Current releases,future value

[Greg Cullinan]

Been wondering this for a while. Do you think any modern kits will be valuable down the road? Like we have the Johan's,mpc anuals from 40 years ago fetching big dollars today. Are you stashing any current kits with the hopes of future returns?

[gtx6970]

IMO,,,, nothing produced in the last 20 years or so will ever get too the value that some of the older releases ever obtained in there prime

[afxmustang]

The annual kits of years ago had a very short production run measured in months. Most of today's kits are in production for several years. That being the case I don't think the value of the current kits will ever be as high as the older ones. Also there will be a lot less modelers so less demand.

[tubbs]

IMO,,,, nothing produced in the last 20 years or so will ever get too the value that some of the older releases ever obtained in there prime

exactly. people know what is collectable. nowadays, the manufacture will put right on the package "limited edition" or "collectors choice", something like that, people are out hoarding it right now and jacking up prices if they think its going to be a collector piece. not like kits that were put out there and became "rare" because of people like my mom cleaned out our rooms, throwing everything out, 68 super bee's, 70 goats, 64 chevelles, johan kits..... I mean, my old magazines, hot wheels, G.I. Joes... C'MON MOM, STAY OUT OF MY ROOM !!.. er, sorry

anything collectable nowadays, without putting a sports figure in the mix (LeBron James for example) is collectable and expensive right now. just my 2 cents.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Even if some kits appreciate wildly over the years (which I sincerely doubt), I won't live long enough to see it. Kinda glad too. Just one less thing to worry about IMO.

If I HAD to guess, I'd put my money on things like the Galaxie '48 Chevy Aerosedan and the Accurate Miniatures McLarens and Corvettes. Great kits, already climbing in price, and out of production.

[Quick GMC]

No. Same reason modern baseball cards won't be worth what the old cards are. People wise up and start collecting, rather than sticking them in the spokes of their bike.

[pharoah]

And the kits made now are a lot more likely to be reissued than the old kits.

And I wonder 20 to 30 years from now,how many people will even be building models? By then,they could just go to their phone,which will be plugged directly into their brain,download a model ,and print it out on the 3D printer. Done!

[Lunajammer]

And the kits made now are a lot more likely to be reissued than the old kits.

Exactly. Model companies have wised up enough to not trash their molds. If anything made today starts going up in, say 10-years, it will be re-released and tank the collector value.

[ZTony8]

I think Bill nailed it on the Accurate Miniatures cars.I understand the molds are gone so there's no more possible runs.One can maybe throw the Round 2 1/16 scale Charger street machine in there too since the mold was modified after the current run was finished-though there are still some of those Chargers on store shelves.

Some other kits may retain their value down the road but they would be subject or version dependent if molds are altered.I doubt that many new releases will be a glut on the market like the AMT and Monogram stock car kits or any late Corvette are now.

[Greg Cullinan]

Some good insight. Kind of what I was thinking, nothing is rare or worth saving that is from current times. Lol. The only thing I could think of is a big IF, say moebius stopped making cars and truck models than I would think they would gain value quickly.

[Ace-Garageguy]

And I wonder 20 to 30 years from now,how many people will even be building models? By then,they could just go to their phone,which will be plugged directly into their brain,download a model ,and print it out on the 3D printer. Done!

Probably just have the entire model-building experience in virtual reality by then, but why bother with models anyway, when you could just as easily have every Playboy model at your VR, full-function beck-and-call instantly?

[CJ1971]

Put simply... No.

On another note... Only hoarders hoard. Hobbyists actually build. If you're buying a model kit simply for future worth you're a collector not a modeller/hobbyist.

[lordairgtar]

I have old kits and some are worth a bit. I bought them to build though. The 68 Ambassador convertible kit I have will certainly be built up and my Renwal 66 Revivals will be built and possibly kitbashed with modern, more detailed underpinnings.

[pharoah]

Put simply... No.

On another note... Only hoarders hoard. Hobbyists actually build. If you're buying a model kit simply for future worth you're a collector not a modeller/hobbyist.

True. Several years ago,I bought a kit from 1968. Never been reissued and probably never will. I paid what I thought was a good price.

I kept it for a few years with intentions of actually building it. I couldn't do it. I ended up selling it for around what I paid for it. If I built it,it wouldn't be worth $20. I'm not a collector,I guess.

[pharoah]

Probably just have the entire model-building experience in virtual reality by then, but why bother with models anyway, when you could just as easily have every Playboy model at your VR, full-function beck-and-call instantly?

Like Futurama,when he had a Marilyn Monrobot? Cool!

[grayghost]

I can't see any of todays being of value.

But then again I never expected the AMT ss 454 pickup to be

as high as they are to day.I would love to have on.

But at $98.00 on Ebay I can't go fpor that.

[Erik Smith]

You never know. Who would have thought 1971 Vega kits would be valuable?

Overall, I would say a majority, like 99%, will not have collector value. Even some kits from 40 years ago that have never been reissued are lucky to break $40.

Factor in 3D printing - in 30 years that tech will be the standard for parts and model creation. That takes all the builders out if the equation.

[FordRodnKustom]

Suppose 3D printing gets advanced enough to become mainstream and makes injection molded styrene kits obsolete. Would all molded styrene kits then become collectible at some point?

Edited February 6, 2014 by FordRodnKustom

[Daddyfink]

Buy them and put them away if you are a speculator. They may be worth something and then again, maybe not.

Only time will tell.

[Greg Cullinan]

So I shouldn't spend my 401k on models? ?

I for one will be glad to see the day when a small box of plastic with a cool box art isn't a kings ransom.

I admit I have paid some high prices for kits from the 60's with the plans of building them all. Then I realized I wasn't ever going to get around to it(400 kits) and downsized ( kept 35 and do some purchasing periodically) probably losing money along the way.

I parlayed it into another hobby(dirtbikes)and now I stick with a small stash of everyday kits and a few resin pieces.

[Austin T]

It's only worth what someones willing to pay for it.

[kitbash1]

I'd like to add my 2 cent's to the discussion. The only kits that should be considered collectables in the future, would be any kit that came with Tobacco or Beer sponsorship decals from the factory. Any Miller sponsored NASCAR or Champcar kit would qualify, as would the Marlboro McLarens, Penske's or Rothman's Williams open wheel kits.

Edited February 6, 2014 by kitbash1

[lordairgtar]

I'd like to add my 2 cent's to the discussion. The only kits that should be considered collectables in the future, would be any kit that came with Tobacco or Beer sponsorship decals from the factory. Any Miller sponsored NASCAR or Champcar kit would qualify, as would the Marlboro McLarens, Penske's or Rothman's Williams open wheel kits.

Why?

[Brett Barrow]

I think Bill nailed it on the Accurate Miniatures cars.I understand the molds are gone so there's no more possible runs.One can maybe throw the Round 2 1/16 scale Charger street machine in there too since the mold was modified after the current run was finished-though there are still some of those Chargers on store shelves.

Some other kits may retain their value down the road but they would be subject or version dependent if molds are altered.I doubt that many new releases will be a glut on the market like the AMT and Monogram stock car kits or any late Corvette are now.

Accurate's molds are not gone. Academy owns them now. I don't know if they plan on reissuing them anything soon, but the molds are not gone.

[johnbuzzed]

Perhaps those kits that had first-release errors, with those errors being corrected later in the first release... such as the first Revell '69 Chargers?

And, remember: a hobby is "an activity done regularly in one’s leisure time for pleasure". A hobbyist is: "a person who pursues a particular hobby". Both from the Oxford dictionary. Collecting is a hobby.

Edited February 6, 2014 by johnbuzzed