When you were growing up, you played "soldier" with Dad's War Souvenirs. Or, you watched "Combat," starring the late Vic Morrow, and some of the other TV shows depicting World War II. For whatever reason, you've decided to collect original WWII relics (those who are content with reproductions, such as reenactors, are in a different category)! Having collected for over 45 years, I've made some observations that I'd like to pass along! 1) Rest assured that just about EVERYTHING collectible has been reproduced! US, German, Japanese, Italian, etc.! Reproduction German militaria appeared as the War ended! A lot of it was made on the original machines, by the original manufacturers! However, the materials were often different, so the post-war items can still be distinguished, sometimes. Recently, someone offered me an auto trunkful of German Navy Badges (High Seas Fleet, Minesweeper, etc.). They were PERFECT copies. The only way I knew they were postwar was the fact that they were still in their individual new cardboard boxes (marked "LDO"), and there were SO MANY of them! Today, he sells these as "Collection of German World War II Memorabilia" for hundreds of dollars per badge!  But don't take it personally - collectors of stamps, coins and just about everything else face the same challenge! 2) Your first line of defence is your reference books. But some of these have actually been written by purveyors of fakes! 3) Try to handle as many unquestionably genuine items as you can. After a while, if the item doesn't "talk" to you, you'll sense it's bogus! I will buy genuine items in poor condition, etc., just to keep as reference items for what a genuine piece should be. 4) Try to limit your buying to a field small enough for you to master. When you stray to buy that certain unfamiliar item because it's "rare" or "underpriced," watch out! 5) Stay in tune to what's going on through resources like eBay. If suddenly three or four of the same "rare" helmet appear on The Net, forget it! 6) Your best defence is to buy from dealers you can trust. You may never actually meet them in person! I've developed relationships with dealers on eBay whom I know I can trust. After a while, you'll learn how to find the diamonds among the rhinestones! Feedback is a helpful tool. 7) Get to know those who share your collecting interest, even if only on The Net. The number of collectors in any niche is surprisingly small! Many are willing to share their knowledge. And word gets around about what's good and what's not! I was warned about a certain international auction house. I ignored the warnings, and - you guessed it! 8) If you do get stung, demand your money back. If the dealer made an honest mistake, they'll often refund your money cheerfully - really! Don't get hostile unless you have to. Try to work it out amicably. There are ways to get leverage on the bad guys, too! I know someone who bought a Postal Dagger through the mail. The seller sent him a rock! Yes, a stone! My friend got his money back. 9) You WILL get stung. One of the TOP guys told me he just bought a $3,500 dagger that was bogus. So don't over extend yourself. Buy only what you will be happy with if, for some reason, you can't resell it. 10) Collect for the right reason: Because you enjoy it. Try to avoid the con men, speculators, etc. Try to help keep the hobby pleasureable for all of us who want to know more about the History of "The Greatest Generation," and how we can apply the lessons of the past so that we don't repeat the mistakes!