Tom Geiger Posted March 16, 2021 Share Posted March 16, 2021 Value is a funny thing. Last night I was listening to a podcast of stamp collectors. The conversion pretty much said that in today’s market, the prices listed in catalogs are obsolete as soon as they are printed. They said a more valid value would be a calculator that analyzed web prices realized in real time, and the need for someone to develop it. I’ve noticed prices going wild on old annuals.. recently saw 1968-9 era Chevys sold for over $300. There seems to be a lot of money out there. But consider that the market is driven by new kit prices. 30 years ago I remember paying $6 for a new kit of the AMT 55 Chevy Cameo. I have a lot of old kits I bought used at shows from back in that era for $3-5 a kit. So think of the MSRP of a new AMT / Revell kit at $30 or more, and you can buy a Johan kit on eBay for $60, that’s not a bad price for something someone has stored away for 30 years.. as in, wouldn’t you trade two recent kits from your collection for a Johan you want? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CapSat 6 Posted March 16, 2021 Share Posted March 16, 2021 It depends on what you want a particular piece for. If you're truly a collector, then you want the original parts, box, decals, etc. in unbuilt condition. That's where it will really cost you. If you're a builder on the other hand, per Snake's and Mark's comments above, you really can often make built, newer and/or more widely available kits work very well sometimes. Some subjects seem to jump right when they dry up (and that seems to be happening more often with more subjects, as newer runs tend to be more limited as far as production numbers), and others are truly "investment" grade bets- where you will likely never see a retool or reissue of a particular subject (most Jo Han kits, for instance). What cracks me up lately is that even a lot of the old "swap meet dogs" - 80's cars, custom vans, etc.- seem to be getting up there, too, although I think in some cases, it's eBay sellers who are pricing them very optimistically. The Dukes kits prices entertain me. The General Lee was perhaps the most produced kit of all time. There is no shortage of these kits AT ALL. You can actually build a better General Lee out of the Revell '69 Charger kit and some choice aftermarket pieces. Most releases of the MPC/AMT kit are nearly worthless as builders. You could just as easily clone Daisy's Plymouth from a non-Daisy's release of the same kit, for much cheaper. I think some of the General Lees sell sort of high, and the asks are strong these days, but I think many of them still sell for reasonable money. I think you can still find reasonable deals out there for a lot of kits, especially at model swap meets. It does seem like the truly "grail-y" stuff remains "grail-y" though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brutalform Posted March 16, 2021 Author Share Posted March 16, 2021 1 hour ago, Captain Spaulding said: I've noticed lately kits that I really don't consider rare going for stupid prices. Seen the AMT General lee going for well over $100 and Daisy's Road Runner for over $200. Know you can't get Dukes of Hazzard kits anymore but they sure aren't good enough kits to be worth that much. Maybe people are getting loose with their stimulus checks?? Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brutalform Posted March 16, 2021 Author Share Posted March 16, 2021 41 minutes ago, Mr. Metallic said: Just curious, what "price guide" are you using? I didn't realize those were still a thing. Not being sarcastic, just didn't know. If you're using eBay as your primary buying source I would look at past auctions to see what the current trend for any item you're interested in truly is. The big yellow directory of model car kits. Seventh edition. Bill Coulter. Like I said earlier, I get it’s just a guide. I notice some things go the other direction too. A nice semi rare kit going for less than you would normally expect. I bought myself a Johan 63 Dodge Polara for less than the guides price. If I remember correctly, I believe I was the only bidder on it too. The 63 Dodge just happened to be one of my “must have” kits, btw. I’m just happy I found one, let alone was able to buy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CapSat 6 Posted March 16, 2021 Share Posted March 16, 2021 38 minutes ago, Tom Geiger said: So think of the MSRP of a new AMT / Revell kit at $30 or more, and you can buy a Johan kit on eBay for $60, that’s not a bad price for something someone has stored away for 30 years.. as in, wouldn’t you trade two recent kits from your collection for a Johan you want? That's probably a good yardstick...as in: "what would you trade for it?"... