Welcome to the Civil War Dealers and Collectors Association!

The great interest in the memorabilia and artifacts of the American Civil War has led to an industry of fake and fraudulent Civil War items. They are being sold on the Internet, at antique shows, and at flea markets. Often they are offered in good faith but sometimes, unfortunately, the seller is quite aware that the items sold are fake.

Since the value of Civil War antiques have skyrocketed in the past few years, buying a fake or a reproduction can costs hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars. It can be an expensive lesson.

CWDCA has been organized to combat this practice and to protect the integrity of honest dealers.

There have been previous efforts to unite collectors, diggers, and dealers in an association, but nothing has worked well yet. In the past, the threats to our hobby and our businesses did not appear serious enough to generate strong support, but now that the barbarians are at the gate I believe we can galvanize the support necessary to effect an excellent defense.

The Civil War Dealers & Collectors Association has several purposes, including the following:

• Operate along the lines of a trade association, as well as a Better Business Bureau, to encourage collectors and those in Civil War-related businesses to promote ethical behavior.
• Promote the Civil War collecting hobby and improve our image by publicizing our contributions to the historical record, our efforts toward aiding battlefield preservation, and our attempts to assist with educating the general public about American history.
• Establish a code of ethics for dealers, with CWDCA members receiving a seal of approval for agreeing to abide by the code.
• Advocate at the state and federal level on legislation affecting Civil War dealers and collectors, engaging a lobbyist to represent our hobby when bills affecting our concerns are introduced. For example, a recent Virginia bill that would have severely restricted relic hunters and other collectors in pursuing our hobby or profession demanded immediate action, as do Internet sales of fraudulent memorabilia.

Develop research and preservation programs to promote the dissemination of information pertinent to the preservation and enhancement of our nation's Civil War heritage.