Made in the millions, for millionaires

It's worth that much to someone.  So what?  I agree that they are about 10 bucks apiece brand new and are widely available.  So what?  Maybe the bidder likes that they were made in the USA.  So what?  It's not coming out of your pocket, amirite?

To each his own, of course, but examples like these make me wonder if there's something more than meets the eye with these auctions.

As my old boss at the Ohio Central Railroad used to say, "Whatever blows your hair back."

I agree with POTRZBE; it is their money.  Those who have invested in the stock market have seen great gains lately and seem willing to spend heavily for items they want.  I have lost several auctions due to very high bids.

Also, think about this.  The person selling his/her trains may need the money so they are getting a good deal.

Well heck! It IS mint, un-used and in the original box after all. 😏

“A fool and his money are soon parted.”

Curt

Virginian,

From one Virginian to another, in the world of hobby collecting, $225 is really kinda chickenfeed, especially for any upper middle class person who is into collecting.  A common as dirt 1950s shotgun, made in the 1950s, in New Condition, which originally sold for $50, may well bring $1,000 today.

Interesting that it is the very cheap, mass produced, common items, that are the very hardest to find in new condition years later.   Because they were cheap, and utilitarian, people bought them, used them heavily and threw them away. Having one survive in new condition is almost an accident.

Mannyrock

I suspect the box also had something to do with the price. Not sure if it was Greenberg showing off his collection or someone else but their goal was to try and obtain everything Lionel made including the boxes in the best condition possible. When something better came along the previous place holder was sold.

Pete

I'm with Rich, whatever floats your boat!

I have never understood the fixation of collecting something like that and paying those prices, but I respect the right of people that get a thrill out of finding the "perfect" boxed example to spend their money as they please.  I'm sure I've spent a ton of money in a seemingly equally foolish manner over the years, and probably there were people behind me rolling their eyes as I did it.

@Virginian65 posted:

Yes, nothing more than a #260 ordinary bumper for O or 027 track,..

This is actually the rare Super O version of the 260 that somebody has obviously recognized.

(It's not really that rare, but it is different than the earlier versions. The tooling had to be modified for the casting, and the center rail contact was changed to reach the lower Super O center rail, all with still being usable on O- & O-27.)

@ADCX Rob posted:

This is actually the rare Super O version of the 260 that somebody has obviously recognized.

Thanks for the info. Rob. Wonder if it would have made me think twice about my post? When a seemingly ordinary item is actually a rarity, of course it's worth whatever someone wants to pay for it. Case closed.

What is a mint condition, uncirculated, Quarter, made in the 1930s worth today?

Originally, it cost 25 cents?

I suspect that auction prices like those are a bubble, fueled by people who don’t know anything about what’s being sold. It’ll probably tank like the beanie baby craze, Leaving people underwater with Lionel instead of beanie babies.

"One man's junk is another man's treasure"

Remember the value of an item is not what you or I think it's worth, but rather what someone is willing to pay.

@Mister_Lee posted:

I suspect that auction prices like those are a bubble, fueled by people who don’t know anything about what’s being sold. It’ll probably tank like the beanie baby craze, Leaving people underwater with Lionel instead of beanie babies.

No, I don't think so. The Lionel bubble has long since burst. Prices on all but the newest and best have gone nowhere but down for years. And this is not the sort of thing that would attract the inexperienced. Who wants a random bumper? People who have been collecting long enough that there are not many trains left for them to acquire, that's who. Items like this represent the "final frontier." I remember seeing an interview with a collector--close to 30 years ago now, actually--who had gotten into paper and peripherals. His take was that, even back then, it was easy to find collector-quality trains. The challenge was in the other things that went with them.

I doubt anyone bidding on this bumper is thinking much about future returns. The only return on investment they want is the satisfaction of having gotten a little closer to completing their train "life list."

Simply put an old Maison Hardware sicker on the box. No one would ever know the difference. The bids will jump over $1,000.

I have a few of these with crisp boxes and inspection labels, and a small folded instruction sheet. The bumpers are out of a time capsule. I spent 10 bucks a piece also on Fleabay. So, they were so new looking I hesitated using them! Lol but I did. But all exceptional things postwar can fulfill someone’s dreams sometimes at any cost they decide.
but really, why would it matter to you or anyone?

I would rather just give mine to the guy wanting this one being bid on.

making someone happy really counts in our hobby.

And it's not even the original version (box-wise.)

@Virginian65 posted:

Thanks for the info. Rob. Wonder if it would have made me think twice about my post? When a seemingly ordinary item is actually a rarity, of course it's worth whatever someone wants to pay for it. Case closed.

It's not really that rare, but it is different than the earlier versions. The tooling had to be modified for the casting, and the center rail contact was changed to reach the lower Super O center rail, all with still being usable on O- & O-27.

Lionel: Time to bring back Super-O in all it's glory.  Made in U.S. of America!

It's a free market and it's whatever the market will bear.

If you have the money & want the item, buy it.

Unless you're an ancient Egyptian, the money is not going with you after it's all over.

“A fool and his money are soon parted”

Someone once told me he understood that part but was puzzled how the two got together the first place....

@Mannyrock posted:

What is a mint condition, uncirculated, Quarter, made in the 1930s worth today?

Originally, it cost 25 cents?

Do you still have the box in good condition? 

What, me worry?

What you mean my 12 storage lockers full of beanie babies aren't worth anything? Shocking!

Is it the box?  It looks pretty ordinary but maybe I’m missing something.  

Remember—it’s an auction so at least two people are driving this price.    I have a feeling some oddity is hiding in plain sight.  

Years ago when I was in the business we put a 3530 generator car on eBay that sold for over $1,500.   I thought a couple bidders had gotten drunk until looking closer and realizing it was a super-rare model with underlined numbers.  

is this person,my long lost uncle.send some cash my way.God bless.your cash do what you want

When in doubt refer to a quote from P.T.Barnum.....

There are nefarious ways in which shill bidding is used to ring up a higher price. There are simply those who do not want to lose an auction to someone else. There are those who are so obsessed with trains they cannot control themselves. There are those who are so wealthy is doesn't matter at all. There are those who Charles Darwin wrote about. Yada, yada, yada. When we get upset about the pries of trains we are probably heading in a distressful direction. Spend less time on Ebay and more time looking at your trains and being thankful they mean so much to you. My $0.02. Someone said once that if we total up all the money we have spent on trains and divide by the number of square inches on our layouts we get some unGodly number. I think someone suggested as much as $100 per square inch.

I’m about $60 per square inch. I just need a bigger layout to bring the price down to a little more reasonable range.

@Trinity River Bottoms Boomer posted:

Lionel: Time to bring back Super-O in all it's glory.  Made in U.S. of America!

I agree, would love to see Super O back

::SIGH::

My only complaint is that it's not me selling it!

The guy who pays for a perfect train box probably bought Gamestop stock at over $400 a share.

Charlie