Yard Sales, Flea Markets and Antique Shops 2025

[Flying10uk]

"Messel" would suggest to me Germany, not France. Perhaps what we are looking at is a West German helmet shell with a French liner?

Annoying if it's a mismatch.

[Aragorn243]

Messei is a town in Normandy. I don't believe the Germans ever used the French M51.

[Flying10uk]

Your seeing an "I", but I'm seeing an "L". Messel is in Germany.

[Aragorn243]

OK but seriously, not sure how you are seeing a L.

These are capital letters, there is no leg for an L which makes it an I

Germany did not use M51 helmets, they had their own helmets which makes this French

Messei is in France

[Flying10uk]

there is no leg for an L

That's the thing you see, there is a leg for an "L" but only feint. (This may be harder to see on cheap laptops.)

The "8" is fairly obviously an "8" and I'm not going to pretend that it's a "6" when it isn't.

My immediate reaction when I saw the name in the shell was that it was German made, with "Messel" either the name of the maker or the place that it was made in Germany.

As you well know many European countries used the M1 style of helmet and a miss-matched shell/liner would explain a 1982 dated helmet shell on a French liner. (We can see that the liner is obviously French.)

[Aragorn243]

One more time.

I have the actual helmet, there is no leg on the "L". I even looked again, just to be sure. The photo is very clear and very large, it shows no leg on any computer because there is none.

The 8 is a smeared 6 as an 8 is impossible as the M51 was last made in 1976.

Germany never used or produced the M1 or M51 style helmets. It is thus not Mossel but Mossei which is in France.

Why are you still pointlessly arguing this?

“When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” The ONLY thing which is improbable in this case is the "6" which looks like an "8". Everything else makes the "8" impossible.

[Flying10uk]

One more time.

I have the actual helmet, there is no leg on the "L". I even looked again, just to be sure. The photo is very clear and very large, it shows no leg on any computer because there is none.

It is odd then that you can't see the leg yet I can, albeit feint.

---------- Post added at 12:39 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:36 AM ----------

The 8 is a smeared 6 as an 8 is impossible as the M51 was last made in 1976.

You have predetermined that it is a French M51 helmet shell, I have NOT. (Because I don't believe everything that a dealer/trader/seller tells me.)

---------- Post added at 12:44 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:39 AM ----------

Germany never used or produced the M1 or M51 style helmets. It is thus not Mossel but Mossei which is in France.

Like I said many European countries used the M1 style of helmet post war which you know just as well as me.

---------- Post added at 12:45 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:44 AM ----------

Why are you still pointlessly arguing this?

I am NOT.

[42rocker]

As a coin dealer of over 37 years and collector way before that I will state that it is a "6" without a question. I've looked over too many coins with well-worn dates. If the left side does not have a step in, then it Can't be an "8". Look at the typed numbers in this thread/post. 6 straight left side, 8 has a step in on the left side. Believe what you want too.

That said, Enjoy Life!!

Thanks for this thread.

Later 42rocker

[Aragorn243]

Older stuff for the most part today.

First item is a blank round for a Spencer rifle. These seem to be pretty common, but I didn't have one. Unmarked and unfired. Most likely produced after the Civil War in 1870 so would be "Indian War" period.







Next a dug fragment of a shrapnel shell. No idea of what type. Said to be Civil War.





And finally, what appears to be a Civil War type sling, most likely an older reproduction due to the condition. No marks that I can find.







And a more modern toy Solido XM706 Commando that looks mint, no box however. Not sure how accurate it is, could be a 50 cal but kind of looks like a cannon. I never knew we had these. Vietnam, 1963 to 2000 production (the real ones).

[Aragorn243]

I found another weird one today. An O.S.U. ROTC 1902 officer's sabre. No manufacturer marks that I can find but the chain clip has Made in US with an anchor on it. Sword is marked O.S.U. and has a 5 digit number on the same side as the O.S.U. The other side has 181 on it. The scabbard has two digits that match the first two numbers of the 5 digit number. Black plastic handle.

The scabbard has been painted with a heavy crackle type paint in what I believe are OSU red/maroon.

I've found two others like it on the net with no paint on the scabbard, so not sure if this was done at OSU or much later.

Too late for photos today.