Ebay vintage tube CB prices off the charts

[BBB]

Been using eBay to help collect vintage CB radios for a couple of years now with around a 75% success rate. I would say a successful purchase would be one where the radio or related equipment was as described and arrived undamaged at a fair market price.

Crotchety Old Man alert. Hit the back arrow key in your browser if you don't like complaining.

Over the last few months I've noticed a trend where the starting price/bid is over $200+ for a vintage CB radio (listed as-is, no-returns) for a desirable unit that has a good historical track record for functionality. This is for a radio that could arrive as a door stop boat anchor

I feel fortunate that I started collecting a few years ago and have acquired a decent stable full of these rigs (albeit some in need of repair but still all there per say) Just saying I've noticed an upward "crazy" pricing trend and feel sorry for the new CB radio collectors that are subject to these over zealous eBay sellers thinking they've struck gold at a yard or estate sale. It could be that I/we are part of the issue driving up these prices by exposing these vintage tube CB radios as better performing than new ones. Instant Radio Carma

Now I'm not saying that I'll stop looking on the bay for radios or radio related items, but man... I guess the crazy prices are here to stay just like what happened to the tube audio equipment market.

[Sandbagger]

Jan 24, 2015 21:37:43 GMT -5 BBB said:

Been using eBay to help collect vintage CB radios for a couple of years now with around a 75% success rate. I would say a successful purchase would be one where the radio or related equipment was as described and arrived undamaged at a fair market price.

Crotchety Old Man alert. Hit the back arrow key in your browser if you don't like complaining.

Over the last few months I've noticed a trend where the starting price/bid is over $200+ for a vintage CB radio (listed as-is, no-returns) for a desirable unit that has a good historical track record for functionality. This is for a radio that could arrive as a door stop boat anchor

I feel fortunate that I started collecting a few years ago and have acquired a decent stable full of these rigs (albeit some in need of repair but still all there per say) Just saying I've noticed an upward "crazy" pricing trend and feel sorry for the new CB radio collectors that are subject to these over zealous eBay sellers thinking they've struck gold at a yard or estate sale. It could be that I/we are part of the issue driving up these prices by exposing these vintage tube CB radios as better performing than new ones. Instant Radio Carma

Now I'm not saying that I'll stop looking on the bay for radios or radio related items, but man... I guess the crazy prices are here to stay just like what happened to the tube audio equipment market.

A couple of things to remember about stuff selling on E-Bay:

1. Since they no longer charge listing fees, people are free to list stuff over and over again for ridiculous prices, in the hope that some crazier person than they are will actually pay that price.

2. What something lists for is not the same as what something actually sells for. I don't go by listing prices. I look at completed sale prices to see what comparable rigs went for in the recent past.

3. Selling prices seem to ebb and flow by the week. One week I'll see a radio like a TRC-458 sell for a crazy-high price of $500. Then a couple of weeks later there may be 3 of them listed and none of them go for more than $150.

4. There are all sort of scammers out there trying to inflate prices. Phantom bidders try to run the price up, and often times they will "win" the auction, if they end up pushing too far. When the same radio shows up in a week or so, you know the seller is probably employing someone (or maybe themselves) to artificially inflate price.

5. Never buy or sell anything to "Superhawk".


When all else fails, go to Craig's list E-Ham or some other on-line auction sites.


I think you are right about guys like us giving value to those old "junkers". Through the efforts of vintage radio enthusiasts, the demand has increased, so the prices are too. But just because radios like Brownings, Trams, Sonars, Demcos etc. are high dollar collectables, that doesn't mean that garden variety Midlands or Kracos are too. Although when Radio Shack finally closes its doors, Realistics might see a surge in desirability.....

[tecnicoloco2000]

Jan 24, 2015 22:42:39 GMT -5 Sandbagger said:

Jan 24, 2015 21:37:43 GMT -5 BBB said:

Been using eBay to help collect vintage CB radios for a couple of years now with around a 75% success rate. I would say a successful purchase would be one where the radio or related equipment was as described and arrived undamaged at a fair market price.

Crotchety Old Man alert. Hit the back arrow key in your browser if you don't like complaining.

