Belt Buckle Collector

September 13, 2017 • www.AntiqueTrader.com • ANTIQUE TRADER 19

COLLECTOR FEATURE

Steve Evans

If there ever was a golden age of buckle col-

lecting, it was during the 1980s and early 1990s.

Most of the interest had to do with “limited

edition” belt buckles, which were thought of as

instant collectors’ items and good investments.

Collectors especially liked a buckle with its

own individual number. Some models were pro-

duced in small quantities: a 1985 Kansas Auc-

tioneers Association buckle is “#60 of 300.” If a

buckle was planned for mass appeal, the minting

was higher, as with a 1983 Year of the Bible that

is numbered 4752 of 10,000.

Fred Cooley (1987 Flatlander Buckle Club

president), who had a collection of more than

500 buckles, said his interest in limited edition

buckles tied in with his love for history. In the

July 1987 issue of Buckle Buddies Magazine,

Cooley pointed out that “some buckles com-

memorate historical events, such as centennials

and anniversaries. Oen they contain back-plate

inscriptions that can be, for upcoming centuries,

acceptable records of today’s events.”

Buckle Buddies Magazine (published 1980-

1989) and Basically Buckles Magazine (pub-

lished 1989-1993) were great resources for buckle

collectors. ey contained informative articles,

advertisements for businesses that sold buckles,

and dates for buckle shows all across the U.S.

During this era there were several buckle

collecting clubs, including the Nebraska Buckle

Club, Flatlander Buckle Club, NABBC, Okla-

homa Buckle Club, and the Midwest Buckle Col-

lectors. ese clubs were eager to raise the status

of buckle collecting to a mainstream hobby, like

stamp collecting, but things haven’t gone well for

either hobby.

As interest in limited editions peaked, the

demand caused the introduction of an excessive

quantity of dierent models. Limited editions

started out as rare and special, but when the sup-

ply of dierent models seemed to be unlimited

Belt Buckles: Why ‘Limited’ doesn’t mean ‘expensive’

 The 1982 Toy Farmer limited

edition buckle was put

out by the owners of Toy

Farmer Magazine, who

in 1989 started Basically

Buckles Magazine. ($12,

May 2017)

 1988 USA Olympics

buckle. Beltside reads:

U.S.O.C. Licensed Product

Phoenix, AZ. ($7.70, April

2017)

Mid 1980s, An American,

John F. Kennedy buckle.

Reads: March-1943 As

Lieutenant, Was Given

Command of PT-109.

May-1961 Proposed U.S.

Space Program To Land

Team On Moon. Beltside

reads: First Edition / Rainy

Mtn. Design, OKC, OK /

Solid Brass / Serial No.

141. ($20, June 2017)

 1985 U.S. Postal Worker commemorative

buckle. Beltside reads: This buckle is the ﬁrst

buckle in a yearly series dedicated to the U.S.

Postal Worker. Due to their efforts American’s

(sic) enjoy the ﬁnest mail service in the world.

Co. / 1985 Limited Edition, #1724 of 5000.

($16.03, July 2017)

1990 Cargill Hybrid Seeds

buckle: 125 Years, Building

On Tradition, Serving

American Agriculture.

Beltside reads: This is

the 3rd buckle produced

under the Cargill Seeds

name. This 1990 buckle

has special signiﬁcance

as it commemorates the

125th anniversary of Cargill

Inc. Cargill Hybrid Seeds is

committed to development,

testing, and production

of the best quality seed

possible. “Count On Cargill”

Limited Edition, 985 of 1000.

($15.50, April 2017)

 1988 39th International Pancake Day buckle

depicts the Pancake Day race held in both Liberal,

Kansas and Olney, England on February 16, 1988.

The back of the buckle shows it was designed

by “Western Associates Inc of Marion, Kansas.”

Limited Edition, No. 124 of 500. ($15, May 2017)

Unless otherwise noted, values reﬂect eBay purchase prices including shipping.

20 ANTIQUE TRADER • www.AntiqueTrader.com • September 13, 2017

COLLECTOR FEATURE

1985 Puyallup Fair buckle:

Get Quakin’, Do The

Puyallup. Beltside reads

(in part): The Western

Washington fair has become

one of the nation’s 10 largest,

hosting over a million visitors

annually. This is the third

buckle in a yearly series

commemorating the Puyallup

Fair. Treasures Jewelry Co.,

Buckle Co. / 1985 Limited

Edition, No. 324 of 1200

($4.69, April 2017)

it was too much of a good thing – especially for

buckle collectors who were trying to buy one of

each model at $15 to $40 per buckle (calculating

for ination, $32 to $86 each in 2017 dollars).

