[Closed] It somewhat distresses me to see people "giving away" their diecasts

Yes I've seen this also. One of the guys here mentioned a few years back (I hope I have the correct) that diecast car sales seem to be directly affected by the DOW-JONES.

Market up = higher prices
Market down = lower prices.

I have several that I'm waiting for the market to get a little better before I place them out there.

Like Jerry, I have quite a few DM/FM models I'd like to sell since I no longer have much interest in them. The same goes for some nice AutoArt 1:18ths. I made the switch to 1:43 several years ago, and that's the only scale I'm interested in now.

Every time I list a larger-scale model on the D4C auction for what I think is a reasonable price (considerably less than I paid for it, and in mint condition with all boxes and papers), it gets no bids. I think the value of the models has fallen off because first, they aren't making them any more (DM/FM) so interest has waned, and secondly, everyone who wants one likely already has it. That's just a guess, though.

I "gave away" several 1:18ths at our neighborhood garage sale last year, selling three of them, which had never been removed from their packaging, for $25 just to get them gone.

They're selling for low prices because, unfortunately, that's what they are worth.

I agree in part John but remember most all diecasts on the secondary market sell for less than the original retail price. Lately, I have won auctions on several Danbury Mint cars. All but one were in excellent condition, however there was no original paperwork and only the inner box. Even if they had these, the prices would be slightly higher. All five DM's cost me $45.00 and under. On the flip side, many diecasts & mint pieces are more than the original price. I guess it depends on what the market will pay. Most would agree that our cars are not an investment.

I can understand...

& I would think it's especially true for 1/24th scale diecast models since that market totally collapsed (much to my dismay - personally I think they were the perfect scale...not to big & not too small). Think about what fell by the wayside in 1/24th - Danbury Mint, Franklin Mint, GMP & West Coast Precision...and considering what Automodello offers at 3-4 times the price with virtually no "working features"...it's a crying shame!

I have between 250-350 1/24th diecast models & wouldn't hesitate to add more (thru this site's auction, or eBay), except there's generally very little available that I don't already have & those that I do seek, are few & far between...

Jerry LOL that is an imaginary stretch...

Its basic consumer supply and demand curves.

LE's limited supply available in mint w/boxes etc. will generate much higher prices. I'm a new seller on ebay. My last one sold for $225.00 (The 64 DM Tbird)
and that was my "buy it now price" sold 13 minutes after listing the sale.

Could have gotten prob $250.00 or so?. Not gloating just stating - little supply big demand = higher sell prices
I have some (many) that will prob. go to the Goodwill eventually.

MJD

Terence, your last sentence made my point-thanks (:-)

They are selling at low prices because that’s all they are worth.

Well Rick, there are a few that I AM looking for, and have n't seen on the auction zone. One, in particular, is the 1958 Ltd Ed. Packard Hawk, the Red one. So if you have that one, and are interested in selling it, let me know....jme927@cox.net. I'll give the zone their commission

I guess there hasn't been enough time since the producers went away to make these diecasts we USED to love and cherish to escalate in value like everything else on the secondary market. Look at what you pay for one of those plastic 1/25 scale cars from the 50's and 60's that the car dealers use to give away. I have a '62 T-Bird that my mom got when she bought a '62 T-Bird

Hell, any 50's or 60's car today,(1/1) even one falling apart, cost about 10 times, or more what it cost when new.

What do old Lionel, and American Flyer trains cost.

So that's not necessarily true. Look what Phillymint wants for theirs.....

I am not necessarily buying that. I think too many people who own several, have lost interest in them since most of the excitement in collecting them is over....They got bored with them, and if you have hundreds, like I do, and your getting OLDER, you decide to get what you can for them. If I can't get what I want for them, then they're going in the casket with me to be incinerated. Oh! wait, I'll need a bigger casket......Hmmmm, I wonder if they will cremate you in a big old Cadillac, or Continental, with a trunk full of diecasts?

There are a number of factors at play here

After running the Cash for Collections program for a number of years, I've seen the vast majority of folks trying to sell their collections end up highly disappointed and, in some cases, heart broken over the value of their collection. There are really a lot of people that were convinced they were purchasing appreciating assets and were waiting to cash in when they ran out of room or saw that their heirs weren't inclined to deal with models they had no interest in.

Right now, there is a glut of models on the market because of these reasons. As most have mentioned, the models are bringing those lower prices because that's what they're worth. But, here's why they're worth that price:

. The mints made thousands upon thousands of their models. There is no rarity in a standard issue 1/24. The rarities, as has been pointed out, still command higher prices.
. The earlier releases were not as well finished nor detailed as later releases. Most older models struggle to hold their values becasue expectations were raised in the latter years, making the older ones look primitive.
. Most collectors that are interested in collecting cars of the 50's and 60's have already purchased the cars they're interested in.
. Many of those same collectors are now trying to liquidate for various reasons, flooding the market with standard issue releases that there is little demand for.
. Collectibles do not rise and fall with the market. Once they go down, they stay down. Demand does not increase as time goes by unless we're dealing with extreme rarities. Even then, pricing can be capricious. Beany Babies, anyone?
. The demographic that the mints appealed to is shrinking. As new collectors come into the hobby, they will gravitate toward the cars they aspired to when they were young. Many of the younger folks that come into my office at the church to view my models can't tell the difference between the various models of the 50's ( I know that astonishes most of our Lounge buddies but it's true). They want the cars they saw on TV in the 70's and 80's.

In short, if the bulk of you're collection is currently selling for $45, that's going to be about it. Either unload it now or sit back and enjoy it. That should be our primary motivator in buying any model, our own pleasure in owning it. As we frequently hear, "These are not investments."

I havent seen you here for a while, you still racing Corvettes?

While it's certainly possible that many of us old "geezers" may have...

...lost interest & perhaps most of the excitement in collecting them is over for us, but you're assuming that younger folks literally have no interest whatsoever in the hobby. I don't believe that for a minute.

Sure, some of today's youngin's may not be able to function without their iPhone for more than one breathing cycle, but I'm certain that "lack of sales" was not the impetus behind the collapse of the 1/24th scale diecast market - whatever it was that caused it may certainly be lurking right around the corner for 1/18th scale as well. What's left then? 1/43rd & 1/64th? Hard to get the same level of detail we once enjoyed with the smaller scale (not to say that there's nothing interesting in those scales)...

I attribute the collapse of the 1/24th scale primarily to corporate greed - they probably couldn't get their profit margins big enough (even with production done in China) to justify the line & that scenario may well happen to other scales as well.

Look at DM/FM/GMP/WCP - between them they once had hundreds of 1/24th scale diecasts. Now, WCP is a memory, DM is totally out of the diecast car scene & FM/GMP only have a couple of dozen 1/18th scale offerings each, many of which are so high priced I doubt there's much interest there at all. It's hard to be a "hobby" with little to no product!

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