These WWII Escape and Evasion Kits Are Worth $5,000 — If You Can Find One
War history, gold, and a relic you can still track down today — this story about escape and evasion kits has it all.
If you’re a coin collector, precious metals investor, or just someone who loves fascinating history, buckle up. We’re traveling back over 80 years to uncover a secret World War II survival tool — one so clever and valuable, it’s hard to believe it actually existed.
And the best part? If you’re lucky, you might just be able to find one today.
The Day That Changed Everything: December 7, 1941
December 7th, 1941. A date etched into history.
That morning, the Japanese military launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, drawing the United States into World War II. The world would never be the same.
But while most people remember the global battles, the frontlines, and the politics, there were smaller, lesser-known tools of survival that quietly played a role in the war — tools that combined ingenuity, practicality, and, surprisingly, precious metals.
One of those tools? A tiny black rubber box.
What was inside would save lives… and today, it could be worth thousands.
Meet the Escape & Evasion Kits (Also Known as Barter Kits)
Imagine being a U.S. pilot shot down over enemy territory. You’re alone, behind enemy lines — and survival depends not just on skill, but on negotiation.
That’s where these tiny kits came in.
Known as escape and evasion kits — or more informally, barter kits — they were issued by the U.S. military to naval pilots and paratroopers during World War II. About the size of a soap bar and sealed in black rubber, these kits didn’t contain weapons or food.
They contained gold.
Inside were coins, rings, pendants, and even watches — items chosen not for sentimental value, but for their ability to buy safety. Soldiers could bribe enemy officials, barter with locals for food and shelter, or even secure safe passage back to friendly territory.
Each kit was serialized and assigned to an individual soldier. That soldier was expected to return the kit if it wasn’t used — a clear sign of just how valuable the contents were.
Two Versions for Two Theaters of War
Not all escape kits were the same — in fact, the U.S. military carefully tailored them based on where a soldier might be deployed.
The Atlantic (European) Theater Kit
Designed for operations in Europe, this version focused on gold coins that would be recognizable and spendable in Allied or Axis-occupied territories. These kits typically included:
- 1 full British sovereign
- 2 half sovereigns
- 1 French 20 franc gold coin
- 1 French 10 franc gold coin
- Three 9-carat gold rings, each in a different style
The variety of denominations and origins allowed soldiers flexibility. A local farmer might trade shelter for a ring. A guard might look the other way for a sovereign. Every item had a purpose.
The Pacific Theater Kit
The Pacific version looked a bit different — it focused more on jewelry and luxury items than standardized currency. These kits included:
- 2 gold rings
- 1 gold pendant
- A few gold links on a chain
- A Swiss watch
Why the difference? That’s still debated. Perhaps jewelry was more universally valuable in rural areas of the Pacific. Or perhaps coins were easier to trace in hostile zones. If you’ve got a theory, coin collectors would love to hear it.
What’s clear is that each kit was an ingenious blend of economic value and practical survival — a real-life gold-filled lifeline.
Lost, Forgotten… Then Rediscovered
For decades after the war, most people had no idea these escape kits even existed.
They were military secrets, issued to a select group and rarely — if ever — talked about. Many were lost in combat. Others were quietly returned and locked away in storage, never seeing the light of day again.
That changed in the 1980s, when a cache of these kits was discovered in forgotten corners of U.S. military supply rooms. With gold prices surging at the time, the Department of Defense decided to auction off some of the kits to the public.
For the first time, collectors got a look inside.
The pamphlets from those auctions listed the contents in detail — gold coins, rings, watches — along with minimum bid prices. At the time, gold was trading for around $600–$700 per ounce, nearly the same as it is today when adjusted for inflation.
But there was one big mystery the pamphlet didn’t answer:
How many kits actually exist?
To this day, no one knows the full number issued, how many were lost in the field, or how many are still buried in attics, footlockers, or forgotten military stockrooms.
How Rare Are They Today?
Let’s put it simply: these kits are extraordinarily rare.
While many classic coins can be found in abundance online — like the 1889 Carson City Morgan Dollar, which regularly shows up in hundreds of eBay listings — escape and evasion kits are a different story entirely.
Go ahead and try searching for one on eBay.
You’ll almost always come up empty.
Even Heritage Auctions, one of the most prominent numismatic auction houses in the world, has only documented five sales of these kits since 1994.
That’s not just rare. That’s near-mythical.
And it’s not just about scarcity — it’s about mystery. Each kit represents a potential story of survival, a tangible link to one of the most dramatic periods in world history, and a slice of solid gold investment.
Today, a full kit — when it does appear — is typically listed for $3,000 to $5,000. And given how few are available, that may be a conservative price.
Why These Kits Are More Than Just Gold
Sure, the raw gold content in these kits makes them valuable.
But their true worth goes far beyond melt value.
These escape and evasion kits are a rare intersection of military history, numismatics, and human ingenuity. They tell a story — not just of war, but of survival. Of soldiers parachuting into unknown territory with nothing but their training… and a few grams of precious metal sealed in rubber.
Each item in the kit wasn’t just currency — it was hope.
A sovereign could buy a soldier one more day. A gold ring might secure a warm meal or a safe place to hide. A Swiss watch could convince a local official to look the other way.
They’re also one of the few collectible items that are:
- Tangible pieces of wartime history
- Backed by intrinsic metal value
- Almost completely undocumented in quantity
- Rarely, if ever, seen in public sales
In a world where coin collectors chase mint errors and key dates, these kits stand out as something different — something almost cinematic in their story, yet absolutely real.
Final Thoughts — and a Call for Stories
These escape and evasion kits aren’t just collectibles — they’re artifacts of courage, creativity, and survival.
They’re also still out there.
Maybe in a forgotten footlocker. Maybe tucked away in a dusty estate sale. Maybe sitting in someone’s drawer, unrecognized for what it is. If you’re a collector, a history buff, or just someone who loves the thrill of the hunt, this is the kind of treasure that doesn’t come around often — and when it does, it tells a story worth preserving.
Do you know a story?
If you’ve ever heard of someone using one of these kits — or better yet, if you’ve seen one in person — I’d love to hear about it. Drop your story in the comments or shoot me a message. These pieces deserve to be remembered.
And if you enjoyed this deep dive into history, make sure to keep an eye out — I’ve got more fascinating stories coming soon about coins, precious metals, and the hidden histories behind them.
