SET 347 - NEW INFO (not silver!) and PIX - trying to help a friend

Walt,

The 347 Set Boxed and clean like the one you shoe usually sells for $300.00 +/- in auctions and on the bay.  The 516 Hopper if as nice is nearly as valuable.  The 512 gondola is $50 if that nice.

The 337/338 cars are slightly tougher to find with red trim vs maroon trim, but the set was still made in large numbers.

Be very careful with the olive paint...it scratches easily and you can see that it was applied very thinly on the engine at the factory oh so many years ago.

Thanks Ron and Rob.

Personally, I've very surprised as I thought this set would go for WAY more.  I constantly read about how much value boxes and paperwork add, and this set has everything in tact, so I was expecting a bonanza.

I feel badly for my friend.  Several of us that are on the fringe of involvement in the hobby misled him into thinking it would be a lot.

I really am surprised.

Ron: I looked at that set on the bay.  It's in equivalent condition and has the same boxes and paperwork, so the truth is clearly in the pudding here.  Thanks for supplying that link.

But I did notice that it is maroon.  Rob suggested that my friend's red might be a "rarer" (my word not his) variation, even though Rob did say that even that set was rather common.

- walt

AND it is not unusual to find ALL the boxes with this set...I would put it on Ebay...start at $275, and let it ride!!!  You may get lucky!!!  Ron!!!

$300 to $350 is about the correct maximum range for that set. Individually the cars are around $50 to $60 and the loco about $125 to $150 so the math dictates $225 to $270 and the box would bring about a $50 bonus. The 512 gondola, if as nice as the passenger cars, about $50, and the 516 hopper about $100 without capacity stampings on the side, around $175 with the stampings.

In my dealings, many people mistakenly think their trains are worth a lot more than the market reality. I lose out on many deals because they are at $2000 and I'm thinking full retail at $600 for example.

Ron Blume has the right idea, pop the 347 set out there for $275 and leave them have at it. Just the boxed set though, sell the two freight cars separately.

Gandy

Nice set!

Don't worry about the bulbs, those are christmas tree bulbs, not original to the engine.

Thanks everyone!  I will relay your comments to my friend.

- walt

Thanks Nachtjager for the added confirmation on the value of this set.  I'm not looking forward to seeing my friend for breakfast Sunday!  Well, at least they are not his own trains - he's merely trying to help clear out the estate.  So it's not like it was money that he was planning on.

I will have pictures of the other 2 cars and the other set as soon as possible.  The other set he already is aware has lost its value due to the old zinc fatigue bugaboo.  he didn't realize it until I pointed it out to him.

- walt