Sell to Us · Military Clothing & Patches
Grandpa’s uniform deserves a real answer, not a donation bin.
Every week, somewhere in America, a family clears a closet and finds the war: a wool tunic with patches sewn on by hand, a leather flight jacket, a footlocker of insignia. The usual fate is the donation pile, because nobody nearby can say what any of it is, and the family half suspects that selling it might not even be legal. The truth: uniforms, patches, jackets, and field gear are entirely legal to sell, the collector market for the right pieces is deep, and a painted flight jacket can be worth more than everything else in the closet combined. An identified WWII A-2 brought $5,547 at auction, and painted squadron examples have been appraised on Antiques Roadshow at $6,000 to $9,000, with dealer-reported sales well above that.
Free video appraisal · paid before you ship · no obligation
We buy military clothing and insignia from anywhere in the country, WWII and earlier especially, through the same remote process we use for denim: photos by text, a short video call where we explain what you are holding, a price agreed on the call, PayPal payment before you ship, and shipping on us. These things carried a person’s service. We handle them, and price them, accordingly.
What we buy, and one thing we will explain instead
Flight jackets
A-2, B-3, G-1, and the cold weather sheepskins. Painted and squadron-patched jackets are the top of this market, worth many times a plain one, so photograph the artwork first.
Uniforms and uniform groups
WWII and earlier tunics, Ike jackets, and named groups with a story. Women’s service uniforms, WAC, WAVES, and nurse corps, are rarer than the men’s and often more valuable.
Patches and insignia
Squadron patches, wings, and unit insignia. Dealers report the best WWII squadron patches bringing a few hundred dollars apiece, while common division patches bring only a few, and we will tell you which you have.
Cold weather and field gear
Parkas, mountain troop gear, deck jackets, HBT fatigues. The Army proved its arctic clothing at Ladd Field in Fairbanks, and gear from the northern posts is a particular interest of ours.
Medals: handled honestly
Federal law restricts trade in some American decorations, and the Medal of Honor can never be bought or sold. When medals are part of an estate, we explain plainly what the law allows before anyone makes a decision.
Sold with respect, from anywhere in the country
The video call matters most on militaria. Patches, paint, and name stencils are exactly the details a photo flattens, and they are where the value lives, so we look together, explain what the insignia mean, and agree on a number you can weigh calmly. Payment goes through PayPal before you ship, and the shipping is on us. If the collection includes letters, photographs, or a name, tell us: provenance raises value, and the story deserves to travel with the garment. And if the honest answer is that a piece belongs with a museum or the family, we will say exactly that.
Our Word
One phone call is the whole process. A real person answers, we come to you, and you decide with a cash offer in hand.
How it works
Text us photos.
Send shots of the piece, the tags, and the buttons to (949) 449-1255. A real buyer answers the same day.
Video call, price agreed.
Ten minutes on FaceTime or whatever you already use. We agree the number while the piece is in your hands.
Paid before you ship.
The PayPal payment lands before you pack a box. Then we handle the shipping label, and shipping is on us.
Common questions
Is it illegal to sell military uniforms?
No. Uniforms, patches, insignia, and field equipment from past wars are legal for veterans and families to sell and are collected openly. The exception is medals: federal law restricts trade in certain American decorations, and the Medal of Honor can never be bought or sold. When medals are in the mix we explain exactly what the law allows.
Are old military uniforms worth anything?
By era, honestly: WWII and earlier, very often yes, especially aviation, airborne, USMC, and the women’s services. Named groups with documents do better still. Most later dress uniforms carry modest value. Send photos and we will tell you which side of that line your family’s pieces sit on, at no cost either way.
How much do WWII flight jackets sell for?
Plain identified A-2s have brought roughly $1,500 to $5,500 at auction. Painted squadron jackets are another world: an Antiques Roadshow appraiser put one at $6,000 to $9,000, and dealers report auction results above $20,000 for the best artwork. Condition matters less than originality, so never repaint, reline, or wash one.
How do I get rid of old military uniforms respectfully?
Find out what they are first. If they carry collector value, selling them to someone who documents and preserves them honors the service. If they do not, we will say so plainly and point you to donation programs and museums that accept uniforms. Either way, the fifteen minutes it takes to check costs nothing.
Know what it’s worth before you sell.
Our field guides explain how the market actually prices these things. No fishing, no hype: real ranges and the details that move them.
One call. We’ll take it
from there.
(949) 449-1255Mon-Sat 6 am-8 pm · Sun 8 am-5 pm
A real person answers, Monday through Saturday. Photos sent today are usually answered the same day.
Prefer photos? Text them straight to the same number · or send them here
Also from California Vintage Buyers