Put on your big boy pants for this Gilbert auction!

Wow! Makes one wonder where Allen Funt is...

That is actually cheap for that rare car. Very few were made for special sets. If the door would have been nicer it may gave brought $5000. True collectors are not afraid to pay the price for the scarce items and odd balls. 

Gandy

Many folks who aren't collectors don't understand, and never will. I guess they haven't seen Antiques Roadshow, or Pawn Stars, or any of the other "treasure hunting" shows.

For those who would like a reproduction of the car,

Here is a link.

The winning bid was $3,819.79 and the seller is still charging for shipping.  At that price I'd expect it to be hand delivered.

I remember when I bought a small box of junk AF, there was a Track Gang Set at the bottom of the box. This was back in 1968. The TGS was in TCA "fair" condition. I ended up trading it since I was trying to collect at least VG condition Flyer. I never ran across another one since then and I have mixed emotions about that loss now. Oh, well....another one that got away!

quote:

 I never ran across another one since then and I have mixed emotions about that loss now. Oh, well....another one that got away!

You are not alone there are a number of things that I wish I had held onto.

I guess the car is worth the price as someone bought it.  But for that price did they need to charge $10 for shipping ?

Ed

Shipping charges are set when the auction is posted.

They are part of the conditions for the auction.

The winning bidder knew shipping was extra.

The third highest bid was $3,600.

So there are still train collectors out there with some money.

Funny, in my experience people outside the hobby seemed to better understand the idea of collecting trains, as opposed to building a model railroad.

I don't have a model railroad. I collect toy trains, and run some of them on my toy train layout.
My son has done some model railroading and probably will again when he has the time and extra room. It won't be "O" or "S" gauge. Probably HO.

Oh, I get it. I'm a big fan of collectors of the rare model RR items.

I've had a few of them myself however I never paid the big prices you sometimes see like this Keystone car.

My slice of the hobby is to try to find these items at flea markets, garage sales and the like and then if able sell them to the collectors who want them.

Another poster related a tale of a AF 594 Track Gang he had at one time and let go to another buyer. I too had a Track Gang like that and moved it on down the road to a needy collector. It's by sales like these that I am able to afford to acquire my wants in the hobby which are new production S gauge models.

Good luck to all in their search for that rare item they would like to acquire.

Mark

I've seen the value of so many collectibles (brass trains, Dept 56, Lionel trains, barbie dolls,etc) tumble in the past 10-15 years that I wouldn't count on anything appreciating or even holding it's value any longer. If there isn't someone wanting it worse than you do or as bad as you do then the value will fall. There has to be a willing buyer to hold the market up and I think we are getting towards the end of the road with younger generations who want to collect trains or much that we held dear. It's all supply and demand. 

I truly must be missing something here to see a single car that is not even complete bring that kind of money. It's all perception and when it fades so does the value.

Just my $.02

Butch

quote:

I truly must be missing something here to see a single car that is not even complete bring that kind of money. It's all perception and when it fades so does the value.

I'd guess that what you are missing is the fact that those willing buyers are still out there buying, and many, if not most, collectors don't collect looking for their treasures to appreciate.

I don't think folks should buy collectables as an investment. IMHO, it is best to think of any money spent as gone.

I do, and I continue to add to my collection.

Anything is worth ONLY what some one is willing to pay for it. 

Of course, the "can't live without it" folks often defy this rule! 

BTW, Strap on your big suspenders and open your bank account to buy this one... White's Box car ... brings in some big bucks.

My Dad almost threw this one in the trash... hard to find these days...

Looks more like a G. Fox boxcar, much rarer than a White's.

I had one of those Flyer orange tank cars.  I did throw it in the trash.

Luckily, I thought better of it, fished it out, and gave it to my brother.

I wasn't interested in Flyer at the time, he was.

I have a very small collection of Flyer now, and have repaired a fair amount.

DOh! Your right. I like the G. Fox when I was a kid. Once at a train show, I picked it up to buy and my Dad just said quietly no, put it down... Never did see what the price was.

Here is the White's Box car. Not as nice...