1960's US INERT ANTI-PERS "TOE POPPER" PRACTICE MINE
History
The M14 mine "Toepopper" is a small (56 mm [2.2 in] diameter) anti personnel first deployed by the US circa 1955. The M14 mechanism uses a belleville spring to flip a firing pin downwards into a stab detonator when pressure is applied. Once deployed, the M14 is very difficult to detect because it is a mimimum metal mine, i.e. most of its components are plastic. Because of this, the design was later modified to ease mine clearance with the addition of a steel washer, glued onto the base of the mine. The M14 has not been in active US service since 1974. However, as of 2010 the United States retains a stockpile of 1.5 million mines held in reserve for emergency use on the Korean peninsula.
Item Description
This anti pers mine is INERT and was used for practice and training only and cannot be made to be fired. One of these was sold at JB Militaria online auctions on March 24 2024 for $550 plus comission of 20% ( total $660) making this example well priced.