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Ebay, October, 2001 and today. Compare and Contrast.

Started by Ampico66, March 30, 2010, 09:32:12 PM

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Ampico66

In the wake of the 9/11 attack, there was still activity on Ebay.  I think most of us were pretty rattled by the event and didn't feel much like blowing a lot of money on weird stuff.  Anyway, I found a candlestick telephone pencil holder that advertises a business.  It was just $20 with its original envelope and all.  I still have it. 

With the ongoing financial crisis, I (personally) see more and more people unemployed, but Ebay phone prices lately seem to be good, if not great.  Case in point, 202s and A1s, rotary pay phones, and even common 500 and 554 sets (302s have plunged in value, I think)

I often think of selling most of my antiques now while I can still move them, in case things get worse or if we have another attack on the country, but yet I hold out for my own pink slip.  Should I get the axe at work, I'll for sure sell then. 

Good luck and best wishes for all.  Sorry to be a downer (sometimes)

Damon
St. Louis, MO



Jim Stettler

You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

Kenny C

In memory of
  Marie B.
1926-2010

McHeath

Damon I was not collecting phones back in 01', so I have no frame of reference.  Prices to me are pretty high, but I've only been in this game for less than 2 years.  Hope you don't get a pink slip and can keep the collection. :)

AET

Breweriana's the same way, prices are still extravagant, but the market fluctuates more than ever.  It's wild what the heck's going on with what's worth what in all sorts of collecting.
- Tom

Greg G.

I haven't noticed any drop in ebay prices at all, but I can't compare it to 2001 because I wasn't into vintage phones then.  I can only compare it to just before the current recession.  But I rarely buy a phone on ebay anyway because of the shipping prices.  Plus it just isn't much fun to me, like fishing in a man-made stocked pond, but that's just me.
The idea that a four-year degree is the only path to worthwhile knowledge is insane.
- Mike Row
e

Dan/Panther

Quote from: Kennyc1955 on March 30, 2010, 09:58:56 PM
I did and I would not pay that for a phone.


Kenny;
When the phone bug finally incubates, you will most likely think differently.
D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

Wallphone

About five years ago you could get a WE A1 in the $550 to $800 range.
You can't touch one for under $1000 now. When I got into collecting a few years before that, a good telephone friend told me to get into colored WE 302's. I wish that I would have listened to him.
Dougpav

gpo706

"Must have" items can push your bidding power to the painful max, but theres still nice additions you can get for whatever reason, poor picture, wrongly described etc

I just got a very nice 746 Concorde Blue for £9.99 plus a £5 shipping, now thats pretty good considering some mug is willing to start bidding at £12 for a dial alone.

A rewire, bit of spit and polish (a one night job) and shazam its a £45 starting bid item judging by what some folk reckon.
"now this should take five minutes, where's me screwdriver went now..?"

Jim Stettler

Quote from: Jim S. on March 30, 2010, 09:57:17 PM
Damon,
Didn't you see this thread from today?
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=2431.0
Jim

This auction has been discussed on the listservers. This appears to be a buyer's agent for Asian interest and his shill buddy. They have been driviving up colored 302'sto the 2-3K range for a couple of months.

It is a good time to cash in on the scam if you want to make some good $ on your colored 302's.

Here is a list someone researched on ebay----------------I looked back at completed items and found these by item number only
stopped at 10 items.

120548552833
220576527160
130376288886
130376675738
110509754087
110510713359
280482459399
190381914481
110510964969
360245347802

Looks like who ever it is likes colored  302s and pay phones. I have no
idea who or what
is bidding.
__________________
Bidder handle
HI Guys

Try "nana011"
I tried to bid on some BSP binders, once this bidder gets involved forget it.

---------------------------------------

Jim
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

foots

  It's getting more and more difficult to find a good deal on ebay. Unfortunately for me, it's nearly impossible for me to find anything other than WE500s around here. I don't come across that many 500s either. I have found only one SC 1243 with a poorly done white paint job, a WE dial, and is priced at $55 dollars   :o .
"Ain't Worryin' 'Bout Nothin"

LarryInMichigan

foots,

Here are my 2 cents.  Keep looking on ebay.  There are still bargains to be found by those who look enough.  I just bought a Kellogg red bar for $10.50.  I think that you are most likely to get a good deal on the items which end bidding at off-peak times, like work day mornings, when there are fewer people bidding.

If you are interested in the less popular models, such as some of the European phones, you can find some good deals.  I bought a 1950s Dutch Ericsson phone recently for $1.99, or something like that.

Also, you can get better deals if you are willing to take chances on phones that don't look so good in the listings.  Often, a good cleaning and polishing is all that a $10 phone needs to make it into a $75 phone.  Obviously, the phones that look beautiful in the listings and which are accurately described tend to get much higher bids.

Larry

gpo706

Just what I said Larry, poor listing and pic and at worst you have a "scrapper" for parts, at best like my last one a nice working set for peanuts.
"now this should take five minutes, where's me screwdriver went now..?"