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brutalform Posted March 16, 2021 Author Share Posted March 16, 2021 That’s how it all rolls, I suppose. It’s not a seldom thing to see an open kit with the two engine halves glued and painted, actually go for more than an untouched, pristine kit. Both sellers would have perfect feedback, so that’s not the issue. I could never figure that out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted March 16, 2021 Share Posted March 16, 2021 (edited) 16 minutes ago, Brutalform said: That’s how it all rolls, I suppose. It’s not a seldom thing to see an open kit with the two engine halves glued and painted, actually go for more than an untouched, pristine kit. Both sellers would have perfect feedback, so that’s not the issue. I could never figure that out? The perfect storm. The right buyers logged into eBay at the right time, duked it out, and a sale is made! And for every old guy screaming that kits should still be two bucks, there’s another guy who can spend a thousand bucks and not miss it! Right now people are getting their stimulus checks and tax refunds. Walmart will be sold out of big screen TVs and some folks will spend stupid money on eBay! Edited March 16, 2021 by Tom Geiger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sledsel Posted March 16, 2021 Share Posted March 16, 2021 1 hour ago, Captain Spaulding said: Ha add them all rare, circa, look and don't forget the key selling word wow 😆. WOW! Rare 1973 Mustang kit! Vintage! Circa 2019 PRE PANDEMIC! LOOK! $85.99 Sorry just had to... 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brutalform Posted March 16, 2021 Author Share Posted March 16, 2021 16 minutes ago, Tom Geiger said: The perfect storm. The right buyers logged into eBay at the right time, duked it out, and a sale is made! And for every old guy screaming that kits should still be two bucks, there’s another guy who can spend a thousand bucks and not miss it! Right now people are getting their stimulus checks and tax refunds. Walmart will be sold out of big screen TVs and some folks will spend stupid money on eBay! Exactly.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Spaulding Posted March 16, 2021 Share Posted March 16, 2021 1 hour ago, Brutalform said: Maybe people are getting loose with their stimulus checks?? Lol If I was getting a stimulus check up here in Canada I'd probably spend a stupid amount on something too. 52 minutes ago, Sledsel said: WOW! Rare 1973 Mustang kit! Vintage! Circa 2019 PRE PANDEMIC! LOOK! $85.99 Sorry just had to... 😁 Please take my money.....now 🤣 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordairgtar Posted March 16, 2021 Share Posted March 16, 2021 I was on Ebay and just saw this one and the seller wanted $103.19 for it. It's a current kit for God's sakes. I was looking for a Renwal jordan kit to complete my collection of that series and the dude wanted to start bidding at $300...and it was a very glued up mess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snake45 Posted March 16, 2021 Share Posted March 16, 2021 2 hours ago, Brutalform said: Maybe people are getting loose with their stimulus checks?? Lol About a year ago, when the G was handing out $600 a week on top of unemployment, I noticed ebay prices and activity go up. And I admit--I was doing some of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 3 hours ago, lordairgtar said: I was on Ebay and just saw this one and the seller wanted $103.19 for it. It's a current kit for God's sakes. Jerks do that right before a repop like this comes out. Hoping to find some poor uninformed sucker who doesn’t know it’s coming and thinks he’s getting a smoking deal on an original! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kromolly Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 I've seen buyers at live auctions bid things higher than the retail price I am looking at on my phone right at that moment... but hey, they won! It's a strange phenomenon but you can see things get bid to stupid prices, and I'm not necessarily talking just model kits, but anything on ebay or a live auction, because someone hasn't done their research and/or is intent on "winning". The internet has made it so effortless, convenient and painless, and by painless I mean you don't see the cash leaving your hand. I think people sometimes lose touch with reality. Then there are no doubt collectors, too, who are prepared to spend big bucks on a pristine original kit. Whatever. And on the flipside, I won an ebay auction tonight by $0.01 in the last 5 seconds because I was lucky... absolute pure luck... and bid one penny higher than the second high bidder. And it was a good deal. Don't hate me. 😆 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteski Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 31 minutes ago, Kromolly said: And on the flipside, I won an ebay auction tonight by $0.01 in the last 5 seconds because I was lucky... absolute pure luck... and bid one penny higher than the second high bidder. And it was a good deal. Don't hate me. 