It was a letter from his grandfather, written to his wife during the First World War, that really touched Adrie de Koster. This military mail from a trench in the middle of a battlefield provided a unique perspective of the war. So Adrie started collecting military letters. Then came photographs, medals and, ultimately, all kinds of militaria, especially from the First World War. Adrie established a lot of contacts at fairs and also started to concentrate on trading so he could finance the pieces that he wanted for his own collection.
As a result Adrie can flawlessly determine where militaria comes from and its value. When in doubt about pieces, he can rely on his large network and a collection of very thick reference books. In the relatively small militaria world, Adrie has built strong relationships with suppliers. He knows that helmets are especially popular amongst collectors, so he likes to include them in his auctions, which serve die-hard collectors and amateur enthusiasts.