wanted: Need advice, selling large collection as 1 lot.

The trouble with trainz is they'll only give you a third of a third of a third what you paid when they were new, so if you want a quick sales it's ok but you'll loose a lot of money. your problem is you need a quick sale, maybe try post here on forum first! I assume it it's from the 1990 most are PS! engines !

Alan

Having to sell in a hurry or selling the inventory as one lot will pretty much guarantee losing money.  If there is anyway at all, you should:

• List and sell the items individually.
• Post here (on OGR) rather go to a commercial auction site or buyer of collections
• If you do have to use a buyer for the entire collection, at least have several buyers (Stout, Trainz, TrainCity, etc.) appraise your trains.  Let them know they will be competing for your business.

Best of luck,

George

Start out by listing your collection right here on the forum. usually a good source.

You might consider Mr. Muffins Trains in Atlanta, IN.  He runs a monthly "sale" / "auction" of used trains and charges a very reasonable fee.  Check his website for details on how this works, but you are too late, I think, for the June sale.  Still have plenty of time for the July (and future) sale(s), though.

Chuck

Most of us will face this at one point. You’ll lose money on your investment for sure. I will most likely go with a total buyout just to ease the hassle of downsizing. You certainly don’t have to accept the offer but do you want to move on or just sit on this stuff.

If you sell as a lot, you most likely will sell to a dealer of one sort or another - ie store front, auction, mail order etc.    Whatever, they are in business, and the goal of any business is to make money, otherwise the business person cannot stay that way and will fail.    They are most likely not even in the hobby.    They have to buy your lot at a price that can then resell and make a profit.    And in business they have to cover all the expenses of the getting the merchandise, checking it out, and storing it.   And in most states, those items that were your personal property, are taxed one way or another as business inventory as long as they own them.   Therefor they pay taxes on them every year if they don't sell.

An issue on any lot in my experience is that it has a half life like radioactive stuff.    Half of it will be sold quickly at the first show or first listing - the good stuff, or popular stuff.     The next event will probably see half of what remains go, and so forth.   But there are items in there most likely that are dogs and will not sell for years.     So the buyer must estimate that also.    My guess is that any offer at half of current list on used market is very good, and mostly likely 30-40% of current value on used market is more likely from a dealer that actually has a viable business.

Im going through my collection now and getting rid of many 16" and 18" passenger sets. I going with Cabin Fever  Auctions as they are not too far for me to drive and drop off.

PRRJIM,

Only ten states have inventory taxes and four have partial inventory taxes.  Inventory taxes were not popular because it is too easy to game the system.  California had inventory tax until 1979.  My suppliers in CA would shift inventory around their different locations to avoid the audits. 

Inventory tax wound up chasing a lot of the specialty boat manufactures out of the state in the 70's and they stayed out even after the tax was eliminated.

I just got back from KY helping a friend (former president of LCCA) move to the Northeast. About 1/4 of a 17 foot U-Haul was floor to roof with boxes of trains which we dropped off at Stout Zippie Auctions in  West Middlesex, PA. He said he's been using them for years as they are honest, have a low commission fee, and have done very well for him. For you who are looking for RARE pre-war tinplate check out their June 5 auction.

Selling pieces individually might make you a bit more money, but it's a major hassle.  Not too long ago, I sold some common LGB items through Stout's.  Netted about what I would have realized on ebay, with very little effort.  Dropped the stuff off (not enough for them to come and pick up) and got a check a couple of months later.

Based on info in your profile, it looks like you're not terribly far from Stout's PA location or Cabin Fever, and there may be others.

I hope you didn't buy your trains expecting to sell at a profit. With the exception of some rare mint postwar items, If you can clear 50% of BVD (Book Value Dollar) you've done well.

I have been going through this exercise for the last couple years having downsized from a 2,700 square foot home and basement to an 800 Sq. ft condo. Started with a 10x10 storage locker and gradually have reduced to a 5x5. It's a long tough slog.

Here is what my experience has left me:

• If you are time constrained and need to sell all at once, sell to Trainz or another respectable auction house. You'll earn back about 20-30% BVD
• Sell on eBay, lots of add-on fees there and low selling prices outside of the fall/holiday season. Up to 50% BVD there but it will take you years to go through a large collection.
• Join a Lionel buy/sell Facebook group. No Fees but not everything will sell. 50-75% BVD.

In any event, if you are holding out to make money on the trains you'll be paying rent on that locker for a long time and they will probably wind up on an episode of storage wars.

Good Luck!

"Selling pieces individually might make you a bit more money, but it's a major hassle.  Not too long ago, I sold some common LGB items through Stout's.  Netted about what I would have realized on ebay, with very little effort.  Dropped the stuff off (not enough for them to come and pick up) and got a check a couple of months later."

I second that emotion, Stouts seems to be a good avenue.  You may want to do an internet search for other auction houses as well, I have seen a couple advertised in various train magazines. I am sure the people on this site will chime in as well with great advice. 

Good luck to you!!  Downsizing is sort of like saying goodbye to a dear friend.

Mike

Steve Nelson of Mr Muffin has been selling collections as an auction. This maybe a resource to consider.

What you may find as an option is to list them here in a few smaller size lots.  For example, if there was a PRR lot, someone would buy that rather than then entire group as it has railroads they do not want.

Or a layout building grouping as someone may want that, but not all the trains too.

If there is a PRR lot, I would be interested.

Plus 1 for Cabin Fever Auctions…
  They’re great people to interact with, know trains, and have handled the MTH warehouse sales very well.
  Speaking of MTH, I’m sure they could have chosen any auction house to handle their sales, but chose Cabin Fever for a reason.

Tom

A bit more information would be very helpful.

--How many items are there (ballpark estimate okay)

--What brands are they? Lionel, MTH, Atlas, K-Line, . . . ?

--Are they roadname specific (ie, Pennsy, NYC, Santa Fe, or such)?

The more info you can provide about what you have, the easier it will be for folks here to provide good recommendations.

Put a realistic dollar figure on the package & post it here for free.   I bought a guy's layout, minus the benchwork.  It was a low 4-figure transaction.  I  enjoyed our afternoon of "traintalk", and the teardown - boxing up process.   Sold what I didn't want - Nov/Dec/Jan ,  kept the stuff I did want  and everyone was happy.   Now shipping during the "depth" of the pandemic that's another story !   

Good Luck,

Rich in SD

My take on it would be as others have suggested and go the Trainz route or the like .You won't get as much as you might selling it individually, but my take on it is you are going through the stress of moving, you will be dealing with all that, and why add to it by going through the stress of trying to get every cent on the dollar you can get? Is it worth it? (and again, this is just something to think about, not criticizing someone who naturally would like to get as much as they can, is human nature.

Honestly unless your collection was rare pre war or the like, the only real return on investment (the money we put into it) is the joy we get from running them or displaying them and looking at them , simply owning them. Speaking only for myself I buy stuff that I like and when the time comes and I have to get rid of it, it owes me nothing, and if I can get a couple of bucks for it, great, if I can find someone who loves it and they can get joy out of it, to have it go to a good home would be a return enough and I would give it away in those circumstances (not saying the OP should, far from it).

Anyway hope this helps.