Questions About the United States Navy Peacoat

[Peacoat]

Yes, when there is a change, the military will continue to issue what it has in stock, along with the replacement items. When the pewter buttons began to be issued on the peacoats in about 1974, both the pewter buttons and the black anchor buttons were allowed to be worn until the changeover date. That date was, I believe, July 1, 1976 (although it could have been July 1, 1975--my notes have both years listed). After that date, only the pewter buttons were allowed to be worn. Of course the peacoat buttons reverted to the black anchor buttons in 1984, which is the current issue button.

In 1980, after the Navy changed to the black "Melton" wool, the older peacoats made of very dark blue "Kersey" wool were still authorized, so there was no "changeover" date. Similarly, after WWII, when the style changed to the six button front, the WWII peacoats with the eight button fronts remained authorized for wear.

While these, and other, arcane changes in styles and materials may initially seem trivial, they allow us to date a peacoat within an era, even in the absence of a tag. Even though Admiral Zumwalt, and other policy makers, didn't have the researchers and aficionados in mind when they effectuated change, it has given us the tools to determine the provenance of these pieces of history.

If you have found this thread by a search engine, and if you are still with us from the beginning, congratulations; it is a long thread. And, if so, you might be interested in the Peacoat Dating article (sticky) toward the top of the Outerwear section (you are in the Outerwear section now). To make it simpler to find, here is the link:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=37699

 

[Lexybeast]

Lexi, that peacoat is in great condition if it is WWII era. Buzz Rickson has a copy, but it is patterned after an earlier model. It's called a pre--WWII peacoat, and has the 13 star buttons, unlike yours which has the later version of the buttons. If you got this on ebay, I think I saw it. I would have been very interested if it had been a 42. The seller was adamant that, even though like new, even the tag, it had come from the estate of a WWII veteran, and was the real deal.

A good find. After that first vintage peacoat you got about a year ago, I see that you are adding to your collection. A WWII peacoat is hard to find. Careful, as peacoats can be as addictive as the leather jackets!

I think it must have been the same coat. The seller seemed quite sad to part with it and said it was part of a fairly big WWII collection that just had to go, but it is in damn good condition- parts are in even better condition than the 60s coat you helped me with last year. The WWII coats are quite nice- they seem to have a bit more flattering appearance with a bit more waist suppression, maybe because it's got more buttons.

I've seen the Buzz Rickson one also, at least online. It looks nice, but $700 is quite a price tag for a repro wool coat! With prices like that, I guess the one I picked up would be quite a steal even if it was a repro! lol

I know what you mean regarding the addiction. Just what I need, something else to start collecting. lol

 

[Cooperson]

Peacoat prices

Was watching an ebay auction for a mint condition WWII Peacoat - it just went for over $300
Wish we had them over here in our UK charity shops (thrift stores), looks like there is good money to be made if you can find them!

I'm waiting for my second 60's peacoat to come over the pond (one size smaller than the last one). If this doesn't fit I'm giving up, the shipping costs are almost as much as the coat!

These Peacoats are becoming as addictive as Aeros

Cheers

 

[bburtner@moran]

WW2 peacoat

The really nice condition WW2 style peacoats were a dime a dozen here in the US way back,I still have my WW2 peacoat that I payed 20 dollars for.Evertime I wear it I get many complements,where did you get that? was it you fathers.The newer style with the suit jacket type lapel just dont keep your chest warm...

 

[aswatland]

If the peacoat in question really is in mint condition and is WW11 issue then $300 seems a reasonable price IMO.

 

[bburtner@moran]

WW2 peacoat

That much? Seem`s awfully high priced.

 

[Peacoat]

The really nice condition WW2 style peacoats were a dime a dozen here in the US way back,I still have my WW2 peacoat that I payed 20 dollars for.Evertime I wear it I get many complements,where did you get that? was it you fathers.The newer style with the suit jacket type lapel just dont keep your chest warm...

You are lucky to have gotten it for $20. I wish I had a bunch I had paid that little for.

When you said the WWII came higher on the chest, I compared a WWII with a post war to see what the difference really is. The WWII is 2" higher toward the throat than the post war models. That is a significant difference. Now if they could just find a way to keep that pesky lapel down. I have found when it gets cold, like below freezing, I wear a wool scarf anyway, so the difference in the two lapels lengths is pretty much negated for me in cold weather.

WWII coats are getting harder to find, and one in mint condition is rare, so $300 doesn't surprise me. And when a coat makes it over to the UK or Europe, the shipping and tax adds maybe $60 to the cost.

 

[Cooperson]

Unfortunately for me, it was ebay.com (USA) and it still went for over $300. With shipping costs to the UK I would have been looking at around $366!

Having said that, it was listed as unissued so I guess is was a pretty rare item.

Cheers

 

[Guttersnipe]

What size was it? Larger sizes and longer lengths always go for more money. I see WW2 pea coats in good condition sell for less than a C-note on eBay fairly often, but they're usually something like a 36 Reg. or 38 Shortlol I had to watch eBay for about 3-4 months before I found one in my size - and the condition I wanted - and I'm pretty small by modern American Standards!

 

[Cooperson]

It was a 38R , a popular size I suppose. The dimensions were about right for me, but I sort of lost interest when it went over the $300 mark.

 

[jbailla2]

I was shopping around for a pea coat for some time as a Christmas present, and I stumbled upon this site. PeaCoat's sticky has been a lot of help after I realized I wanted to go with an authentic navy coat for quality and warmth. I finally got this coat from a Kenosha, WI surplus store for $60. I was told it formerly belonged to a Chaplain who had just donated it. Here are some pictures I took before getting it dry cleaned. The tag is a little difficult to make out, but it's the best shot I got. Based on the dating sticky, it seems like a 1953 jacket, or at least a 1950's.

