AF #25052 "RARE" Action Caboose

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Dave, LBR

Well, let's just say "difficult to find in nice shape". Hardly "rare". 

Bob

I agree with Bob. There are four of these 'RARE' items on eoverpay right now...

Ted

Bob,

     We see hundreds of pre-1966 AF pieces of rolling stock each year and out of that we may only see two or three #25052's. Plus, Gilbert made hundreds of thousands of pieces of AF rolling stock out of which a few hundred of these these cars were made ONLY in 1958. That puts it in the category of RARE to VERY RARE depending on how many have survived over the past 57 years.

Dave, LBR

I should probably stay out of this , however...

As far as I know rare and very rare have no TCA definition as they apply to Gilbert trains so they are just relative informational descriptors. I did take a look at my often used Centennial Edition guide and see the 25052 was rated a 3 on the 1 to 5P scale. Similar to a 315, 405 and a 982.

Here is where I have to thank Bob Bubeck, and Dave Garrigues for taking the time to publish that guide with rarity estimates 15 rears ago. I never met Bob but have met Dave and many years ago met and discussed Gilbert collecting with Andy Jugle. It was very humbling to find out what I did not know I did not know about Gilbert trains, variations and observed rarity.

I'd better be careful with the one I got about two years ago and paid about $35.00 for  since I didn't know it was so rare. However I'll keep running it like all of my other rare, hard to find items. To me they are toys to be enjoyed!

Major you do that. They are no fun in the box.

Most of mine sit on the shelf. As my son gets older I am going to set them up under the Christmas tree.

Here is a picture of the caboose.