Thinking of running a ad locally to buy older trains etc. Now I’ve seen some price guides. Are these guides dealer buy prices, or are the retail selling prices? Who has a good wholesale price guide? What should I go by?
And has anyone seen the Train shows on RFDTV? Pretty Cool
The price guide I am familiar with usually is geared as a secondary retail price guideline, denoting conditions - usually used by operators or collectors whether selling or buying - but from one another. Someone who might be buying as a “wholesaler” could figure on a 50% reduction in the price shown, perhaps buying a lot of items or a complete collection, to allow for his profit opportunities. But as in other marketplaces, supply and demand dictates ultimate prices.
Yes, price guides reflect what individual pieces sell for on the secondary market whether it be train meets, shows, or auctions. Some guides will tell you to expect 50% less if you are selling to a dealer. When buying trains this way, people are often willing to pay more if they want it for themselves verses turning around and re-selling it. Often times you run into people selling off daddy’s trains and have a guide. They don’t always understand the difference between mint and junk and their asking prices can be ridiculous.