Crazy Auctions / Prices Thread

[katoftw]

not uncommon at 1000% price increase?

 

seen plenty of 20% price increases though.

[lurkingknight]

a sucker is born every minute.

[stevenh]

I wonder how long there'll be 4 available for:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/FC137-Woodland-Scenics-Underbrush-Dark-Green-25-2-cubic-in-412-cubic-cm-BNIP-/171250793811?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item27df57bd53&_uhb=1

 

This shunter must have more inside that I expected:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/VERY-RARE-TRIANG-R353-TR-YELLOW-WASP-STRIPES-0-4-0-YARD-SWITCHER-HEAD-LAMP-/371012889905?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item5662176d31&_uhb=1

 

GG1s are brilliant... but I don't quite know:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Superb-Rivarossi-1500-PENNSYLVANIA-5-STRIPE-LIVERY-4-6-6-4-CLASS-GG1-ELECTRIC-/371016092296?pt=AU_Toys_Hobbies_Model_Railways&hash=item5662484a88&_uhb=1

[kvp]

I know someone who thinks that trains are a good investment and fears that his rare trains are reissued so they would loose value. Even buys 'rare' trains at high prices as investement. He doesn't really understands that most people think modell trains are for playing (running) and not a replacement for gold bars. Also, he would be suprised that even though he has some really rare items, there is no demand for them, so noone would buy them from him if he decided to sell them. Not to mention the great losses he suffered when some of his trains did get reissued with better mechanical parts or more details, so the people who actually to run the trains started selling the old 'rare' ones at prices below the retail price of the new ones because they switched over to the new ones. Some of these auctions are for these 'investors', who think that if they pay a lot for a train, it's worth a lot to everyone.

 

Personally, i think that modell trains are meant to be used and they don't really have any considerable value beyond the fun of running them.

[katoftw]

Maybe that English bloke put too many zeros on the end.

 

Model trains are like any other investment. 99.99% of purchases will never go up in value.  Some might hold value due to rarity and want.  Nowadays with mass production, the internet and cheap international shipping, things are so easy to acquire in large numbers.  Making rarity a thing of the past.

 

I agree model trains are meant to be ran.  Why buy a $100-$200 train and not run it in the hope it will be worth something in the future.  Does he think he'll sell it for $200-$400 in a decade or more?  That is a long time do sit on something for such little gain.

[JR 500系]

Coming from a former Lego collector, I would like to express my views on this. Hobby train is a fantastic hobby, that not only allows for creativity and careful planning for your layout, it also involves a lot of design and actual handicraft to get it up and running. A well-designed hobby train layout catches all attention at any rate better than an aquarium. People love trains and what better way than to see a real life model running!

 

Having said that, Lego is far better investment than hobby trains. Like many others have mentioned, some of the trains really increase in prices due to rarity and demand. Some examples include the MircoAce East-I, Kato E655 and imperial coach (not anymore though), the Tomix 700-7000 Hikari Rail-Star, some special box sets like the Suica E-2 Penguin set and Sayonara 500 series or other Sayonara sets etc. Overall, it's still much lesser an investment opportunity as compared to Lego. Cite an example: for those into Lego, or saw some Lego, the buildings sets, or we call them the modular sets, have amazing and scary inflation. The Café Corner Lego 10182, when it was first released, cost only US$149. Now, they easily bring in US$850 and above for a mint set. And many more others with crazy inflation prices and still people are buying them.

 

So, the saying still goes back to this: Willing Buyer, Willing Seller.

[E6系]

My opinion is that these people are laundering money.  They have two accounts.  They will buy the product from themselves.  They then legitimately earn the money they have.

[kvp]

 

The Café Corner Lego 10182, when it was first released, cost only US$149. Now, they easily bring in US$850 and above 

This is a bad example. It can worth that much until LEGO decides to re release it or until parts became avilable to reconstruct it without buying an original set or a sufficiently high amount of collectors decide that it's time to sell. Many lego star wars collectors have seen this, with their ultra rare exclusive sets getting rereleased in standard retail form so every kid can get one. Many exclusive, hard to find, rare, etc. sets and minifigures that have true market potential (=can be sold in bulk) are getting rereleases, because it's cheap for lego to just make a bunch more and they prefer to get the income themselves instead of the collectors. Collecting anything for future profit that can be rereleased and is not really that unique to begin with is worse than the stock market. Also, most banks pay a higher compound interest rate for long term (10+ years) investment than the price increae on trains and lego sets.

 

The cafe corner sets sold lately had an average price of 584 euros (a price increase of 4x after 7 years), but the cheapest two sales for misb sets were around 90 euros (a price cut of 40%). So a few high price sales can balance out the more sane prices. (i'm not this smart, there are special sites for lego that keep track of these stats) Also, you can find much better prices if you buy something released a decade ago as used. Especially if you just want to play with it (=build a layout), because it's easy to find one in good condition. Also, when checking the true market value, never look at the current 'for sale' prices, but always check the prices for the items that were actually sold successfully.

