Selling Model Railways

[Newportnobby]

I've always kept a spreadsheet of my N gauge stuff, right from when I first got a PC. I include full details of the item, the price I paid and the list price at the time. All stock has a unique number which is also on the bottom of all stock, put on with a Poska white pen. This means the original boxes (kept in the loft) can fairly easily be matched to the physical item.

After reading this thread I'm going to add another column with my current view of its worth, which I can update annually. This should help if I pass before my wife does, and hopefully give a good guide for auction, which I think is the best route. I'll also keep my suggested auction house and contact details on the spreadsheet.

All I've got to do now is make sure my wife and son know how to find it!

An interesting thread, very useful.

Dave

I have a spreadsheet also, and keep prices listed in 2 columns - RRP (or what I paid) and average current 2nd hand price.

Logic suggests you subtract the latter from the former and that's the cost of your enjoyment.
Then again - who cares?

I'm glad this has got folk thinking about what will happen to their prized collection. As I get older it's more and more on my mind, especially as more medical issues detract from what I can/can't do.
I urge anyone to talk to relatives about the subject, and it's not just limited to model railways. Don't think there is a taboo on it

[thebrighton]

One thing to consider when disposing of a collection is to check everything runs ok before you try to sell it.

I sold a fair chunk of my late fathers today but I hadn't had time to do anything with it. Everything worked fine just over a year ago when he last was able to use it but today, of course, a majority of the locos wouldn't or barely moved. They all really needed a service which would have certainly resulted in a better return but now the shop have to take a chance on them and hope a good service will get them running again.

A couple had suffered mazak rot in the last year, cheers Hornby!

Overall happy with what I received from Compass Models: http://www.compassmodelrailways.co.uk/frames.htm