Over the last few months I've noticed a trend where the starting price/bid is over $200+ for a vintage CB radio (listed as-is, no-returns) for a desirable unit that has a good historical track record for functionality. This is for a radio that could arrive as a door stop boat anchor

I feel fortunate that I started collecting a few years ago and have acquired a decent stable full of these rigs (albeit some in need of repair but still all there per say) Just saying I've noticed an upward "crazy" pricing trend and feel sorry for the new CB radio collectors that are subject to these over zealous eBay sellers thinking they've struck gold at a yard or estate sale. It could be that I/we are part of the issue driving up these prices by exposing these vintage tube CB radios as better performing than new ones. Instant Radio Carma

Now I'm not saying that I'll stop looking on the bay for radios or radio related items, but man... I guess the crazy prices are here to stay just like what happened to the tube audio equipment market.

A couple of things to remember about stuff selling on E-Bay:

1. Since they no longer charge listing fees, people are free to list stuff over and over again for ridiculous prices, in the hope that some crazier person than they are will actually pay that price.

2. What something lists for is not the same as what something actually sells for. I don't go by listing prices. I look at completed sale prices to see what comparable rigs went for in the recent past.

3. Selling prices seem to ebb and flow by the week. One week I'll see a radio like a TRC-458 sell for a crazy-high price of $500. Then a couple of weeks later there may be 3 of them listed and none of them go for more than $150.

4. There are all sort of scammers out there trying to inflate prices. Phantom bidders try to run the price up, and often times they will "win" the auction, if they end up pushing too far. When the same radio shows up in a week or so, you know the seller is probably employing someone (or maybe themselves) to artificially inflate price.

5. Never buy or sell anything to "Superhawk".


When all else fails, go to Craig's list E-Ham or some other on-line auction sites.


I think you are right about guys like us giving value to those old "junkers". Through the efforts of vintage radio enthusiasts, the demand has increased, so the prices are too. But just because radios like Brownings, Trams, Sonars, Demcos etc. are high dollar collectables, that doesn't mean that garden variety Midlands or Kracos are too. Although when Radio Shack finally closes its doors, Realistics might see a surge in desirability.....

Just wait till the 11 years skip cycle dies out,then the prices will drop again,is a trend I been watching for years locally and on the web


My 2 pesos
Andy/Tecnicoloco

[bill]

Welcome to the World Wide Web...

Thank the Internet for Inflated Prices...

[Sandbagger]

Jan 24, 2015 23:36:51 GMT -5 tecnicoloco2000 said:

Jan 24, 2015 22:42:39 GMT -5 Sandbagger said:

A couple of things to remember about stuff selling on E-Bay:

1. Since they no longer charge listing fees, people are free to list stuff over and over again for ridiculous prices, in the hope that some crazier person than they are will actually pay that price.

2. What something lists for is not the same as what something actually sells for. I don't go by listing prices. I look at completed sale prices to see what comparable rigs went for in the recent past.

3. Selling prices seem to ebb and flow by the week. One week I'll see a radio like a TRC-458 sell for a crazy-high price of $500. Then a couple of weeks later there may be 3 of them listed and none of them go for more than $150.

4. There are all sort of scammers out there trying to inflate prices. Phantom bidders try to run the price up, and often times they will "win" the auction, if they end up pushing too far. When the same radio shows up in a week or so, you know the seller is probably employing someone (or maybe themselves) to artificially inflate price.

5. Never buy or sell anything to "Superhawk".


When all else fails, go to Craig's list E-Ham or some other on-line auction sites.


I think you are right about guys like us giving value to those old "junkers". Through the efforts of vintage radio enthusiasts, the demand has increased, so the prices are too. But just because radios like Brownings, Trams, Sonars, Demcos etc. are high dollar collectables, that doesn't mean that garden variety Midlands or Kracos are too. Although when Radio Shack finally closes its doors, Realistics might see a surge in desirability.....

Just wait till the 11 years skip cycle dies out,then the prices will drop again,is a trend I been watching for years locally and on the web

Heck, it's just (finally) getting started . But you may be right. It would seem that the popularity of CB radio seems to rise and fall with the skip cycles. There are a lot of people out there who have no locals to talk with, and if it weren't for skip, they'd be eating static all day long.