can someone explain this?

maybe he heard that 027 track is hard to get? or he just needed 3 or 4 more pieces to finish his layout. probably a package collector that needed it to finish a hobby shop type display. who knows what motivates people to spend that kind of money for something so commonplace.

Intact blister packs can be rare. 

The B1018 blister pack of straight track is the most difficult blister pack to obtain, probably followed by the blister pack of curved tracks. They just do not show up. If it was mint, the price is not surprising to me. (not that I would pay that sort of money)

I cannot imagine anybody purchasing an intact blister pack for the contents. They are purchased as a collector's or display item.

027 remote switches, 90 degree crossings, 45 degree crossings, and uncoupling tracks were also put on blisters. Compared to the plain straights and curves they are common. and fetch nowhere near the money.

A few of the other postwar items that were blister packed (off the top of my head):

Banjo signal

Semaphore

154 crossing signal

Billboard set

End bumper

92 circuit breaker

Smoke fluid

Smoke pellets

Grease

maintenance kit

Girder bridge

262 crossing gate with lights

I am not certain about 153 block signals. They may have come on blisters too.

There are probably some other items.

Lionel (Postwar) also blister packed a lot of Road Race stuff.

MPC blister packed some stuff too.

Here is a B1018 in lesser condition that has not sold. Very illustrative of the point that condition is everything.

Whenever I open a modern blister pack I am wondering what kind of pollution or toxin I am releasing into the air

Thanks for all the info.  That's my train education for the day.  I'd seen various common accessories in 1960s/70s blister packs in the $75-100 range, but the O-27 track takes the cake.  It's amazing and amusing that the most common item is so rare in a blister pack - I guess that whenever someone bought track, they always opened it and put it to use. 

all depends on how bad someone wants an item.

Well my price guide list it as excellent $1

quote:

Well my price guide list it as excellent $1

See if your price guide's author has one to sell you at that price.

Using you price guide as toilet paper is more useful than as a price guide.

It is worth whatever someone is willing to spend for it.  A dollar sounds good to me.  I wish I still had my first Big Mac.  Wonder what it would be worth?  Wonder if it would still taste the same.

Its hard to believe but then imagine going to the store with your parents when you were little and just BEGGING for more track while passing the display once a week or so.  You saw that very packaging with the shiny track inside.  Its ingrained in your mind... that image of the product in its package.... and it takes you back to when your mom or dad took you by the display.    Now as an adult you have the chance to look at that every day and have it take you back to your "happy place" in your mind.  

If it is is ebay it might be money laundering.. just saying sayin'

Or more likely a misplaced decimal point.

The prices in most price guides are for the items only (in this case, the track), and do not take into account original packaging.  Items factory-sealed in original packaging will usually bring a premium over mint-state examples of the same item without the packaging.

Andy

I would lean on the decimal point like John stated.  

The person over payed for something that might be damaged or rusted. I wouldn't buy anything way over what i feel it is worth.

quote:

The person over payed for something that might be damaged or rusted.

You can see the track fairly well in the blister pack. 

Did he over pay? I am certain that there are many folks who think so, and others who don't. I assume it was the purchaser's money to spend.

Based on the bid history, it looks like the amount was intentional.  I'll check it again to see if the buyer backs out.  

There's another one available from a different seller - 371299130439 - in case anyone feels bad for missing out on the first one. 

This collection being sold including the B1018 has some really neat stuff in it bringing some serious bidding action. Check it out, I've never even seen some of these things.