Collecting the Marines

The Marines were born during the Revolution. Seeking to match British military might, Congress ordered the establishment of a new regiment of Marines – soldiers who specialized in amphibious and naval warfare – in November 1775. 

They were not, however, the first Marine unit to exist in America. That accolade likely goes to Gooch’s American Regiment – a unit formed in 1740 specifically to engage in amphibious warfare against Spanish possessions in the Caribbean on behalf of the British Crown. Despite showing lots of fighting spirit early in the campaign, within a year, Gooch’s Regiment (and the British fleet as a whole) was a shadow of its former self, critically reduced by horrific casualty rates from tropical disease. This anomaly aside, the first true United States Marines were those formed by Congress over the winter of 1775/76.

Revolutionary War-era Marine equipment is exceptionally scarce. Congress saw fit to disband the Marines in April 1783 as military operations against the British were winding down. They used much of the same weapons and equipment as the Continental Army, meaning a Brown Bess or Charleville musket from the period cannot usually be linked to a marine without extensive provenance.

The Marines were reconstituted in 1798, and would later see action in the Civil War. United States Marines fought at 1st Bull Run (First Manassas), as part of a 350-strong unit that marched from Naval Shipyards in Washington to participate in the battle. Most of the other actions involving the USMC were coastal raids in support of the Anaconda Plan (the effort to strangle Confederate supply lines).

At the beginning of the Civil War, most Marines were still armed with the Springfield Model 1855 – a percussion muzzle-loading rifle modeled to exploit the advantages of the new conical Minié ball.

Throughout the war, the 1855 was steadily replaced by the Model 1861 for frontline service. This was also a single-shot, muzzle-loading percussion rifle comparable to the ones carried by most Western European nations of the time. It was accurate, durable, and fit for service, and offered several improvements over the 1855 – notably better performance in bad weather. A Model 1861 can be bought on the modern market for about $1,000-$2,000.

By far the most common surviving marine artifacts from the Civil War are the Eagle and Anchor buttons used to fasten Marine uniforms. The now-famous Eagle, Globe, and Anchor emblem was only adopted in 1868, so any buttons including the globe will not be Civil War vintage.

In the South, the Confederate States Marine Corps (CSMC) was authorized to recruit up to 1,000 men, though only ever reached around 600. A total of 16 officers from the USMC decided to fight for the South at the beginning of the war, most ending up in the Confederate Marines. 

However, the CSMC were not used in frontline combat, and were instead posted to guard roles around naval installations and river batteries. Soldiers would likely have carried the Enfield 1853 .577 rifled musket, produced in England and sold to the CSA by British gun manufacturers. A typical Confederate Enfield sells for around $1,500 to $3,000. Provenance linking one to the CSMC will be extremely difficult to find, and most collectors will have to settle for a general Army one. Re-enactors have the option to buy replica equipment at a fraction of the price.

By the time of the First World War, the old blue Marine uniform of the 19th century had been replaced by the modern forest green field uniform. Much better suited to camouflage, it was usually combined with the distinctive “Montana Peak” campaign hat – officially designated the M1912.

Collectors should note that as the size of the Corps grew during 1917-18, the Marines were forced to use surplus Army uniforms to make up the shortfall.

The standard combat rifle carried by Marines into France was the Springfield 1903 bolt-action rifle. The design was based on the deadly Mauser M1893, which American soldiers had been on the receiving end of when it was wielded by Spanish troops during the Spanish-American War of 1898.

The Springfield generally used a five-round internal box magazine fed with stripper clips. While it may not have been the best rifle among the major combatants, it got the job done, allowing U.S. Marines to match the Mausers carried by their German opponents. The Springfield 1903 was still in use as a specialist sniper rifle well into the Vietnam War. Today, Springfield 1903s can be picked up for between $600-$2,000, depending on condition.

The Corps was under-equipped when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941. Even at the time of the Guadalcanal Campaign, some Marines still used outdated bolt-action Springfields. .30- and .50-cal machine guns were also in short supply, so Marine units often had to use World War I vintage heavy machine guns during 1942. Nevertheless, Marine units performed superbly against the Japanese in those early campaigns.

From early in the war, Churchill managed to convince Roosevelt to take a “Europe First” policy. For Marines on the ground in the Pacific, this meant they were always second in line for supplies and new equipment.

By Tarawa in 1943, the early supply and equipment problems had been largely overcome, and the average Marine waded ashore carrying the M1 Garand semi-automatic rifle. The rifle that General Patton called “the greatest battle implement ever devised” certainly provided Marines with a significant firepower advantage over their Japanese opponents. The average Japanese infantryman was armed with the bolt-action Askira – a rifle that, while accurate, was firmly stuck in the past century. The Garand could fire eight .30-caliber rounds in quick succession.

