
- What the item is, its nation of origin and period
- All markings, transcribed and photographed
- Whether original, a period reproduction, or a modern copy
- Any legal paperwork, and any restriction you are aware of on sale or carriage
Item, nation, period and markings: “WWI British Officer’s Compass, Marked 1917”. Collectors search by nation, conflict and unit. State plainly if a piece is a reproduction; the reproduction market is legitimate and honest labelling is what keeps it that way.
What buyers will ask
Answer these in the listing rather than waiting to be asked:
Answer with evidence — markings, construction, finish — and say where you got it. Reproductions in this field are excellent, so collectors weigh evidence rather than assurances.
Check carrier rules and the law at both ends before you promise anything. Edged weapons, deactivated firearms and ordnance are variously restricted, refused or unlawful to send.
Say so if it has, by you or a previous owner. Over-cleaning is a serious value fault in militaria and collectors identify it immediately.
Is it worth repairing first?
Only where it is cheap and visibly well done — a clumsy repair costs more than the flaw it hides. What lifts the price:
- Documented items with unit or campaign attribution
- Original medals with correct naming and ribbons
- Insignia and badges with period construction
- Provenance linking an item to an individual
If the work would cost more than the gap between £100 and what a sound one fetches, sell it as is damaged and let the buyer decide.
When to list it
Steady to a dedicated collector audience year round, with lifts around major anniversaries. Correctly identified marked pieces sell quickly; generic unattributed items are slow.
Getting it to the buyer
Check the legal position before agreeing any carriage, and sell only to adults where age restrictions apply. For anything restricted, a documented in-person handover to an eligible buyer is the safer route.
WishThrift does not process payments, arrange delivery or hold funds. Confirm the money has cleared before the item leaves your hands, and keep the conversation on the site so there is a record of what was agreed.
Ready to list it? Free to list, no commission, and neither side pays a buyer-protection fee — create a free account, or read the full militaria selling guide if yours turns out to be sound.
Frequently asked questions
Can you sell damaged militaria?
Yes. Damaged militaria typically is worth £5 to £100 against £20 to £400 undamaged, and there is a real market in repair, restoration and craft stock. Reproductions sold as period originals
Is it worth repairing first?
Only where the repair is cheap and visibly done well. What buyers pay for is documented items with unit or campaign attribution — a repair that draws attention to the flaw can leave you worse off.
How should I describe the damage?
Precisely, with a photograph of the flaw itself. Answer with evidence — markings, construction, finish — and say where you got it. Reproductions in this field are excellent, so collectors weigh evidence rather than assurances. Vague wording is what produces the message asking for a refund.
See also: what militaria is worth by condition · how to sell militaria · condition grades explained · all broken & damaged guides · all selling guides.