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Vintage Amateur and Military Radio Amateur/military receivers and transmitters, morse, and any other related vintage comms equipment.

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Old 10th Sep 2017, 5:57 am   #1
Robert McGregor
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Default B2 spy set

Hi. I know it is very difficult to give values on items without inspection, but in ''general'' how much do SOE B2 spy sets fetch at the moment - assuming a good clean and mostly complete set, without any significant modifications. And complete meaning transmitter, receiver, power supply, and spares. I saw some figures from 2011 that indicate high prices, but I wonder if the value has dropped over recent years? And what do member think in regard to the most valuable - the suitcase sets or the drop box variety
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Old 10th Sep 2017, 7:19 am   #2
M0SOE_Bruce
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Default Re: B2 spy set

They still seem to keep their high value. One sold a couple of weeks ago here for £3700 (6000 Aus$). It was very complete in good shape. I like the suitcase version myself. It has the "IT" factor that a black box doesn't.
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Old 11th Sep 2017, 12:17 pm   #3
trh01uk
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Default Re: B2 spy set

Well, ten years ago they were fetching £2500 when complete. The prices are entirely due to a collectors' fad of course. Trying to second guess what collectors might think more valuable is like betting on the horses.....but their value can only be related to the current interest in Bletchley Park, SOE and all that stuff. Its not noticeably waned at the moment. I suspect the suitcase version is the one that's more likely to catch the public (and collectors') imagination, since its the one that has the more familiar (and romantic) story attached to it.

Glad I'm not into that sort of stuff, with their associated drain on the pocket! Technically, I think they are extremely mundane.

Richard
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Old 11th Sep 2017, 3:05 pm   #4
GMB
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Default Re: B2 spy set

My notes show basic values averaging £1200 (5 examples around this price).
With drop case or provenance £3k-£4k
With a chunk missing £500-£600.
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Old 11th Sep 2017, 7:47 pm   #5
G3VKM_Roger
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Default Re: B2 spy set

It's quite likely that the B2 would be a lot rarer (and more expensive) than it is if not for a deal struck between the RSGB and the Ministry of Supply, shortly after the war ended.

The RSGB had asked the MOS on several occasions during the war if amateurs would be allowed to buy war surplus when peace returned and the MOS eventually asked for a wish list of sets wanted. Near the top was the B2 and a quite a large number were sold, one apiece, to some RSGB members. A condition of sale was that the buyer would not sell on at a profit! Human nature being then as now, people flogged off the sets, even advertising them in the RSGB Bulletin small ads.

No doubt, if amateurs hadn't stepped in and asked for the B2 in particular then a lot of the radios would have been dumped down mine shafts as was the fate of so much equipment.

Quite a few B2s were sold less TX coils and IIRC the Bulletin ran a article on rolling your own.

Back in the late 60s I bought myself a B2 at Bandit Bill Lowe's emporium, all complete and working for about £20! Needless to say, I swapped it for something more modern as my interests changed - sob!

73

Roger
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