Even though these buckles are 30 or so years

old, their values haven’t gone up. For one thing,

the recession of 2008 put a dent in the value

of many things, including collectables. Also,

“collecting” lost much of its appeal when col-

lectors started being diagnosed by their spouses

as “hoarders” and referred to as such (albeit in

jest).

e term “hoarder” became popular in 2009

with the airing of the reality TV series called

Hoarders (2009 to present on A&E), which

has been featuring pitiful individuals with a

psychotic tendency to save everything they

get their hands on, including garbage. is TV

show may be why many of today’s young adults

refer to themselves as “minimalists,” meaning

they don’t want a lot of possessions.

During the buckle collecting heyday of the

’80s and ’90s, collectors took great pride in their

collections, and a collection was admired if it

included hundreds of buckles. Most of those

original purchasers are elderly today, and what

were once prized buckles are being passed down

to children and grandchildren who oen are

not interested in collecting.

is may explain why so many limited edi-

tion buckles are available for purchase on eBay.

Go to eBay.com and see for yourself. Use the

search phrase “Limited Edition Belt Buckle”

and you will nd more than 2,000 for sale. Click

on eBay’s “Sold Listings” feature to see what

kind of bargains have transpired over the last 30

days. e prices are low. [Note: Unless specied,

values shown in this article are what the author

paid on eBay, shipping included.]

ese limited edition buckles are now vin-

tage. e supply is high and the market values

low, so it’s time to buy!

Many limited edition buckles are really

beautiful, and it’s no stretch to refer to them

as works of art. e intricacy of a sculptor’s

work in making the 1982 “American Fisher-

men” buckle is really something. Details such

as foliage along the river bank, the boat’s visible

registration number (CA-3386-81), and the man

wearing his favorite shing hat are all elements

of this adrenaline-lled battle, complete with a

sh leaping from the buckle and the sherman

trying to reel him back in.

How about the 1990 “Kansas, Land of Oz”

buckle? It’s a solid brass beauty. A treasure trove

of scenes from e Wizard of Oz: Scarecrow,

Tin Man, Dorothy, the Cowardly Lion and Toto

following the yellow brick road; a tornado li-

ing Dorothy’s farm house over a rainbow; the

Wizard, the Wicked Witch of the West, and y-

ing monkeys o in the distant sky. Wow!

e art of a buckle may be “busy” with many

things and/or activities shown, but this oen

works beautifully. e 1990 “Kansas Coliseum”

10th Annual Mulvane Old

Settlers Rod Run buckle.

Beltside reads: John and

Mary Salcedo’s 1955 Ford is

shown here along with Bob

and Beverly Cooke’s 1909

Ford and Ton Ghelarduccl’s

1966 Ford. They are parked

on Main Street in front of the

old Santa Fe Depot. In 1982

the depot was reopened as

a museum to help preserve

and remember the history

of Mulvane, Kansas. MOS

Rod Run Committee,

Chris Middendorf, Tammie

Middendorf, George &

Sheida Leach. Artwork by

Siskiyou Buckle Co. 1991

Limited Edition, No. 19 of

500 ($12.67, June 2017)

1989 Christmas

Commemorative buckle.

Beltside reads: “This

buckle is the seventh in

a yearly series, wishing

you and your family a

very Merry Christmas.”

Stephen F. Curry, Linda

Arroyo Grande Buckle Co.

1989 Limited Edition, No.

102 of 750. ($14.11, April

2017)

1982 American Aviation

Commemorative buckle.

Beltside reads: From the

dawn of time, man has always

wanted to ﬂy with the birds.

We live in a most exciting

time in aviation history. This

buckle is dedicated to all

those who made it possible

and to those who continue

to work to bring us better

methods of air transportation.

Grande Buckle Co. 1982

Limited Edition, No. 1400 of

5000 ($12.95, July 2017)

1990 Kansas, Land of Oz

buckle, made by Award

Design Medals, solid brass,

Limited Edition, Serial #314.

($59.99, June 2017)

1977 Hoosier Hundred, 25th

Anniversary buckle depicts

Bob Harkey’s car #52 and

A.J. Foyt in #14, sprint car

racing at the Indiana State

Fairgrounds’ Hoosier 100

mile race. Beltside shows

all the winners’ names

from 1953 through 1977. /

Indiana Metal Craft Limited

Edition, #40 of 500. ($12,

July 2017)

All buckles courtesy the Steve Evans Collection.

