What would you pay for a Western Electric 202 D1?

[Partyline4]

I stumbled across this old 202 D1 on eBay.

$124.95 BIN

I want to try and negotiate. 

I want to try and make a deal here.

I want to refurbish the phone and possibly sell it for a profit; Unless I keep it 

I've never bought one before, but the running avg. selling price seems to be anywhere from $60 - $120 for similar looking phones with the F1 handset and such.

I would just like an expert opinion on what I can drop on a 202 and hopefully come out on top when the time comes to resell

Thanks a bunch!

[unbeldi]

At any price close to that you won't have any margin to make a worthwhile profit on it.
I would probably not pay more than $65.

I have bought D1s with period-correct No. 4 dials for less than $60. This one has a No. 6 dial, which is from the 1950s.

[Doug Rose]

nice paint, but a #6 dial and an F1 handset...you can do better and the price is high....Doug

[Phonesrfun]

I agree.  $125 is pretty much retail on that.

[Partyline4]

Do any of you guys have a reference page on how to identify dials?

I have absolutely no clue..

Thanks for the suggestions!

[unbeldi]

Do any of you guys have a reference page on how to identify dials?

I have absolutely no clue..

Thanks for the suggestions!

Read the Forum.
->There is a search function to find the many articles here that show dials and discuss them.  There is not a dial that has not been discussed here.

Read the BSPs.
->Search the TCI library at http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php

[Partyline4]

A google search landed me on Oldphoneworks.

This gave me pictures of different dials.

I can definitely see the difference between them now!

Is it just the finger stop I should look out for?

Could someone simply interchange finger stops?


Amazing!

[Partyline4]

Do any of you guys have a reference page on how to identify dials?

I have absolutely no clue..

Thanks for the suggestions!

Read the Forum.
->There is a search function to find the many articles here that show dials and discuss them.  There is not a dial that has not been discussed here.

Read the BSPs.
->Search the TCI library at http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php

Yeah wow.

Thanks so much for the helping hand!

Found the "GSP 473-820-100 I3 Dials, Fingerwheels, Number Cards" document

JACKPOT!

Thanks again! 

[Greg G.]

I stumbled across this old 202 D1 on eBay.

$124.95 BIN

I want to try and negotiate. 

I want to try and make a deal here.

I want to refurbish the phone and possibly sell it for a profit; Unless I keep it 

I've never bought one before, but the running avg. selling price seems to be anywhere from $60 - $120 for similar looking phones with the F1 handset and such.

I would just like an expert opinion on what I can drop on a 202 and hopefully come out on top when the time comes to resell

Thanks a bunch!

Pass on this one, especially if you're only interested in flipping it.  It has an F1 handset, which isn't bad, but D1s are more elegant looking when paired with E1 handsets, IMHO.  You'll probably want one or two that you want to keep.  My advice is if you really want to flip D1 phones, look for the fixer-uppers that have paint and other superficial problems (such as the bottom covering may be badly worn) that go for cheap.  It doesn't even have to be the entire phone.  You can get a base, handset, dial, subset, cords all separately, then come back here and we'll help you hook them all up together.  Be prepared to put a lot of elbow grease into getting them repainted and looking sharp.  It helps to have a dedicated place for cleaning and painting. 

It will take some time spent online hunting for the bargains.  I found most of my phones through Craigslist.  I spent hours on CL using various search terms.  I was also willing to go a distance to get a good phone or in some circumstances, I picked up several phones from different sellers.  My first one I drove to Portland from Seattle to get, but it helped that I have relatives in that area that I visited during the trip.  I have gone equal distances in other directions, but I bundled the trip as an outing with a side trip for a phone. 

Another thing I did when I first started collecting was I bought phones that weren't highly sought after in the collecting world to practice on, in case I accidentally melted it or something.  My first refurbishment "practice" phone was a common beige WE 500 in really beat shape.  It wasn't all that difficult to get it looking nice, and I still have it.  I also used an AE 80e to practice bleaching a white phone.  I still have that one too.

My first refurb.

[Partyline4]

That's really great information Brinybay!

Thanks!

Wonderful work on the 500!

I recently got comfortable with polishing old hard plastic sets.

Novus 2 DOES THE TRICK!

I can see myself in them now!

Fun stuff!

I went out to several antique places today and gave them my cell number with the intent on getting a great deal FAST.

I'm really just waiting to find that AE 1A Monophone and get a cool grand or two... 

I'll keep everyone posted if I find anything!