Whenever dealing with values, remember first and foremost these two
principles:
1. A model is worth only as much as someone is willing to pay for it.
2. Condition affects the value considerably
The best way to determine what a model is worth is to read sales lists from various people and then see what actually sells at what price. Remember, just because Suzy Creamcheese is asking $225 for her Man O’ War does not mean Suzy Creamcheese will be able to sell it for $225. Man O’ War is a very common model. To know what your models are worth, you have to know what, how common, how popular (ie: do people like that mold?), and what condition they are. If Suzy’s Man O’ War is missing his head and two legs, she probably won’t be able to sell him at all. If he is beautiful with wonderful shading, no rubs or breaks, and comes with his original box in perfect condition, Suzy might be able to get $30 at the very most for him. Why? As said before, Man O’ War is really easy to find and not in demand. However if Suzy had a Gold Florentine Five-Gaiter, even if with a couple of minor rubs and scratches, Suzy will easily get several hundred dollars. Why? VERY FEW Florentine models are floating about. Besides that, the Five-Gaiter is a popular model and any Decorators (the blue or gold models) are greatly coveted by many collectors. Some Decorators have been advertised for sale at several thousand dollars.
Unfortunately, most people are unwillingly to spend the time to learn the market. For these people, I recommend a value guide produced by a HOBBYIST. Avoid using value guides produced for antique or flea-market dealers. They usually do not give consideration to condition and are generally on the high end of the scale for values. Most hobby guides give middle-of-the-road values based on actual hobby sales lists. Paula DeFeyter and Kim Gackowski have written value guides. Use them only as an estimate of value. When you put a sales list together (as most people plan on doing if they need to know values), use the guides and then see if you generate any interest. If nobody buys anything after you have advertised quite a bit, your prices are probably too high. Lower them and see what happens. It’s a game of trial and error. If you need to sell quickly, try putting below-value prices on your models.
Of course you can always ask people about the values of individual models… Just remember, they are doing you a favor by helping you. Try to be patient and not ask too many questions at once. Some people tend to get upset with those that ask questions that could easily be answered with a reference book.