September 13, 2017 • www.AntiqueTrader.com • ANTIQUE TRADER 21

COLLECTOR FEATURE

buckle depicts a music concert, soccer game,

ice skating, horse show, a circus elephant and a

livestock exhibition which were all seen at the

Coliseum, plus two Long Horn cattle sculptures

(made mostly from auto bumpers) located out-

side the arena. e Kansas Coliseum (12 miles

north of Wichita) was shuttered in 2010 aer 32

years of entertainment. Now all that is le are

fond memories, and this neat buckle!

Many of the best looking limited edition

buckles came from the Siskiyou Buckle Com-

pany of Williams, Oregon. Siskiyou did a great

job designing their buckles, but out-sourced

the actual manufacturing to Bergamot Fine Art

Foundry of Delavan, Wisconsin.

Many companies had the same relationship

with Bergamot, and these buckles sometimes

have the Bergamot Brass Works logo (a stylized

BBW in a circle), but also can be identied by

Bergamot’s unique belt attachments (miniature

lions, eagle heads, or Bergamot’s more common

“owers with leaves”).

e Ames Tool Company (founded in 1774)

is known as the oldest hardware manufacturing

company in America. Buckle collectors learned

about Ames (and history) through Siskiyou’s se-

ries of ten Ames Tools buckles, rst in 1981 and

a dierent model each year thereaer through

1991. Each buckle depicts a signicant historical

event on the front and a written account on the

back, much like miniature time capsules for the

Ames Company.

Take a look at Ames’ “Mount Rushmore”

buckle (7th in the series) and read its inscription.

Pretty interesting stu. is buckle was made

of pewter (as were most limited editions) and in

1987 sold new for $20.

One of the kookiest ideas for a buckle was

the 1993 “Boise City - Bombed!” buckle. It com-

memorated the 50th anniversary of the acciden-

tal bombing of Boise (rhymes with voice) City,

Oklahoma. e actual event took place on July

5, 1943, and involved a B-17 bomber and its crew

on a training ight. ey were supposed be on a

practice bombing run over a range near Conlen,

Texas, but were o course by 30 miles. It was aer

1983 “Park City Queen”

buckle. Beltside reads:

Park City Queen River

Boat By Michael Ricker

Edition / Number 568 of

3500 ($5.87, March 2017)

1988 County Weed Directors

Association of Kansas. Bur

Ragweed buckle. Beltside

reads (in part): Fifth Edition,

Collector’s Series / Bur

Ragweed, Fransesia Tomentosa

... Declared Noxious By The

Kansas Board Of Agriculture /

Walkers jewelry Inc., Kingman,

Kansas / Limited Edition of 250,

Number 182. ($14.25, June

2017)

1982 American Fishermen

buckle. Beltside reads: This

buckle is dedicated to the men

who ﬁsh the ocean, lakes,

rivers and streams of America.

Their love of nature has been

passed on from father to son.

Arroyo Grande Buckle Co. /

1982 Limited Edition, 458 of

5000. ($12.67, June 2017)

1987 Ames Tools, Mount

Rushmore buckle. Beltside

reads: On a granite cliff in

the Black Hills of South

Dakota stands a huge

carving of four great

American presidents:

Washington, Jefferson,

Roosevelt and Lincoln.

Began in 1927 by Gatzon

Borglam, it was completed

14 years later by his son.

Ames Tools were there

to help build this famous

American landmark. /

/ Limited Edition, Serial

#5800. ($8.99, April 2017)

Caterpillar Tractors Shaped A Decade buckle. Beltside

reads: In 1978 caterpillar offered machine buyers an

idea far from ordinary: elevated sprocket tractors. That

design stood alone in the industry ... as it still does

today. CAT staked its reputation on the innovative

concept ... and customers had the courage to trust

our judgment. That trust paid off, because CAT

elevated sprocket tractors have proven to perform

far better than oval track models. And a decade later,

on August 5, 1988, the 25,000th elevated sprocket

tractor rolled off the assembly line....another milestone

in Caterpillar’s tractor history. Limited Edition, Serial

#5497. This belt buckle die was destroyed Dec. 31,

1989. ($9.15, July 2017)

1993 Walnut Valley Festival

buckle. Headin’ Home,

Winﬁeld, Kansas. Beltside

reads: The National

Flatpicking Championship

is held the third weekend

in September each year at

Winﬁeld, Kansas. September

16-19, 1993 / S & S Buckle

Company / Limited Edition,

No. 96 of 200. ($13.93, June

2017)

1989 Apollo Moon Landing

20th Anniversary buckle.

Beltside reads: This buckle

is dedicated to the men and

women who work in the

Aerospace industry. They

made Neil Armstrong’s

“One Small Step For Man”

possible, on July 20, 1969.

