In the February 2012 CTT, Lou Palumbo (Veiws From the Underground) Page 33 writes about saving the boxes. I have immensed a rather large collection of newer (MPC to Current) collection of Lionel Trains, to include MTH, K-Line, Williams, etc.
I will in NO WAY be able to store all these boxes, and my local hobby retailer agrees. I have all intents of disposing of the boxes.
I also have a large American Flyer collection, I got from my father, and non of those pre war or post war pieces have there boxes.
So to get to the point here:
I have no intent on moving in the next 15 plus years
I have no intent at this time to sell ANY of my trains.
If I suddenly die, the sale or values of the trains will no longer be my problem
I have no where to keep the boxes.
so, for someone in my position, is it really necessary to keep the boxes?
Interested in others opinion on this… but I am still going to burn the boxes in my wood stove!!
Fortunately I have been able to keep the product and boxes together because of a large basement. What is not used for the layout is used for storage. But one of these days the wife & I will want to downsize so that luxury will be history and a large percentage of the accumulation will have to go.
I do agree with your point 3, if I was to leave this Earth suddenly I have told my oldest grandson to sell the trains and split the revenue with the 4 other grandkids. Whatever they make from the sale will be 100% profit for them.
Although they take up a lot of space I keep em. Things change and sometimes you need to put an item or two away, the box is the best place. Also comes in handy if you transport for any reason.
I save nearly all my boxes, but I buy mostly used postwar without boxes, so it’s not too much of an issue. I store a lot of them above the drop ceiling in my layout room in the basement.
I think some of them could be folded flat to take less space, but it sounds like you’ve got your mind made up already. I’d take the plastic and foam off of the boxes before feeding them to the stove. I can’t imagine the residue from that stuff could be good for a flue.
Most people familiar with this hobby know that due to the scarcity of boxes, many boxes are worth more than the trains in them. Also known is that a boxed item, no matter what condition, will almost always command a higher price than an identical unboxed item. When I leave this earth, I want my family to realize maximum resale on my trains, so I keep all my boxes. As jwse30 said, folding them flat would be an answer to your dilemma.
If you were planning to dispose of postwar boxes you would be burning some really significant $$$, but with MPC and newer, it may not be a financial consideration.
I’ve been to auctions where a case of miscellaneous postwar Lionel boxes goes for a few hundred bucks!
A lot of folks seem to store their boxes under the layout.
Personally, I hope I’m never too space constrained to keep my boxes, I consider them part of my collection, be they prewar (I have one) postwar, or modern era.
While I do not consider my toy trains to be an investment, and have no plans to sell, I want my heirs to be able to maximize their return on any and all the trains they wish to liquidate.
Sadly, I can’t bring myself to throw away my boxes, and my problem extends beyond just my trains. I have almost all of the boxes for my rather large diecast car collection, my wife’s figurines and collectibles, and all sorts of other boxes. My attic is filled with boxes that are filled with smaller boxes. I haven’t even thrown out the boxes for all of my FasTrack switches and special track sections. I keep saying I’m going to clear 'em all out, but it’s not happening.
I’d group them into lots of ten or so and sell them on eBay or Craig’s list. It seems pointless to burn them when you can make some money and buy more trains. [(-D]
The reason PostWar and PreWar boxes bring a hefty premium is because they are paper products and paper doesn’t fair well over time. The reason MPC and Modern boxes don’t fetch a premium is because… wait for it… THEY’RE NEW and they haven’t been around that long. In about 10 years time the MPC era boxes will start to become rarer and eventually the newer boxes as well.
I don’t keep them for the money, I keep them for the trains. When I go I’ll be stuck in a box, when my trains go, they’ll be stuck in box!
I probably represent a real extreme in that I don’t save boxes at all. I park everything I own on the layout and don’t churn my collection, following a layout theme I’m currently comfortable with… That said, I certainly agree the boxes enhance the value of anything you’re trying to re-sell. I’m personally happier trading in the clutter and giving a buyer a good price.
Bingo. Too many folks lose sight of the fact that what’s new and expendable today will be someone’s cherished collectible tomorrow. All those postwar boxes that fetch high prices now were once just new junk.
If I’m going to buy an item from somebody, I really prefer it to have the box. It’s much easier to store items in a rectangular shape, than it is to store a bunch of irregularly shaped locomotives and cars. My postwar stuff is a pain in the rear end to store because aside from one engine and tender, I have no boxes to keep them in.
I put the boxes in large boxes and store them in the attic. Some have been there for 20 years and are in good condition. Write so you can read it easily what is in the boxes. It is pure agony to crawl around up there for me but I do it occasionally.
I guess I should clarify, that I have , over the years have immensed such a collection, its going to get in the way of building the layout. and further more, even finishing the basement. I have considered building an out building, just for the layout. My Basement is 1200 + SF and I don’t think its going to be enough. The temptation is HUGE to start and be disappointed. With interest rates at an all time low, we (Yes, the wife has trains too. Over and beyond my collection) have considered refi the house and building a huge outbuilding. Which would allow me to keep the boxes.
but, unless this happens, I just cannot keep them.
AND, to be honest, after attending the York, PA Greenburgs show, I might re consider the hobby aspect and run the Greenburg circuit selling trains. I must mention, out of the five trillion people there, no one was buying and the vendors weren’t dealing.
I, too, have saved the boxes…from Hot Wheels to diecast cars to Lionel (no MTH, thanks). Which was fortunate because when my wife and I separated, I had something to pack them in.
I have seen some of the on line auctions and sometimes the boxes alone fetch more than the former residents there of. I know, it’s crazy, but I had heard that, when the trains were new, the boxes were scrapped, therefore the are very few orginals to be had. Supply and demand at its best.
If you really don’t care, I would say ebay/craigslist/Greenburgs…what ever. At least get something back for something you’ll burn or recycle. That’s my view…