Is there a market for Lionel trains?
At auction, Lionel train sets, pieces, and accessories can sell for a few hundred dollars or for a few thousand dollars, depending on the rarity and condition of the piece. Lionel collectors tend to have a lifelong passion for model railroading.
These trains can sell anywhere from twenty dollars to around several thousand dollars. It depends on the scarcity of the item and the condition that it is in. On average, these trains will sell for a few hundred dollars. If the item is more sought after, they can go for a thousand dollars.
Mint-in-box examples of vintage Lionel trains are still valuable and will continue to appreciate in value over time, because there are so few of them. That's the stuff you see on TV, because it's the exceptional stuff that makes good TV.
The Information Is Most Likely On The Model Itself
Fortunately, you won't even have to do any disassembly of your model to determine the exact age. As long as it's still readable and intact, you can usually find a small metal plaque attached to the side or bottom of the train.
- Sell To A High Street Model Railway Shop.
- Sell To A Mobile or Online Model Railway Trader.
- Send To An Auctioneers.
- Sell On eBay.
- Sell On Other Selling Sites (Gum Tree, Shpock, Preloved etc)
- Sell Through Facebook Groups.
- Sell At Toy & Train Fairs.
Hornby Dublo is the name on some of today's most valuable sets. Clockwork models from the start of World War II are highly valuable because few were made.
These are not rare cars, but this is a great engine. And the whole set together would easily bring $2,500 to $3,000 at auction.
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) _ Lionel Corp., famous for the model trains it once made, announced Wednesday it will go out of business, closing its financially troubled chain of discount toy stores.
In 2006, Lionel's electric train became the first electric toy inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame. In 1969, they sold their model train lines to General Mills, but continued to operate until 1993 as a holding company for their toy stores. Its model trains are still in production as a separate company.
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The main factors which influence an item's value are:
- Condition.
- Age.
- Rarity.
- Modifications.
- Production run variations.
How much are old train sets worth?
The value of vintage toy trains depends on the age of the model train. Most model trains are common and due to being well-loved, the value is in the memories your old train set holds for you. An old model train can be worth $100 or less, but it can also be worth $10,000!
The number is very logical: first digit 6 (for magnetic coupler), second digit 4 (standard line), third digit 6 (one higher than that of the previous gondola, the shorter 6452), last digit 2 (gondola). Lionel introduced another gondola in 1956, the 6562.
The 6447 Pennsylvania N5C caboose is the rarest N5C caboose -- if not the rarest caboose -- produced during the entire postwar era.
Wet the dirty areas, put liquid detergent to the toothbrush, and gently scrub an area with no lettering. Rinse off the soap and check your progress. If the place you've just cleaned looks good, continue to scrub everything while rinsing frequently. Set the shell on a cloth towel to dry.
Auctions do best if you have high-end items like Mint or Like-New Postwar and Prewar trains. You will also get more if you enlist an auction house that specializes in toy trains. Auction houses generally keep 30% to 40% of the sales price, 15% to 20% from the seller (you), and another 15% to 20% as a buyer's premium.
The first Hornby clockwork locomotive, made in O Gauge, was launched in 1920. Within 10 years, sales of trains had exceeded Meccano. The railway shown on the locomotive also determines its value. Those from the Southern line, painted green, are the rarest of the British model trains.
Collecting Hornby-Dublo
The rarest and most valuable Hornby-Dublo items are early (pre-war) or late period (1963/4). The majority of Dublo products are long lived and in plentiful supply, particularly 3 rail from the golden age, and early 2 rail from 1958-62.
They range in price brand new from $11 (USD) to about $32, depending on how many trains are in the package. These are pretty easy to locate online and in your favorite toy stores. Take Along Trains: These are easy to come by, and they're much less expensive than their wooden counterparts.
Hornby, the model train manufacturer that also owns Airfix, is to return some manufacturing from China and India to Britain, becoming the latest UK company to repatriate production because of rising wage costs in emerging markets.
It's sold as much as $11,500. GUEST: Good heavens.
How much is a 1935 Lionel train set worth?
These are not rare cars, but this is a great engine. And the whole set together would easily bring $2,500 to $3,000 at auction.
O gauge track is made of a heavier gauge metal, which makes it very durable and more highly conductive. This makes it popular, even though it is grossly oversized. Standard O27 straight track sections are 8.875 inches long. O straight sections are 10 inches long.
At auction, Lionel train sets, pieces, and accessories can sell for a few hundred dollars or for a few thousand dollars, depending on the rarity and condition of the piece. Lionel collectors tend to have a lifelong passion for model railroading.
...
The main factors which influence an item's value are:
- Condition.
- Age.
- Rarity.
- Modifications.
- Production run variations.
