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Question: Cleaning the archives: any market for Lionel, MTH catalogs?

L lioneljimOGR Forum Member

I finally got around to cleaning out the "train closet"  In addition to all my boxes, instruction sheets, "how to" books, and classic photos I want to keep, I have many catalogs (Lionel and MTH) that I have no wish to save.  I know there is virtually no market for old model railroad magazines, but is there any market for catalogs?  I have some items I am saving:  the original catalog and Lionel mailing envelope with my dad's name and address (same as my name and address) for the 1947 catalog.  It featured my two first trains, 671 PRR turbine and 2332 GG-1. I am also saving many of the old instruction sheets and "operating guides" from the 40's and 50's. 

 

I also found an old "ALL NATION" catalog.  That brought back memories my teen days when I built my first solo layout. I would take the "L" and subway to Madison street in downtown Chicago and browse that iconic "O-scale" shop.  It was such a departure from the 3-rail Lionelwith which  I was familiar.

 

If there is not any market for the catalogs they are going to the re-cycling center.  By the way I'm in central Colorado so there are few or no local train shows where I could even give them away.

 

Last edited by lioneljim
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HJ Hudson J1eOGR Forum Member DIGITAL SUBSCRIBERMEMORIAL SUPPORTER

LionelJim, I am sort of in the same boat. I am cleaning and organizing my basement in preparation to build a layout. I decided to keep my MTH catalogs because I do refer back to them once in a while but I have an entire box of Lionel and K-Line catalogs. All  are of the modern era (1997-and up). I don't think a whole lot of O gauge enthusiasts collect catalogs. I know some guys collect the older Lionel catalogs but I am very interested to see if there is any interest in the catalogs.

 

The problem is even if there is interest they aren't worth hardly anything and they are very heavy and extremely costly to ship. I fear that if I decide to get rid of them they will go to the recycling center.

Dave WarburtonDave WarburtonOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBER

You can still sell them, though. We even sold a bunch of Modern Era catalogs (in a group) for something like $1.00 each on Ebay. Ship them Media Mail and it won't cost too much, and make the buyer pay the postage. 

 

The Postwar catalogs (1945-69) if in EX or better condition do still get maybe $10-15 each on Ebay. I would sell those individually, not in a bunch.

 

Check Ebay listings to see what's selling and for how much.

xferyardxferyardOGR Forum Member

Pre 1965 Catalogs tend to be worth more and Pre- 1950 even more.

 

I collect catalogs to place the data in our master catalog and some of my friends who have ties to MTH or Lionel will get older catalogs in bulk that we give away at our train shows or when our modular layout is on display. Kids love the catalogs.

 

CW C W BurfleOGR Forum Member

Certainly there are people who collect catalogs.

You mention having an All Nation catalog, that's got to be somewhat uncommon, someone must want it.

IMHO, catalogs generally have to be either unusual, or have some age to them for them to be desireable.

If I had the space, I'd keep one or two copies of every catalog, but I don't. So I decided to terminate my Lionel catalog collection at the year 2000. I brought the newer ones to a train show and gave them away.

B Bossman284OGR Forum Member
Originally Posted by lioneljim:

I finally got around to cleaning out the "train closet"  In addition to all my boxes, instruction sheets, "how to" books, and classic photos I want to keep, I have many catalogs (Lionel and MTH) that I have no wish to save.  I know there is virtually no market for old model railroad magazines, but is there any market for catalogs?  I have some items I am saving:  the original catalog and Lionel mailing envelope with my dad's name and address (same as my name and address) for the 1947 catalog.  It featured my two first trains, 671 PRR turbine and 2332 GG-1. I am also saving many of the old instruction sheets and "operating guides" from the 40's and 50's. 

 

I also found an old "ALL NATION" catalog.  That brought back memories my teen days when I built my first solo layout. I would take the "L" and subway to Madison street in downtown Chicago and browse that iconic "O-scale" shop.  It was such a departure from the 3-rail Lionelwith which  I was familiar.

 

If there is not any market for the catalogs they are going to the re-cycling center.  By the way I'm in central Colorado so there are few or no local train shows where I could even give them away.

 

I'd take the mth catalogs off your hands if you want to get rid of them for the cost of shipping

 

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