Actual selling prices for antique toy trains will
always depend on several different factors, including how motivated the buyer and the
seller are, the location, and economic climate. The skills of the buyer at bargaining and
the seller at promoting also effects the price. It is impossible to combine all these
factors and arrive at one definitive price for any single antique toy train item. Keep
this in mind when making purchases. Here are a few things to remember that can assist with
obtaining valuable items for a collection:
1. Scarcity helps determine value. The rarest of
trains can be worth tens of thousands of dollars. Rarity is an important element of
collecting. However, there are items that show up regularly, but are in such great demand
with collectors, that the prices are higher than expected. Conversely, some items are hard
to find, but have a low price tag because collectors are not interested in them.
2. Brand names count.
Lionel is the most
collectible, followed by
American Flyer and
Marx. Lesser
known brands such as Ives,
Carlisle & Finch,
Voltamp,
Bing,
Boucher,
Bassett-Lowke,
Bub,
Georges Carette, and
Dorfan,
could be worth something. Other notable brands include
Märklin,
Hafner,
Hornby,
Fleischmann,
Kusan,
McCoy,
AMT/Auburn,
Lima,
Thomas Industries,
Buddy L,
Schöenner,
Tyco/Mantua,
Rivarossi,
Williams,
Weaver,
MTH,
Jep,
Hoge,
Athearn,
LGB,
Tri-ang,
USA Trains,
Aristo-Craft,
Bachmann,
K-Line,
Atlas,
Walthers,
American Models,
Roco,
Varney,
Jouef,
Hess,
Exley,
Howard,
Ernst Plank,
Life Like,
Issmayer,
Joy Line,
Doll et Cie.,
Fandor,
Arnold,
and Trix/Trix Express to
name a few.
3. Original price plays a large part in determining
value. An old Lionel that originally sold for $50 might now be worth $100; but a Lionel of
the same year that sold for $100 may be worth $1000 now.
4. ‘O’ and ‘O-27’ gauge trains (the larger
size trains) are normally most collectible, followed by Standard and S gauge. HO and N
scale trains are normally not collectible; they’re worth not more than half of their
original retail value no matter how old they are (exceptions are brass locomotives
and some limited run plastics).
5. Condition means everything. An old Lionel train
that looks great but won’t run is worth more than the same train in scruffy condition
that runs like a Swiss watch.
6. Having the original box the train came in will
add tremendously to the train’s value - even if the box has seen better days.
Original instruction sheets and packaging such as cardboard liners and spacers, or
shipping cartons also helps to increase the value of toy trains and accessories.
7. The more original parts the train has, the higher
its value will be. Some old trains might be worth restoring; the majority are not. A
restored train will tend to be worth less than the same item in an untouched condition.
8. Major variations in the standard body types,
exterior colors and the size, color or placement of graphics on toy trains often will
increase the worth of those items. Major variations are those which can be readily seen,
exist in sufficient numbers so as to be attainable, and are accepted as legitimate
collectible variations by the majority of experienced collectors. Minor variations are not
worth more than the normal production version.
9. Mail order, retail, hobby and antique store
prices for antique toy trains will generally tend to be higher since these establishments
have overhead that must be built into the price of the goods sold. Prices for similar
items found at train shows, train club meets, swap meets, garage sales, estate slaes,
auctions and on the Internet will be somewhat less, since there is less operating overhead
for those sellers.
There are several sources that can be utilized for
determining the value and worth of tinplate toy trains. This includes published price
guides, on-line auctions and the TCA's "Interchange Point" published in the
National Headquarters News.
Both Kalmbach Books and TM Books publish detailed price guides annually
for all of the major collectible toy train gauges and manufacturers.
The Kalmbach books are
called the "Greenberg Pocket Price Guides". The TM books are called "Price
& Rarity Guides" and are written by long time train collectors and experts Tom
McComas and James Tuohy. The values presented in these books are meant to serve only as a
guide to collectors when buying and selling trains. These values are based on averaging
the prices paid for train items bought and sold across the country at various train meets,
private sales and auction houses.
On-line auction sites such as eBay and
the TCA Mailing List &
Electronic Interchange are excellent places to watch and track
the prices being paid for various antique toy trains and toy train collectibles. These
real-time Internet based auction transactions are the marketplace that establishes and
demonstrates what the true worth of toy train collectibles are today.
TCA members receive the National Headquarters News 6
times annually as part of their regular membership. The Headquarters News contains the
Interchange Point, which is a detailed listing of train items wanted or up for sale or
trade by members of the Train Collectors Association. Members are permitted to submit up
to 12 items for listing in each issue for free, as a service of the club. Like the on-line
electronic Internet based venues, this published document's listings can be monitored and
referenced for determining the value of similar train items.