Buckle Co. / Limited

Edition, 1159 of 5000

($22.58, July 2017)

22 ANTIQUE TRADER • www.AntiqueTrader.com • September 13, 2017

COLLECTOR FEATURE

midnight and the only lights visible were those

of the Boise City courthouse square. e plane

dropped six 100-pound bombs, each loaded

with four pounds of dynamite and 90 pounds

of sand. Luckily no one was injured, but the

bombs did hit within 93 feet of the courthouse.

Another interesting buckle is the 1988

“39th International Pancake Day” buckle. e

buckle’s art depicts two women nishing a race,

at two locations; Liberal, Kansas and Olney,

England. e race is held each year at 11:55 a.m.

on Shrove Tuesday (the day before Lent) with

25 runners at both sites. e participants run

a 415-yard course while wearing an apron and

head scarf, and carrying a pancake in a frying

pan. e friendly competition has been going

on since 1950 and the overall score (as of 2017)

is: Liberal 37 wins and Olney 29 wins.

e more known about a buckle can enhance

its collectibility, and the year of manufacture

is one of the things buckle collectors want to

know. ere is an exceptional dating feature

on the back of a 1991 “Desert Storm, Air Force”

buckle. It actually shows the exact day it was

made, January 16, 1991, the rst day of Opera-

tion Desert Storm (combat action to drive Iraqi

forces from Kuwait). e maker was obviously

waiting for combat to begin. Four versions of

the buckle were made on that date: Air Force,

Army, Marines and Navy.

e 1989 “Caterpillar Tractors, Machines

that Shaped a Decade” buckle has a similar dat-

ing feature. It shows the exact day the buckle

die was going to be destroyed – December 31,

1989 – which let collectors know that no more

buckles of this model were produced aer that

date.

All of the buckles shown in this article were

made in the U.S.A., and they typically measure

3 3/8 inches wide by 2 3/8 inches tall.

Please consider, dear reader, getting yourself

a limited edition belt buckle. Go for a model

that really “speaks” to you. If one in this article

does strike your fancy, then use that model

name or brand as search words on eBay and you

might just get your own prized belt buckle. ■

1993 Boise City - Bombed!

buckle. Commemorating the

50th anniversary of the July

5, 1943, accidental bombing

of the courthouse square

in Boise City, Oklahoma.

Beltside shows the attractive

seal of Anacortes Brass

Works / Limited Edition,

#286 of 300. ($12.15, July

2017)

1990 Kansas Coliseum

buckle. The beltside of

this buckle shows the

Sedgwick County seal and

has a plaque that reads (in

part): Dedicated September

1978 For The Promotion

Of Agricultural, Education,

And The Cultural Beneﬁts

In Behalf Of The People Of

The World By The Citizens

The Buckle Source, Wichita,

Kansas / Limited Edition.

($12.50, July 2017)

1991 Operation Desert Storm -

Air Force buckle. Beltside reads:

“This Morning ... We Launched

Operation Desert Storm ... You

Must Be The Thunder And

Lightning” General Schwarzkopf /

This Buckle Is Dedicated To The

Men, Women, And Supporters

Buckle Connection 91 / Limited

Edition / Commemorative /

Date Of Minting Jan. 16, 1991.

Serial Number 1018 OF 5015 (5

Months 15 Days) Note: The 5015

quantity is signiﬁcant because

the troop buildup of Operation

Desert Shield had been going

for 5 months and 15 days before

Operation Desert Storm began.

($18.50, June 2017)

1985 Kansas Auctioneers

Association buckle. The

beltside has a built-in stand

and a plaque that reads: The

old parlor pump organ, wash

stand, pitcher and bowl,

kerosene lamp are but a

partial list of nostalgic items

found at estate auctions.

They bring charm to our

homes. Merchants use them

to display their wares. Public

auctions continue to provide

social blending as well as

establishing fair market value.

/ Lane M. Gehring / Limited

Edition, No. 60 of 300.

($25.74, June 2017)

1987 NABBC Buckle

Collecting Is Big Fun

buckle. This buckle was

put out by the Nation

Association of Belt Buckle

Collectors. Beltside reads

(in part): “... This Buckle

Subject Was Started By

Buckle Enthusiast From

Many Walks Of Life To Help

Promote Collecting.” /

Solid Bronze / First Edition,

Second Series, Ser. No. 149

(Etsy.com, $12.95, July

2017)

Prairie Port Festival ‘90

buckle. Beltside reads

(in part): This buckle

commemorates the Sixth

Annual El Dorado Prairie

Port Festival, held July

25 - July 30, 1990. The

Festival expanded this year

to include the Kansas State

National Baseball Congress

Tournament. / Original

Design By B. Scott Haines

Dorado, Kansas / 1990

Limited Edition, No. 15 of

1,000. ($13, May 2017)

Steve Evans is an avid belt buckle collector in Arkansas. He has around 400 buckles in his collection,

including more than 75 limited edition buckles. Steve usually writes about vintage guitars, but he’s

currently enamored with belt buckles. You can reach Steve at Jacksonville Guitar Center, 1105

Burman Dr., Jacksonville, AR 72076; jvilguitar@aol.com. Shop/Guitar Museum hours are Tues.-Sat.,

10 a.m.-5 p.m.

