Mercury astronaut Gus Grissom is quoted as saying, "You got to think ahead to the future... Folks like things that have actually been there..." And that has never been more true. The rich and recent history of aviation and flight is filled with triumph, but has also been punctuated by tragedy. The physical remnants of an aircraft may remain at a site for decades afterwards.
Things to consider when purchasing a crash relic or specimen:
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Purpose - Does it look like a aircraft piece, and what would its function be?
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Significance - Is it from a noteworthy aircraft?
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Material - What is it? Most metallic items from an aircraft bear zinc-chromate paint (is generally chalky, and pale green in color), most wood is laminated, and most fabric is canvas or muslin. Experimental aircraft are often made from unusual or otherwise exotic materials, and are unique onto themselves.
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Inspection and manufacturer stamps or markings - Nearly all metallic aircraft parts have markings bearing the manufacturer's logo or approval stamp, as well as part numbers.
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Presentation - Is the item loose, attached to paper, or framed as a display?
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Provenance - Can the seller verify to your satifaction that the item in question is from the stated aircraft? If not, does the item come with a backstory - letters or other documents lending credit to its story?
If this field of aviation collecting agrees with you, you want to consider others venues as well, such as "crash covers", photographs, or books on the subject.
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