The Value of our Nursing Heritage

[backman]

 Having paid more than usual for new additions to my nursing badge collection recently I wonder what people think is the worth of our history? Is it down to market values which is very dependant upon the wealth of bidders or is there a natural top price which we should try to stick to?  I was at an antiques fair at the weekend where one badge dealer was listing all his hospital and nursing items at £50-70 for relatively ordinary items(No I didn't buy any).
I must say it also works the other way that I benefit from high prices when selling but as this usually gets reinvested in badges it levels out.Views anyone?

[Odysseus]

I'm an avid watcher of nursing badge prices (and our history) and can only give an outsider (prices-wise) view. Some of the recent prices really are amazing, though there do seem to be one or two 'bargains'. In general badges I would like are well out of reach.  Maybe if there were a glut prices would become realistic. And maybe dealers are making sure that that just doesn't happen.

Will I ever have a half decent collection? Badge prices are worse than the price of drugs.

[backman]

...and just as addictive!

[nursesue]

oh yes to the addiction. However any collectors item is worth what you want to pay for it. People will pay thousands for a Clarice Cliff pottery or a  Picasso - personally you'd have to pay me to take them.  Some badges will go for a lot of money - the Flo Nightingle being the holy grail to us collectors. Recently a Southport badge went for £123 & I got a  badge for Eastern & German for £3.50. Bargains can still be has its just a case of waiting and hoping
sue

[eric]

Nursesue, I have to agree with you that prices are getting silly. As most knows I generally only collect Irish badges and so far this year I have obtained / acquired a total of only 5 badges and 41 postcards. Tonight I put on what I thought was high price for an old Irish badge (hoping to get it for less) but as usual was outbid on last second of auction. It seems some people will pay over the odds to get it, look at price Nightingale went for tonight (£230, and thats for one with enemal damage).

I hear of others getting these bargains but Bargains for me are few and far between.

Indeed if I was to sell my spare UK mainland badges I bet they would not make what I gave for them.

However, there are 3 things I want in 2008.
1. To publish at least one article about badges/collecting.
2. To acquire at least 6 more Irish badges
3. Try to make it to a badge meet (hopefully Peter + Wilf arranging)

Anyone else got plans for 2008?

[wilfb]

well, I have to agree about prices, but I think that at the end of the day we have to accept (as has been noted before almost everywhere) that badges are worth what people are willing pay for them.

I avoid the use of 'Collectors' as it seems to me that some of the current batch are 'investors'. Or thinking about a collection (with every goodwill) and paying well over the odds. A bit like share prices...

I see that you have made your Christmas wishes Eric (Do you get three in NIreland?) and wish the first 2.5 come together for you!

The missing .5? I sneaked it for myself - I hope that Peter wants/gets all the glory on the (nursing badges) badge meet - I'm just worker here!!

[nursesue]

bargains can still be had but are getting fewer and hard to find. A pristine badge is always wonderful but sometimes you have to get them with the odd "flaw". The Edinburgh Royal Infirmary is a badge whose enamel seems to damage easily - if the price is right I'll buy a damaged one until (or can afford to) replace it. I have ones with missing pins but its not a problem as I don't wear them. I just look at my damaged ones with a view to saving our heritage. However, I have recently started to collect the hospital commerative medals/coins that have been up for sale. They're still good value for money ( at the moment), add an extra dimension to my collection and are different. I have 3 at the moment -my B/ham accident one is a very large and heavy medal ( I don't mean the army soldier type medals on ribbons awarded for combat). I'm currently eyeing up 2 more.....

My new year ambitions:-
A Flo Nightingale badge for less than £50 ( ha ha!!)
It would be wonderful to publish an articel on thsi subject
To see nurses ( and all ancillary) staff get rewarded for their dedication by a decent payrise
sue :-*

[eric]

An idea struck me today (thankfully I don't have too many).

With Nursesue's themes I was thinking that it would make a fanastic Calender with badge pictures as illustrations.

January - all nursing governing bodies through the ages
February - Mental Health (psychiatric)
March - Religion (Easter time)
April - Learning Disability
May - Children's
June - Midwifery
July - Flowers / Flora
August - Myths & Legends
September -Heraldary
October - Nationalism
November - PAM's
December - Higher Education (Universities)

Each month has LOTS of badge pictures. What do you think??
Eric

[nursesue]

Eric - what a brilliant idea. Where do I get one???? All joking aside its a great idea and I'd be willing to donate my photos. If the WI can do nude callendar to raise funds why can't this site do one??? I'm sure the members would be willing to buy and of course there's always ebay....
sue
ps new years resolution number 4  - to learn to spell or change my dyslexic typing finger!!!!

[wilfb]

Hi, I'm hope Eric doesn't get too many more ideas. As a small minority may well be aware, I create (take/process/photographs/design/print) calendars for another website. This year an influential female (wife) declared next years calendars of the said site to be wild-flowers - of Crete!

In short, this calendar comprised something like 10,000 miles of travel; days lying about on Cretan mountain sides/in fields; uncountable hours computer processing the photographs/designing calendar pages/printing/rejecting/reprinting; binding.... etc, etc, etc... Not to mention recalcitrant sheep and goats/reluctant computers/donkey stubborn printers.... And then...

