Need help: I'm considering to start to collect OIF/OEF patches

Are there any knock-off, chinese copies, and fake patches should I watch out for?

Where is best source to buy patches from? Especially theater made ones and morale patches such as Happy Meter and Dirka Dirkastan.

Are patches from following sellers any good?

http://stores.ebay.com/BASE-PX-ACU-SAND-BOX-MORALE-PATCHES
http://stores.ebay.com/Rays-POGS-and-PATCHES-for-less

Thanks in advance for help.

Mercenary25 wrote:Are there any knock-off, chinese copies, and fake patches should I watch out for?

Where is best source to buy patches from? Especially theater made ones and morale patches such as Happy Meter and Dirka Dirkastan.

Are patches from following sellers any good?

http://stores.ebay.com/BASE-PX-ACU-SAND-BOX-MORALE-PATCHES
http://stores.ebay.com/Rays-POGS-and-PATCHES-for-less

Thanks in advance for help.

Rays Pogs and Patches for less is a great place to get theatre made patches. The only thing is, they are new, not used. The ACUs do not have velcro on them. They are made in Kuwait.

The other place is not theatre made patches, just novelties. I would not recommend buying from them, but from Rays.
Andrew

I've hundreds of Iraqi and Coalition patches in my collection. Been collecting for some time now.

Here's a few interesting Local mades, (most of these are iraqi made). Don't confuse those with "theatre made" which can be made essentially anywhere in the middle east. Iraqi local mades are very distinctive in construction.




Chris

Okay thanks for advices. So, I need to start with something. Would be nice if I could find desert patches lot to buy. I'm not up to buy one by one over time.

Well..Vets are always a good source for in-country made patches

I recently got this one off of a returning Reserve, Afghanistan vet that is also a Contractor. He had these made for his ANA training unit, but the Afghanis had a problem with the design

Gentlemen,
Please place your examples of theater made patches here:

https://iacmc.forumotion.com/us-reference-library-f70/theatre-made-patches-badges-rank-middle-east-only-reference-t1900.htm

If you need a theater made patch identified, post it here:

https://iacmc.forumotion.com/us-reference-library-f70/how-to-compare-theatre-made-patches-t282.htm

Thank you.
Andrew

Merc,
Also, there are ones to be on the look-out for that are knock offs. A lot of times, made in Taiwan can be sold off as theatre made. The merrow edging is the thing that is a big red flag on any "theatre made" patch.
Andrew

If Taiwan made patches are knock-off, then how come some Taiwan made patches are on DCUs?

Personally, I see no problem with people showing examples of what to look for as far as theatre made patches. However, I would ask that the members also add the same in the respective theatre made patch sections.

I just want to say , I do not know the difference , and Andrew does , I post detailed pics of all my items here on the forum and wish that you guys use any of them in any of the educational/reference threads , I dont care about credit , but please use any pics I have !! you can even pull them off of my collecting websites .

Just found this thread from USMF, it is a good example of fake theatre made patches. Unfortunatly, posts are permanent and I can't takeback what I said about Tawian Patches in it. Oh well. Enjoy.
Andrew

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=25730

So thailand made patches will be collectible in future as well?

Mercenary25 wrote:So thailand made patches will be collectible in future as well?

Taiwan, but maybe not. They might just be classified as just a different variation.
Andrew

Oops taiwan it is. Just wanted to make sure because I don't want to build up collection of fakes.

Mercenary25 wrote:Oops taiwan it is. Just wanted to make sure because I don't want to build up collection of fakes.

I was the same way. But note, there are some patches that are only made in Taiwan.
Andrew

It's going to be piece of cake because WW2 patches have too many fakes. Guess I can easily start out nicely with modern patches.

http://stores.ebay.com/BASE-PX-ACU-SAND-BOX-MORALE-PATCHES

He has a Patch for "ODA-26".

Hmmmmmm.

ODA -Two Six.

Up until a 4th Battalion was added,Operational Detachments Alpha had THREE (ODA-114,A-124 ect) and now ODA's have FOUR numerical designators...

Something aint quite right there. BOGUS!!

Now,if it was a ODC,or a SFOB,and had 2 numbers,maybe,but even still,no SF group designators BEGIN with "2".

Civil Affairs Teams Alpha,yes. SF-No.

he has nothing but garbage anyhow. $99.00 for a "Team Nomad" patch grouping!!!!! Outta yer mind dude!!!

Very little faith on any of the stuff on ebay being more than curio "collectble" items and not legit stuff. A few exceptions, but mostly avoid ebay stuff.

Chris

if you know what your looking for and know what your doing , ebay can be a great sorce for theater made patches, you just need to know what your looking for , be advised there are erro patched that werent finished , that look like theater made patched but they are not , i have a few i picked up for cheap , 173rd and 1st cav ,

rays pogs is a great sorce of theater made patched , yes most of them are kuwaite made , but thats still theater , and for the price , they are great patched , i have several of them in my collection , and i really like them ,

andrew
sometime you get them with velcro on them from rays pogs , i have gotten several from him with velcro backs , both my isaf acu theater patches from him had velcro , and a few othe infantry patched


just my input on this subject ,

ben