Q: While cleaning out my late uncle’s attic, I found his stash of O gauge trains that I plan to run beneath my Christmas tree this year. Many of them say “Lionel” on the sides. Please tell me what they are worth. J.D., CA
A: During the holiday season, many electric trains are dug out of storage. Some are pressed into use around the tree, while others become the focus of the eternal question, “How much is my old train worth?”
First, the largest market for used toy trains exists for those in O, S, and Standard gauge. If you have old HO, N, or Large scale trains(with the exception of LGB and Marklin trains), there is at best a smaller collector’s market for them. Unless you are lucky enough to find the “right buyer,” or have a very specific train that collectors are just drooling over, the resale value is minimal.
Second, do some research to develop a basic understanding of what you own. Keep in mind that price is tied directly to demand, modified greatly by condition and scarcity. Most toy trains were produced in huge quantities; so not all old trains are necessarily scarce or sough after by collectors. Still, almost everything has some value, even if only for its parts.
Locate the manufacturer’s part number on each of your pieces; it’s usually stamped on the side or undercarriage. From this you’ll be able to find out the approximate years of production and estimated value by checking reference books.
Keep in mind that the values listed in the guides are not binding, but rather rules-of-thumb often based on reported sales during the previous year. Another current source of price information is eBay. Search for your item and see if someone else has one for sale. Remember that the item is being sold at auction so the price may reflect the whims of the bidders more than the actual value.
Condition is everything. Cosmetic appearance is often more important to collectors than whether an item works. Every chip, nick, dirt smudge, and fingerprint will be duly noted. If you have the original boxes, packing materials, and instruction sheets, these will add to the value.
Third, if your collection is large, you’ll need a dealer or experienced collector to help assess its quality. Check the ads in Classic Toy Trains for dealers. Check your phone book under “Hobbies.”
If you sell to a dealer you’ll be getting the wholesale price. I would suggest you consider keeping the trains in the family or giving them to a child you know. Collecting and operating toy trains makes a great hobby. Even if your items are only average, pass them along.
An old model train can be worth $100 or less, but it can also be worth $10,000! It all comes down to the manufacturer, the condition that your train is in, and other factors like rarity, production run, features, etc.
If you're having fun, you're doing it the right way. 70's Tyco collecting (brown box era) is growing and prices are going up. Which 70's Tyco set do you have? If it is in excellent to mint condition and complete with boxes and set box, it can get anyhere from $25 for a basic set to $200 for a deluxe set.
In the area of Lionel train collecting, there are two respected, affordable, and long-established guides that are considered to be the most comprehensive and authoritative: TM's Lionel Price & Rarity Guide (two volumes) and Greenberg's Pocket Price Guide to Lionel Trains.
The pre-war Lionel trains cost around $20 to a few thousand dollars. The starting price of post-war Lionel trains was $10, going up to several thousand dollars. The value depends heavily on the model and features of the train.
Sometimes the value is the delight they bring. First, the largest market for used toy trains exists for those in O, S, and Standard gauge. If you have old HO, N, or Large scale trains(with the exception of LGB and Marklin trains), there is at best a smaller collector's market for them.
Collectors generally consider a Thomas Train vintage if it's 25 years or older, and such vintage trains often hold higher appraisals. Among the most sought-after are the Thomas and Friends wooden railway trains, which are definitely worth collecting and selling.
HO-Gauge: Lionel HO products work with all HO gauge systems. With a track gauge of 16.5 mm and a scale of 1:87, HO is the most common model train size today. Lionel has manufactured HO trains several times in its history.
The plate on the bottom of the locomotive will provide you with additional information.This plate often shows the year of manufacture. Here's is an example from the bottom of the Lionel 736 Berkshire locomotive. The plate is located between the center rail electrical pick-ups.
The Lionel Santa Fe F3 is the very image of postwar Lionel. It ranks up there with Mickey Mouse and “I like Ike” as a symbol of America in the 1950s. We think it's the best of the best, the most important and most memorable locomotive of Lionel's golden era.
In 1969, the company sold their model train lines to General Mills. It continued to operate until 1993 as a holding company for their toy stores. In 2006, Lionel's electric train became the first electric toy inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame. The model trains are still in production as Lionel, LLC.
The plate on the bottom of the locomotive will provide you with additional information. This plate often shows the year of manufacture. Here's is an example from the bottom of the Lionel 736 Berkshire locomotive. The plate is located between the center rail electrical pick-ups.
Model train track: Track with cast plastic roadbed is recommended, linking sections of track more securely and allowing for better electrical connections. Also make sure the rails are made of nickel silver for better conductivity. Look into Atlas track, Bachmann track, and Life-like track.
If it is "Railway Magazine" or "Railway World" theyve never really been worth anything, except the really old ones (Before 50's). Trains Illustrated is worth a bit. Apart from a select very few magazines (Back Track, Locomotives Illustrated..)
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