10% of binoculars
RIGA RECOVERY COUNT
How many are around today
Data
- 2011: Official count 831
- 2012: Official count 851
- 2018:1936-1944:859 1948-1991: 221
- 2025 1938-1944: 862 1948-1991: 223
- 2026 +
Notes:
- New cameras being added from my notes from 2015-today, and current ebay searches. We have at least 50 models serviced in 10 years.
Notes:
- New cameras being added from my notes from 2015-today, and current ebay searches. We have at least 50 models serviced in 10 years.
Minox RIGA overview: AI BLUNDERS
Dunce Cap On.
Here is AI (Google) getting it completely wrong about VEF USSR engraved Minox Cameras
We asked "How much is a ussr vef minox worth?"
Here is what Mr Google said. Annotated with corrections:
A USSR-engraved VEF Minox (also known as the "Soviet Minox") is a rare collector's item typically worth between $2,400 and $3,000 (roughly £1,800 to £2,300) as of early 2026 (wrong).
While standard "Made in Latvia" Minox Riga cameras are already valuable, the "Made in USSR" versions are significantly more expensive due to their rarity and historical context (correct). Key Value Factors for 2026
- Production Era: These cameras were produced in Riga between 1940–1941 and 1944–1946 during the Soviet occupation of Latvia. (Completely wrong: There are no 1944-1946 USSR engraving cameras)
- Authentication: Authenticity is critical for high value. Genuine units have the "Made in Latvia" mark milled out and replaced with "Made in USSR". (Wrong: whilst there are some milling, there are a very few (estimated 50-60 USSR Rigas with a straight 'Made in USSR' engraving with no over-stamping).
- Serial Numbers: Genuine Riga-era serial numbers typically stop around 18,000 (Wrong: 1001-14999)
- Condition: Excellent ("B+" or better) units with original accessories (box, case, documents) command the highest prices at auction houses
REVIVING film photography
Investing in the future
The 1938 VEF (pronounced WEF) Minox predicated an era of discreet photography for over 60 years. The word 'MINOX' has an automatic connotation with 1) Camera 2) Secret 3) undetectable. 4) German technological prowess,
The key question is 'how to maximise interest'. Let's see at the facts?
Size
The largest Minox camera was the 'C': 120 x 28 x 16 mm, delivering a negative of 88 square millimetres. All other cameras were shorter, but not wider or higher.
Document copying
The Minox camera design was designed to focus to 20cm. This means that the camera will copy A5 documents without a rangefinder. A4/A3/A2/A0 sizes copied.
Security
Film cannot be hacked or altered at time of capture
Problem: pricing
P In 2001 a Minox film cost between £4 (BW) and £15 (slide), when production numbers were in the 100's. Today it takes me 60 minutes to cut down from35mm roll, slit, measure, trim, load and spool. Production of 8x11mm film is limited. Blue Moon or sometimes ebay. BM stopped color film, and we suspect that they have had trouble sourcing colour. Japan has a very limited run of Sharan.
Uneconomic, unless costs can be reduced by economies of scale.
Estimated VEF MINOX PRODUCTION timeline minoxriga@yahoo.cOM
Significant dates
September 1939-July-1940, Made In Latvia is suggested to be whilst under Russian occupation. Yet the USSR only occupied Latvia formally on June 17th, where USSR engraving replaced Latvia. Under this rule, we have a nominal 1100 USSR marked cameras, but in the current VEF Minox survivors' list, we only have 20 'real' USSR flagged, with 47 with USSR over-stamped with 'Latvia'. I own one 'real' USSR and two over-stamps.
One over-stamp has USSR clearly visible underneath. I have seen only one other USSR model personally apart from mine, and I know of one only one more. There is a crude fake USSR deep engraved model floating around.
I have seen 4 Latvian over-stamped VEF Minox and own two of them. This makes true 'USSR' VEF phenomenally valuble to a collector. In scarcity it just matches an original Minox II camera with film lens: of which I have seen five in 20 years, and know of 2 more, one unused. Although there were 6,000 II cameras - 1948-1951, most were converted to the lens used in the Minox III/A.
'Made In England?'
This needs to be investigated? Where? Leicester?