Also available to Marines were submachine guns such as the Thompson and, later, the M3 “Grease” gun, as well as a host of specialist equipment such as demolition charges and flamethrowers. 

Prices for these weapons vary considerably depending on condition and issue. Many Garands, for example, were registered for civilian use. Unfortunately, some less reputable sellers often try to claim weapons as being USMC-used when no evidence exists to support such a claim. As always, having sound period knowledge and asking for provenance before making a big purchase is key to avoiding a raw deal.

The Marines in World War II were early adopters of camouflage patterns on their uniforms, with the famous HBT tropical combat uniform being the key example. Original HBT combat uniforms with proper provenance can be worth several thousand dollars. Replica uniforms can be picked up for $100-$200.

One fascinating auction from 2020 involved the Marine combat fatigues worn by screen legend John Wayne playing Sergeant Stryker in “Sands of Iwo Jima” (1949). This one-of-a-kind uniform went for over $25,000 at Juliens.

The USMC in Vietnam provided American war planners with a shock force that could be rapidly deployed to the most dangerous combat situations.

Notably, it was the Marines who provided the tip of the spear for America’s official involvement in the conflict, performing an amphibious landing on beaches north of Da Nang in March 1965. Marines also defended Khe San during the grueling 77-day siege and retook Hue City in brutal street fighting during the Tet Offensive. 

Most Marines in 1965 were armed with the M-14 rifle, an extremely accurate weapon that could offer semi-automatic and fully automatic fire. It was essentially a far better version of the M1 Garand. The weapon’s main drawback was that it proved uncontrollable in full auto. Prices for genuine, unaltered M14 rifles can range between $20,000 to $50,000 or even higher, depending on condition and provenance.

In 1966, the Marines began using the M16. At the time, this was the most modern assault rifle in the world. However, early versions were plagued with technical problems that caused jamming. By 1969, these issues had been resolved with the adoption of the M16A1, and the old M-14s some Marines were still using were phased out.

M16s were gas-operated and armed with the smaller 5.56 cartridge. In theory, it was a “do everything” weapon, capable of accurate long-range semi-automatic fire and fully automatic fire for close-range fighting. During the conflict, each M16A1 cost the U.S. government $106. Today, USMC-linked M16s in good condition can fetch tens of thousands.

Modern Marine combat operations have mostly been confined to the Middle East Wars. The Gulf War of 1990-91 saw Marines form the spearhead of the liberation of Kuwait in Operation Desert Storm. The weapon of choice for Marines in the Gulf was the M16A2, an updated version of the M16. It was widely seen as more durable and accurate. Additionally, it was fitted with an ammo-conserving three-round burst mode.

Desert Battle Dress Uniform (DBDU), also known as the “chocolate chip” camouflage pattern, was worn by the USMC during Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Many surplus DBDUs exist on the modern market. Most of these were produced for the Army. Finding a Marine-worn uniform will require provenance.

The prospect of encountering chemical weapons stockpiled by Saddam Hussein led the Marines to issue Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) protective suits, known as MOPP suits. Most of the MOPP suits worn by Marines in Gulf 1 were of the woodland camo variety because not enough desert pattern NBC suits were shipped over. This led to infamous photographs of Marines with mismatched camouflage. 

MARPAT (Marine Pattern), introduced in late 2002, was the first Marine uniform to feature digital camo. Like the MOPP suit, it had multiple patterns. Most MARPAT uniforms worn in the Middle East were of the Desert pattern. At MARPAT’s launch, the Marine spokesman outlined the ethos behind the distinctive new uniform: “We want to be instantly recognized as a force to be reckoned with. We want them to see us coming a mile away in our new uniforms.” Replica MARPAT uniforms can be bought for under $100, but owning originals will require significant provenance. 

For much of the post 9/11 counterinsurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Marines were armed with the M16A4. A Picatinny rail system enabled Marines to mount advanced optics and other accessories to the top of the weapon. It had a 20-inch barrel that greatly improved accuracy. However, this led to some complaints in close urban fighting due to the increased length of the weapon. In the United States, there are several legal barriers to owning M16s, and civilians will generally not be able to purchase an M16A4 as it was produced after the May 1986 cut off point for M16 registration.

The popularity of Marine Corps collecting has, unfortunately, led to large numbers of fake items or reproductions flooding the market. Collectors must develop expertise in identifying authentic pieces through construction details, materials, and markings. Original World War II Marine equipment, for example, will show appropriate wear patterns and aging, while reproductions often display obvious signs of artificial aging or incorrect materials.  

Documentation and provenance significantly enhance the value of Marine Corps collectibles. Items with clear chains of ownership, unit histories, or connections to specific battles or campaigns command premium prices.

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