😆 Hate? No - good for you! That is the only way to bid on eBay. That is how I do most of my bidding. No nickel-and-diming for days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kromolly Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 16 minutes ago, peteski said: Hate? No - good for you! That is the only way to bid on eBay. That is how I do most of my bidding. No nickel-and-diming for days. Agreed, no point in bidding before the last 20 seconds. The other thing about these crazy prices is that a $100 model is $125-130 after shipping and sales tax, a $200 model is $230-240, etc. Add 20-25% for the all-in price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slusher Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 12 hours ago, Plowboy said: For me, patience is the key to ebay and getting a good deal. For three or four years, I was after a unibody F-100. I didn't care what year as long as it was a unibody. But, they always went right at or over $100. Too much for me! Then, a few years ago, I found three in a search. So, I thought I would bid on all three and maybe score one of them. I put my max bid on all three. One ended in a couple of days. The other two ended three weeks later within four days of each other. I ended up winning all three for less than $50 each shipped! I couldn't believe it! I went for years without one and in less than a month, I had three. One was a '61. The other two were '62s. With ebay, rare kits are like subways. If you miss one, just wait and another will come along. That was quite the score Roger. You cought them napping or it was the perfect time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claes Ericsson Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 21 hours ago, iamsuperdan said: Now I see it on Ebay for a little bit more. I've actually started this one now. A lot of people on the Swedish auction site are being busy unloading this one as it is reissued later on this year.... Same phenomena that could be seen on Ebay late last year regarding the 63 Nova & this year for the 64 Olds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snake45 Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 16 hours ago, lordairgtar said: I was on Ebay and just saw this one and the seller wanted $103.19 for it. It's a current kit for God's sakes. I bought an original unbuilt hardtop on ebay around 2009, seem to remember paying around $60 for it. I'm not at all sorry to see it reissued, quite the contrary. Pretty sure I could still get $60 out of my original if I wanted to. OTOH, I'd be pretty steamed if I'd bought a glue bomb, needs-much-work '63 Nova wagon last year for $40. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott8950 Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 18 hours ago, Brutalform said: Maybe people are getting loose with their stimulus checks?? Lol Yep Income tax and stimulus are driving the prices up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slusher Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 28 minutes ago, Snake45 said: I bought an original unbuilt hardtop on ebay around 2009, seem to remember paying around $60 for it. I'm not at all sorry to see it reissued, quite the contrary. Pretty sure I could still get $60 out of my original if I wanted to. OTOH, I'd be pretty steamed if I'd bought a glue bomb, needs-much-work '63 Nova wagon last year for $40. Really nice find Snake. I think you could make some money on it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 21 minutes ago, Scott8950 said: Yep Income tax and stimulus are driving the prices up. I mentioned earlier that there are folks who can pay $1000 for a kit they want and never miss the money. That’s called expendable income. It does bother me to see guys who cannot afford what they’re buying, taking food from their families. We all know one of those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jantrix Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 23 hours ago, Snake45 said: Don't forget rebuilders I've learned to check the "junkyard lots" that show up on ebay. Sometimes some surprising things show up in those and you can score the odd gem here and there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott8950 Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 16 minutes ago, Tom Geiger said: I mentioned earlier that there are folks who can pay $1000 for a kit they want and never miss the money. That’s called expendable income. It does bother me to see guys who cannot afford what they’re buying, taking food from their families. We all know one of those. I agree with you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kromolly Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 19 minutes ago, Tom Geiger said: I mentioned earlier that there are folks who can pay $1000 for a kit they want and never miss the money. That’s called expendable income. It does bother me to see guys who cannot afford what they’re buying, taking food from their families. We all know one of those. May be a sign of addictive behavior. Sad. And like so many things the bubble will burst eventually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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