Selling our collection and leaving the hobby entirely

[.....]

The breaking point for us was when I  finally found a Northern Telecom Millenium Payphone,  something Ive wanted for years.  But the seller had a ridiculous price,  another collector.    Mind you just a few years ago these milleniums were worthless bricks because there was no way to activate them.   Thanks to the hard work of the phone phreaking community,  they were able to release the firmware.  But people saw that as an opportunity to make a huge profit.  They released the firmware for FREE.  So the milleniums should at least be somewhat affordable not the cost of 2 house payments.   

That made me realize people are just in it for the money,  not for the preservation of history,  but the almighty dollar.  and its ridiculous.   I could care less what i get for my collection because its just stuff.   I gave away a ton of step equipment, 1A2 equipment and phones at Vintage Computer Festival Midwest this past weekend.   For me its not about the money.

Thats what made me hate this hobby.   Well that and the whole dylan cruz drama. 

So all good things must end.  We are done.

The cost of that Millennium they wanted was from me was and is a very reasonable price. $350.00 CDN about $264.00 in US Dollars. That is for a fully up and running phone with t-key. Plug and play so to speak. Considering all the time I had to travel to pick these Millenniums up. Open the phones that didn't have the keys, Purchase the programmer and chips. Clean them up and make sure that they are working properly.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=21225.msg216621#msg216621

I have sold these phones at this price from the start and have never had a complaint that the price was too high. It's a take it or leave it price. Other collectors just want one that works and shows well without the hassle of trying to get one to work. I also collect telephones, but I also buy and sell to support my hobby as does many other collectors. These phones come out of Canada and I have shipped them across Canada and into the US. I even shipped one to Germany. It's not the cost of the phone. it's the cost of shipping them. The weight of the package is 55 LBS / 25 kg in their case the cost of postage was $110.00 CDN or $83.00 USD. I cannot control the cost of shipping. These are prices people have to factor in when wanting to buy something being shipped. 

The same phone can be had for $399.95 USD plus shipping from Oldphoneworks.

http://www.oldphoneworks.com/product.php?productid=20306&cat=&page=1

I really don't understand their problem. I guess that they think that I should just give them the phone. They are blaming me for their problems, but it started out they needed money for the repairs on the truck, then they were downsizing. Then they ask for a Millennium and go nuts blaming me for their leaving the hobby. Wow I really don't know what to say. I feel sad for them, there's something not right here when I get a message from Ashley again blaming me for their issue with the hobby. Then she blocks me from responding.

What am I to say???

I guess I just have to watch who I'm dealing with. I'm truly sorry that they feel that way!

[Ktownphoneco]

I support Doug 100% on this.      He's fully explained the process for pricing his Millennium payphones.    It's certain a fair price after what he went through to get them and prepare them for sale.   If a particular piece of telephone equipment isn't within one's budget, then don't buy it and wait until the item is affordable.      I'd love to collect antique cars, and / or antique motorcycles, but those hobbies and my income are so far apart you could create another country in the space it creates.    Threatening to drag a switchboard outside and break it up and throw it out is nothing more than a "expensive tantrum".   There are a lot of telephones out there that I'd dearly love to own, but they are way out of my budget, so I move on.   Posting "hissy fits" on the TCI list, CRPF and Facebook, really doesn't solve anything.     Move on to something you can afford.

Jeff Lamb     

[Doug Rose]

I support Doug 100% on this.      He's fully explained the process for pricing his Millennium payphones.    It's certain a fair price after what he went through to get them and prepare them for sale.   If a particular piece of telephone equipment isn't within one's budget, then don't buy it and wait until the item is affordable.      I'd love to collect antique cars, and / or antique motorcycles, but those hobbies and my income are so far apart you could create another country in the space it creates.    Threatening to drag a switchboard outside and break it up and throw it out is nothing more than a "expensive tantrum".   There are a lot of telephones out there that I'd dearly love to own, but they are way out of my budget, so I move on.   Posting "hissy fits" on the TCI list, CRPF and Facebook, really doesn't solve anything.     Move on to something you can afford.

Jeff Lamb     

Well said, I couldn't agree more....Doug

[Whitcrane76]

Somebody sell me a Western Electric A1 with #2 dial and E-handset for $40 or I might be forced to take a sledgehammer to the rest of my collection.
See how ridiculous that sounds!

[poplar1]

Since you paid $250 for the 555, and you want it gone ASAP, why is it suddenly worth$1200 -- or you will destroy it? Some young collector might be able to come up with $100-$200, but $1200 is way above the going price.

[.....]

Since you paid $250 for the 555, and you want it gone ASAP, why is it suddenly worth$1200 -- or you will destroy it? Some young collector might be able to come up with $100-$200, but $1200 is way above the going price.

And he thinks I'm over charging for the Millennium. Something just isn't adding up with this pair.

[Whitcrane76]

I just wonder if they are just mad because they didn't buy a bunch a few years ago when the phones were "worthless bricks ".  Hindsight's 20/20 and they see all the money they could have made if they had put the effort into it.

[Hill Haven Telephone Company]

And he thinks I'm over charging for the Millennium. Something just isn't adding up with this pair.

We are donating the switchboard to a local historical museum that is whats going to happen to it.  We dont care about money never have never will.

[Hill Haven Telephone Company]

And we will be at the spring shipshewana show to offload the rest of the stuff we arent keeping to a young collector starting out. 

[Russ Kirk]

Jeff, Benny, Ken and many others,

Well said.

Doug/Duffy
The payphone is offered at a very excellent price. 
Thanks for completing the back story. You are not to blame.

Now, I hope this topic is closed and locked before there is another blowup.

Russ

[dsk]

The cost of a hobby is sometime a good reason for changing focus. It looks like the prices on eBay are going up and, on the other hand Norwegian phones are dropping here in Norway, so far down that some rater put it in the garbage bin than take the job to sell it. Maybe that is worse?  Cobra phones has been seen as low as NOK 100 or approx $11. 

dsk

[.....]

Jeff, Benny, Ken and many others,

Well said.

Doug/Duffy
The payphone is offered at a very excellent price. 
Thanks for completing the back story. You are not to blame.

Now, I hope this topic is closed and locked before there is another blowup.

Russ

Thanks Russ

I knew that I wasn't the blame, some people tend to say things hastily when they are upset and I just wanted to make sure my side was heard.

After all this is the internet and fake news spreads fast.

I totally agree close it and lock it up.

[Dan/Panther]

I'm not sure what is going on with this thread but something just doesn't add up.
I think it's best we let it go.

Dan