See more of Steve Evans’ buckle collection on page 42

4 ANTIQUE TRADER • www.AntiqueTrader.com • September 13, 2017

Behind the Gavel

Continued from page 12

antique store in this town?”

In a 2009 paper titled “Branding Strat-

egies During Economic Crisis: Avoiding

the Erosion” [http://bit.ly/2wNSp0s],

Dainora Grundley of Vilnious University

asserts:

“Brands represent a consumer, busi-

ness or regional shorthand for what a

company does and how well it does it.

Brands are a valuable corporate asset that

can increase protability, sales and even

share value. Brands shrink sales cycles.

ey bolster competitive prowess and

help launch new oerings. ey enable

higher pricing.”

Don’t dilute your brand by attempt-

ing to re-name and re-focus it. You’re an

antique dealer. Stand your ground and

refresh your image rather than re-brand-

ing. If sales are down, go out and nd

some new customers. ey’re out there!

I’ll bet you dollars to doughnuts they

are. ■

1983 Year of the Bible buckle. The

beltside has a built-in stand and a

plaque that reads “Resolved by the

Senate and house of Representatives of

the United States of American Congress

assembled. That the President is

authorized and requested to decree

1983 as a national “Year of the Bible”

in recognition of both the formative

inﬂuence the Bible has been for our

Nation and our national need to study

and apply the teachings of the Holy

Scripture.” Approved October 4, 1982,

Bergamot Brass Works, Inc / Limited

Edition, No. 4752 of 10,000. ($12.88,

April 2017)

Limited Edition Buckles

Continued from page 22

1992 26th Annual Easter Jeep Safari buckle.

Beltside reads: This is the second buckle in an

exclusive limited edition series commemorating the

Red Rock 4-Wheelers Easter Jeep Safari. Pictured

is a Jeep CJ-7 crossing The Devil’s Crack on the

world famous MOAB RIM TRAIL. ... It is one of

our oldest trails and you have not 4-wheeled

around Moab until you have survived the RIM! /

196 of 1000. ($27.99, June 2017)

1983 SCUBA Diving buckle. The buckle’s

art depicts two scuba divers who ﬁnd a

sunken treasure, but are more surprised

to see a mermaid. Beltside reads: Scuba

diving is a fascinating adventure that

enables people to enjoy sealife and

achieve lifetime fantasies. This is a very

popular and rewarding sport. Roni Houser

Ellen Williamson and Ed Gilles / Registered

Edition, Serial No. 451.

($16.99, June 2017)

1988 John Deere, Model D buckle. Gold plated!

Beltside reads: Introduced in 1923, The Model

“D” Established John Deere In The Farm Tractor

Business. Because it Was Low Cost, Economical

To Run, Maneuverable, Easy To Operate And

Service Durable And Dependable, The “D”

Became One Of The Most Popular Tractors For

Edition, #3601 / 6000. ($21.29, April 2017)

1987 Hardware Store buckle. Harry Bryant, who

was in the hardware business for 38 years, designed

this pewter belt buckle and had it made by C&J

Maryland / Limited Edition, No. 1711 of 10,000.

($13.12, April 2017)

1987 Maryland Farmer

Bryant, Inc. / Limited Edition, #136 of

500. ($13.12, April 2017)

1993 Kansas State Fair buckle; Salute to 100 Years of

Ferris Wheels. Beltside reads: Ofﬁcial Commemorative

Buckle The Ofﬁcial Kansas State Fair, September 10th-

19th, 1993, Hutchinson, Kansas / Stone Post Buckles,

Hays, KS / Solid Brass / Serial No. 480. ($8.75, May 2017)

1993 The Old Oregon Trail buckle;

150 Years Historic Trails Wagon Train

1843-1993. Beltside reads: A tribute to

the Native Americans, the land and the

people. Produced by Dart Inc. Ofﬁcial

Commemorative Collectors Numbered

Edition, #521. ($27.14, July 2017)

(c) 2018 Steve Evans

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(c) 2018 Steve Evans

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