And then, here on my favourite site, where I seek recreation, what do I find? Eric and Sue debating how desireable a badge calendar would be! Forgive me - have you both thought of asking the women's institute? I believe that their (ex matrons and SAS trained crews) do a nice calendar line in badges too!

But really, Sue offering to donate her photographs for a nude calendar done by this site because the WI do one - or have I got that wrong? Oh, yes, I see (remembering the moderator) nursing badge photographs...

I like it! But I am absolutely bushed!!..... Any volunteers?!

Ps. But yes, I do like the idea. Very much. But wonder if very old postcard pictures of hospitals would also be an attractive theme?

[backman]

 Having availed myself of similar calenders for personal use  in the past,Indeed finding old postcard pictures and one of London hospital badges,I can confirm the ease of arranging these through any one of a mnumber of private companies;i.e.  http://www.fotocalendars.co.uk/?gclid=COnnxv3vjpACFR5UEAodvRjOGA

I did attempt an earlier response to your three wishes Eric,but my comuter ate it! Anyway hope you requests are met.I believe if you achieve No1 ,then No 2 may be easier as many nurses can be appreciative of the desire  to preserve their badges for posterity,especially if demonstrated by articles ,etc.( A few years ago a collector called Steven Callendar Grant set up a nursing badges group and recieved several donations of badges from retired nurses to add to his "national archive",I am unsure how many of these he retains or what was happened to them?)
As far as a meet is concerned ,I have been in contact with individuals at the RCN to propose an exhibition/display and am awaiting their response,but even if they don't want to play I think we should still try a get together somewhere.
On a separate note  an RCN member is trying to set up a History of nursing group for Devon,Cornwall and Somerset and I have offered my support,albeit possibly not a physical distance due to the geographical location.Will keep you all informed.

[eric]

Wilf does calenders as well!!
Wow!!!!
You are a busy lad, managing different web sites as well as this one along with Schoolsofnursing one.
Peter, I looked at Foto site for calenders but I was really thinking of adding at least a dozen photos per month (some themes so plentiful could even get one picture per day) and having 1 postcard representing theme for month is excellent. I'm sure that there are loads of people who could contribute and write a theme for one month. Could we do an online calender initially for members?? This would save expense of publishing and indeed if successful, something to consider for 2009.
Could start a new board called Calender, each entry a theme. Problem is how to add pictures to it?
As I'm not computer litterate, it kindoff leaves me behind unfortunately.
Anyway, glad people like idea. Only wish I had skills to be a doer as well as a thinker.

[nursesue]

ah Wilf  - you've had to much cretan sun or ouzo or both!!! I've decided against a nude callendar - you just wouldn't want to see my white flabby bits and as for an alternative  sexy nurse one - lets leave that to the sun newspaper and get all the nurses writing to complain about there reputations!!!!! I'll stick with my greek cat callendar. Anyhow I'm too busy arguing with BA about my delayed and then damaged suitcase. Thank god for marks and sparks in Piraeus and credit cards!!!!! We're thinking of driving down  to Athens in about June next year to sell our greek car( its amazing what the steering wheel on the wrong side can do to second hand prices and we'd have to GO via Milan aahhhh all those designer shops -HEAVEN)
I'm happy to go with the majority and give any help as required but be gentle with me as I've tons of reading and an essay to do for my COPD diploma. Why do I volunteer for these courses???
sue xxxx ;D

[backman]

 I Have posted this on the nursebadge site but thought I might add on here as well;

Here we go again!  I managed to pick up 4 nursing badges at an antiques fair yesterday from a badge dealer,the prices of which were on average £55 each. Now at that sort of price they are unlikely to be sold to anyone other than a dedicated collector and even I baulk at some of those prices.The question is do these prices encourage or deter the market ?
I have to say that I have certainly benefitted from some high prices recently but as this usually goes back into the acquisition of further badges,at equally high prices,there are few advantages for me.It has encouraged me to put several items up for sale that I might not have considered releasing so the argument is that it puts more collectables in circulation if you have the funds to buy them?
In conversations with some badge owners these prices may encourage badges out from the back of drawers onto ebay,one vendor telling me of her friend who trained at St Thomas who is wondering whether she should return her badge to the hospital or put it up for sale?
One can argue that if buyers are prepared to pay the money then it is surely their business what price to pay and tough luck for thems that can't afford it ? As most collectors are from a health service background few of us can rely on our fantastic salaries or pensions to fund an unlimited collecting spree,I'm afraid real life and bills intervene.Anyway,rant over,what do others feel about it?
For Sale 850 Nursing badges-Offers invited in excess of £35,000 anyone?

[nursesue]

pete - I had noticed that you were selling some of your badges and have to agree with you. Prices are silly ( says she who jusy got a Dudley badge for £75) and I am thinking of the same thing - just collect a specific area. As you say a badge is what you are prepard to pay and my recent badge was worth the price as it was one I wanted ( and I just missed out on the Littlemore one).  Given the current market I paid an average price. I'm glad you did well on your lots( yes I was watching). I have noticed that when new collectors start prices do rise and then usually settle - however this time they're still rising. So perhaps like you I'll start to sell some to enable me to collect Brummie/Midland & Scottish badges and perhaps school of nursing rather than midwifery..... decisons......decisions
sue