What's your niche?

[deValcourt]

Ah, the inevitable evolution of what we choose to collect.

I really think it starts small (or too large), gets bigger until it is unmanageable and then tightens up again - in most cases - out of sheer lack of space and/or money.

While I allow my finances to return to order, I am spending my time on much needed cataloging of my "niche(s)"

Phillip

[Auke]

Right now I collect:

- WW2-era ORB, OPW2 and ORS (preferably part of groups and / or documented)
- WW2-era Soviet posthumous awards
- WW2-era Soviet awards to women
- Soviet awards related to Stalingrad

I also have a small Mongolian and Bulgarian (WW1) collection. And although I didn't actively pursue it, over the years I have also acquired a few WW2 Soviet parade uniforms, a few rifles, and awards from practically all Eastern European nations...

[roy]

I haven't added anything to the collection in several months, but when I have, I've been focusing on the Soviet Militia.

[CtahhR]

Looking back at this with an additional two years of experience just what has changed for collectors? There is of course more information than ever available for us all but sources and preferences change.

Over the last two years I've have a slowly changing focus, mainly to suit the informational needs of the forum and also following the best deals. For example I've been so inundated by DPRK awards that the joy of the hunt was lost and the lack of research possibilities, along side the fact the quality just isn't usually there changed priority of collecting from high to low. Dozens of items still flow in but I often don't even look at them, just add them to the pile (and I do mean pile). They'll all get sorted through one day and all the hundreds of variations will be posted but that's not in the foreseeable future.

As emphasis has been removed from that area it has been refocused onto others. I have been reunited dozens and dozens of Bulgarian groups and starting to research them. Some really interesting research is coming up and it'll all be presented later. Whilst looking at Bulgarian items I've also been trying to obtain as many Ministerial Awards as possible. These can be picked up for almost nothing and since the Bulgarian ministries were shuffled sometimes from month to month it leads to a vast array of awards being redesigned with ministerial letters being added and removed. Red Banners continue to flow in too - I'm sure there will be some good research results on the documented ones I have too.

I have continued to pick up Russian Ministerial awards, focusing mainly on the official Medals, although I have picked up 3 unofficial Medals for Crimea on top of the official Medal. I'm sure that won't be the end of that either.

I focused in on PMR items and have made a good headway into that although there is a long way to go yet. The PMR section of the group, as well as Bulgarian Badges has been ever expanding.

With focus on other less common items I've not really had funds to go after Red Stars but there are over 3 million of them out there for "later". I do have a pile that still need to be researched but every time I'm about to pay for research someone jumps out saying "do you want to buy x for pennies on the dollar?" and I always get sucked in to the bargains.

Now on the topic of distracting bargains I've been buying up large numbers of Cuban awards for very little. A few dollars a piece and they soon start piling up. Unfortunately once again there's no research (or at least minimal) with Cuban items. I've also been romancing sources for Afghan awards and now I am reaping the reward as some very cheap Afghan items are flowing in. A few items a week, sometimes not the best quality but certainly the best prices.

I've also been attracted to some Polish awards due to a very good forum contact. Unfortunately they've been piling up at this end rather than getting presented. They will come sooner or later.

I suppose at the end of the day the niche would be best described as "the bargains".

I do have some systematic collecting techniques though and I do have plans for collecting various other areas once I've finished the PMR collection.

Hopefully during the same period everyone has enjoyed a greater understanding of the items they have in their own collection or intend to collect. Washing away the ebay fairy-tales and seeing the reality. For those with no funds to spend there have also been the vast leaps in free research possibilities for Soviet awards, the Researchers' Corner has certainly benefited from it.

Who knows what the next two years will bring? Hopefully I'll have everything catalogued and stored correctly by then but that's a dream.