By the way, if anyone could tell me how to insert photos directly, I'd really appreciate it.

 

[Peacoat]

Yes, probably 1950, from giving it just a quick look. It has the gold buttons of an officer's coat or a chief's coat. If an officer's coat, it should have some loops on the shoulders where the shoulder boards for rank would have gone. This would be consistent with the coat of a Chaplain. Or they may have gotten torn off over the years. Chiefs wear no rank on the shoulders.

To post pics from Photobucket, find the IMG code, copy it and then paste the code in the message as I have done with the photo of your coat below.

On some versions of Photobucket, you can find the codes by hovering over the photo. In some, the codes will be to the side of the photo. That is where I found the code for your photograph, below. If you use the IMG code, there is no need to do anything other than paste it in your message where you want it to go. Some people, such as Carlisle Blue, make it more complicated than this, but no need to listen to them!

 

[Peacoat]

And here is the picture of your tag, blurry as it is.

 

[jbailla2]

Thanks. The coat does have loops on the shoulders like you mentioned.

 

[bobbyball]

I have had a bit of luck over the years with pea coats.

My first was a late 1950s 8-button with some slight mothing on the underside of the left lapel.

In the last 2 years I have picked up 3 10-button WW2 coats from Camden Market and Rokit in Brick Lane. The most expensive was £60 and one of them is absolutely mint with no moth or visible wear – all have had the throat latch – one is missing the spec label. They are all stencilled inside with the rating’s name and number.

All of these are a very tight wool cloth – almost velvety and the stitching detail is very fine.

I have seen the Buzz Rickson Peacoat in American Classics and at over £500 it is really not worth it. The wool is quite bobbly and I am not sure about the cut. I was not impressed and would always go for an issue coat.

The most expensive 10-button I have seen recently was at Spitalfields Market (near Liverpool Street in London) and that was £185

 

[onecoat]

Hello. I've been lurking around in this thread for a while getting great info on peacoats, and finally got my first one last week. It's from 1958 and is in great condition except for just a few moth tracks. What an amazing coat and man is it warm! Turning the collar up is amazing. We've had some really cold weather in Nashville over the last week and I've been really, really pleasantly suprised at just how tough this peacoat is aside from looking great. Other than a dry cleaning when the weather turns warm before storing it, is there anything I need to do as far as routine care or anything special for the areas where it has the previous moth tracks? Thanks to all on this thread for the wealth of information on these great coats.

 

[Peacoat]

Onecoat: Glad you decided to join us; welcome aboard. Most of the coats have at least some minor moth tracking, and it is nothing to worry about. Usually hard to see unless one is looking for it, and the coat is turned just right in the daylight.

Hang the coat on a wooden hanger, as wide as you can find. Some have 2" wide shoulders. Those are the best. Your coat must be stored in a moth protected closet when not being worn. Hot Shot Pest Strips will protect a very large closet for 3 months. The package says protection up to 4 months, but I change mine every 90 days.

As cold as it has been here in Middle Tennessee (I'm on a farm south of Franklin) for the past two weeks, I have been wearing a sweater under the peacoat. With lows in the single digits and highs in the mid 20s, I need a little more warmth. The sweater takes up the extra room between the lining of the coat and my body. This reduces the amount of cold air transfer and keeps me much warmer than without the sweater.

Bobbyball: Glad you have had luck with the peacoats over the years. One of your Countrymen has not had such good luck. He has bought two of them, and each has its own problems.

When we refer to the number of buttons on a peacoat, we refer to the number of the buttons that are showing when the lapels are in the normal position. Such as a 6 button (showing) coat. Or the WWII models would be 8 buttons (showing). This cuts down on confusion and is the easiest way I have found to distinguish between the WWII coats and the post war coats. It does require the typing of an additional word, however. If you can come up with a better nomenclature please let us know.

 

[TracyB]

Help with Tags??

What a wonderful forum, although I have a coat here that I was unable to find in your archives.

Or even was this a coat made for the military. I have never seen a tag like this one. Also this coat does not have an inside pocket.

The coat itself is well worn, high quality but it seems more civillian. But there are some things that make me think it is authentic. A friend picked this up for me knowing I loved my old coat that was issued to my father in the mid 60's but was lost. This is not nearly as warm (which was the part I LOVED about it), but the wool is worn down quite a bit as well. Or maybe I just remembered that old coat as warm and heavy because it was 20 years ago that I last wore my old one. There is no more "nap" to the wool. 6 buttons. Black Anchor buttons. Will properly button to the left or right. Cut form fitting, not a boxy cut.



So here is the main tag in the upper back:

MELTON PEA COAT
NAVY #5459
WPL-3602
STYLE 502-3/2525
NAME __________________

With a small '36' stitched bottom center of the above



Three tags sewn into a lower seam:
#1:

(front) ....... (back)
5858 1 ....... 503
Size 36 ....... NAVY

#2
(front only)
ACN
013562
Union Made in the USA
???????? ?????? Clothing &
????? ??????ers Union

#3
(front only)
Professionally Dry Clean
Low Moisture


Is anyone familliar with this coat and tags? It is beautiful and fits great and I am keeping it, but just wondering if it was made for military or the civilian market.

Thanks everyone!!!

 

[Peacoat]

Welcome to the forum, TracyB. This tag isn't military, so it was made for the civilian market. For more info on tags, see my Peacoat Dating thread (sticky) at the top of the Outerwear section, if you haven't already done so.

 

[TracyB]

Thanks! I thought so, but it was VERY well made for the civilian market, that's why it threw me off.