 

For lego and model trains, it's important to check if you can get it as parts. I've built a few 'ultra rare exclusive' sets from parts that were readily available. Also built a z scale maerklin V100 from factory spare parts for half the original retail price (it's only missing the instruction booklet and the packaging box has a different number on it). And then 5 years later, maerklin rereleased it with the same price as originally, immedately cutting investment worth and market prices 1000%, right back to the original retail price. Also, people are buying them from shops with a 1 year warrantee rather than from ebay with a warrantee that has run out 10 years ago. So model trains and lego are a great investement for fun, but not really for profits.

[Martijn Meerts]

If you're going to buy trains in order to make money off of them, at least buy Marklin.. There's a very well established market for those, especially the older stuff. Prices can be a bit silly at times. Some original Marklin boxes (that is to say, EMPTY cardboard boxes) go for several hundred dollar, just because they used to have a specific model in them. Of course, having both that specific model as well as a mint condition box will get you many thousands of dollars if you'd sell it ;)

 

That said, while I do have various collectables/special/limited editions, I do buy all my trains with the intention of running them.

[lurkingknight]

I always figure the old, larger gauge stuff would be highly valuable and collectible... I can't see much in the plastic era appreciating in value.

[cteno4]

here are some good ones. these godzilla ornaments go for $30-50 usually. this guy wants $850!

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=301140985059&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=291115270144&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123

 

jeff

[katoftw]

here are some good ones. these godzilla ornaments go for $30-50 usually. this guy wants $850!

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=301140985059&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=291115270144&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123

 

jeff

they seems to be the usual price now. one is 36usd and one is 58usd.

[cteno4]

Yeah I emaile him letting him know it was like 20x plus the going rate and they changed the prices.

 

Jeff

[katoftw]

thats good then.  i've done that before with sellers and got not real positive responses.

[cteno4]

Yeah, I will do it on things this bad and many times get a nice note back it was a mistake and corrected.

 

Jeff

[JR 500系]

Here's a weird find in Yahoo Auctions:

 

http://page13.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/r113379138

 

i've never seen a 7-car komachi before..

[katoftw]

must be old.  the 92725 number doesn't exsist in the current tomix catalog

[kvp]

I think this is the same:

http://www.newhallstation.com/store/product_info.php/manufacturers_id/10/products_id/149

The set on yahoo has two of one of the middle cars. It's the one used to extend the basic 5 car set to 6, so someone probably made an old 5 car set and a special 7 car set from two 6 car sets.

[JR 500系]

I think this is the same:

http://www.newhallstation.com/store/product_info.php/manufacturers_id/10/products_id/149

The set on yahoo has two of one of the middle cars. It's the one used to extend the basic 5 car set to 6, so someone probably made an old 5 car set and a special 7 car set from two 6 car sets.

 

Great observations kvp! Is the repeat carriage the 4th and 5th car? They look kinda the same from the picture... Really weird to see a 7-car Komachi...  

[Davo Dentetsu]

Bringing this back from the dead somewhat.  Anyone else spot this?  It's mad... for completely different reasons.  Genuinely confused, pics and presumably price of an N scale loco, but pics and description of an HO sized box.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tomix-HO-194-JR-EF210-100-Prestige-Model-1-80-Electric-Locomotive-/360976097110?pt=Radio_Control_Vehicles&hash=item540bda1f56

[Darklighter]

Bringing this back from the dead somewhat.  Anyone else spot this?  It's mad... for completely different reasons.  Genuinely confused, pics and presumably price of an N scale loco, but pics and description of an HO sized box.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tomix-HO-194-JR-EF210-100-Prestige-Model-1-80-Electric-Locomotive-/360976097110?pt=Radio_Control_Vehicles&hash=item540bda1f56

I hope you weren't going to buy it, because I couldn't resist any longer and bought the item. 

[kvp]

The first image is a stock photo and not the actual product. The locomotive that is inside the box could look completly different and can be in any shape.

[Davo Dentetsu]

I hope you weren't going to buy it, because I couldn't resist any longer and bought the item. 

I would lie to say I wasn't tempted, but wasn't real sure and didn't really see a need for it in my house.  I have enough stuff that's hard to explain away already.   :P

Edited July 3, 2014 by Azumanga Davo

[Darklighter]

I received the EF210 today. It's an HO scale model but it is not in new condition. Some parts are broken off and/or missing. It's actually the same item sold a few weeks ago by the same seller: http://www.ebay.com/itm/TOMIX-HO-194-JR-EF210-100-Electric-Locomotive-/360934554490?pt=Radio_Control_Vehicles&hash=item5409603b7a. Back then the condition of the item was "used", and you can see the missing/broken parts on the auction photos, e.g., one missing coupler, 3 of 4  footboards (is this the correct term?) missing/broken off , a broken plow, 2 of 4 footsteps missing. Furthermore the light is working in only one direction. At least it runs very smooth.

Now the question is whether I should open a case on ebay or contact the seller first.

[katoftw]

if it is used and missing parts, but described as new, then I would contact seller first. although i fail to see the seller coming to the party as clearly he is one of those less truthful sellers. if no joy, then paypal claim.

 

cos to be honest, it sounds like it should've been sold as used/for parts if missing bits and not fully operational. which would've decreased it's value by 50%.

Edited July 11, 2014 by katoftw