one of my teachers said her husband was recently given some older HO lionel trains. no locos, just cars. upon being asked if their of any collectiable value, i said you guys could probably help. so what would be the value of any random peice of lionel HO rolling stock?
Thanks
GEARHEAD426
[8]
Lionel HO scale was only made for a few years and a lot of pieces are highly sought after. There’s a book that your library may have title ‘Lionel Field Guide, 1948-1969’. Something like that. It list the more highly sought pieces. Some of the prices are unbelievable! The pieces must be in absolutly first rate condition to fetch these prices, though. See if you can find that book. It lists a lot of Lionel postwar items, including some I didn’t know about. If I had kept my Lionel Santa Fe Double Diesel set that I got for christmas in '64, It would be worth a lot of money now.
Also look in the back of Model Railroader magazine in the classified advertising section. Several cmpanies or individuals advertise that they purchase old Lionel equipment.
Lionel did HO in the late 50’s and early 60’s under the Lionel Corportion name. Lionel did not manufacture it, they imported it. Many items were made by Rivarossi.
In the 1970’s Lionel came out with HO again under the MPC name when they were owned by General Mills. It too was subbed out or imported but from whom, I don’t know and it is not as valuable as the stuff from the 50’s and 60’s.
It’s difficult to put values on it since the market is fickle. Your best bet is to watch activity on ebay.