National Rarities' February Employee Spotlight

For this month’s spotlight, we want to introduce you to Chandler Harden, our Estate Specialist! Read on to learn a little bit about Chandler.

Describe a brief history of yourself and your relevant training

I am from a small southern town in Missouri called Neosho. It is a big farming community where high school football was a huge deal. I have always been interested in history and took 4 classes my senior year, my favorite thing to learn about was WWII. Part of my interest stems from my family’s connection to World War II. My great-grandfather actually took down the original American flag in Hiroshima. At that time, my great-grandmother won a raffle where she was given a free trip to see him before he was deployed, but left early before the winner was announced and didn't get to go.

What does a typical day look like for you at NR on and off the road?

In the office, I research the military memorabilia we purchase and prepare it to be sold at auction.

When on the road, I work first hand with our customers who attend our events and answer any questions they may have about their pieces. I enjoy the diversity in the items we see, each event is different. It isn't uncommon to work with a wide range of items including jewelry, fine art, coins, or military memorabilia.

What is your favorite thing about working for NR?

Getting to know my co-workers while traveling.

My favorite memory while traveling for National Rarities was going to Omaha, Nebraska where I went to V. Mertz steakhouse with my co-workers and had one of the best meals I've ever had.

What is your favorite piece?

My favorite piece so far is a special edition pioneer seed shotgun. These guns are given as awards to employees who sell the most merchandise. They are very rare and have ended up selling for $3,000.