ebay # 220887360269

WOW! $3025 and time left!

I was talking to another member who collects strictly Texaco about these signs. I just can't see them command this kind of price. It is a rare sign but both of us could not see the where the value is. jm2c

WOW, I thought these were worth about $500, but I guess some people will pay whatever it takes!

But then again it's eBay and who knows if those are "real" prices.

James: I will take all you can get for $500 a piece. LOL This is one of the "holy grails" for us Texaco collectors. That is one of the nicer ones I have seen. Don't think I would go that high, but every bit of $2000+. In my opinion.

I have seen at least 5 of these sell for $2800 to $3200 within the last 5 years. The condition on this one is very nice.

Years ago a friend was selling one, wanted $750, I offered $500. He said IF DB wanted it it must be worth More. He sold his on ebay for $1750 then rubbed it in my face!

Won't be long before you'll be able to get one from Argentina or India!

"Won't be long before you'll be able to get one from Argentina or India!"
Dick is absolutely corrrect about that. Crying shame.

I too sold one of these in the same condition about 3-4 yrs ago, if I remember it brought in the $3000 - $3500 range,,they are a nice sign, anyone who doesn't think they command this kinda money don't appreciate great signs,,JMO

This is a great sign, but like others I have a hard time seeing the value of a pump plate with no special graphics or art work being worth over $3,000.

I collect exclusively Texaco, but someone will have to explain to me why this pump plate in general demands a price so high. I understand it's rare (and so is a 8x12 Diesel Chief sign) and it is a different color, but the design is the same as the three other diesel signs Texaco used(Diesel Chief, Diesel Chief L, and Diesel Chief 2, and I'm not counting the reverse Diesel Chief red sign).

What makes it a "great sign" worth so much?

Jamie

I hate to state the obvious....but the fact that more than 1 or 2 people are willing to pay that price makes it worth that. I read people saying I think this piece is worth only so much...well, to me, that really means, those people would only pay that....and not more...things don't sell more than once or twice for more than the market value....that's where that term comes from? Especially on ebay, lots of people here talk about shill bidding...and insinuate that some things on ebay don't sell for "real prices"...maybe I'm missing something...but what good is it for a seller to have his item sell for a high price, if he doesn't get it? I understand the concept of shilling an item up, but if it ends with a fake bid...that sounds pretty dumb, unless there is something I'm just not getting?

Ebaygenious: I am not implying these people are shill bidding, but one example can be that a shill auction will run the price up and then, when the auction is over make an offer to the second or third place bidder who had high bids to see if they want one. The "reason" they give sometimes is the buyer backed out or they have a second one. That would be a little harder on this auction (to have the second one that is) because the picture shows in great detail the item.

Now, having said that, if someone does offer you an item becuase they have more, doesn't mean they are a shill bidder. I have done this with Texaco items, oil cans, etc where I have duplicates of an item. But, the risk of shill bidding on ebay is very, very real. Again, I am not implying that this particular auction is guilty of anything.

Shilling is used to manipulate market values. Notice after a run of the mill item sells for a high price others show up right after at a slightly discouted price compared to the high price one and people think they are getting a deal. Its like walmart...You think if you buy an item there its the lowest price around....Most of the time it's not...It's all about perception.

Ebay has put so many automatic red flags in place, shill bidding is not nearly as common as what people on this site believe. I'm not saying it doesn't happen...but not near as much as what most people on this site think. And, something would have to be a very rare item to use one auction to manipulate an entire market of them...and if something is that rare...how can there be a big market of them to manipulate? I don't get that theory at all? Guess I"m missing something? If a run of mill item sells huge, it is human nature for people who also have one to want to sell it and get a big price for theirs...it's also human nature for people not to bid as much as they did on the first one, because they are seeing more of them than they might have thought were for sale....pull out 1 of something at a swap meet and I bet you get more for it, than if you pulled 3 or 6 of them out at the same time.

I am not saying it happens all the time but it is very noticable. It does not manipulate the "entire" market but a good portion of it. My problem is "Does the item really sell?" and are these legitmate transactions/ or just transactions to boost values. I could go on but I think we a getting off topic of the main post here. You have some valid points.

I don't want to get off point either. But shill bidding isn't always about big ticket items. It can be someone who "nudges" up a $20.00 to $30.00 then offers the second place winner another one. Wile it is only $10 more, it is a 50% increase. Anyway....

JE, I agree it is the same pump plate, but a different color, but it is a scarce item. PS. I do have an 8X12 Diesel and the thick spray Diesel sign. I had no idea what they were worth when I got them. I traded a bulk dealer a set of Texaco bank pedal cars (red and White) that were selling for about $125. After I did it I wondered if I had gotten a good deal....boy, when I bought a couple of price guides and Texaco books did I learn.

Alex,
What do you value the thick spray diesel at and is it rarer than the yellow fuel chief 1?

Alex,

I also have an 8x12 Diesel Chief sign (I don't have a reverse spray diesel sign...not yet..lol). I would say all three are equally scarce or at least in the same ballpark. I just wonder why collectors are drawn more to the Fuel Chief than any other Texaco pump plate, and why some collectors are willing to pay so much for this plate?

I'm not saying I wouldn't love to have this sign in my collection, but I'm not paying that much for a pump plate. I guess I'll have to wait until the value drops a little..lol

Jamie

Too bad Dan Matthews or Darryl Tilden didn't chime in on this topic..

advertologist,

I have never seen in person a thick spray sign (only pictures from an archived auction), I know of four Fuel Chief 1 signs (including this one) in private collections.

Jamie

That's a good question. I think a nice thick spray Diesel sign would go for $2,500.(Just guessing). Mine does have a chip in it. Will try to post a picture later. My digital camera died and I can't get my wife's camera to resize. I don't know how rare they are in comparison to the #1 fuel Chief. My guess is they are equal in scarcity. Wish some of the Texaco experts like Black T would jump in here as wll as the others who were mentioned above. My opinion is what makes the #1 so deireable is that it is not Texaco Red...LOL. The green #2 seems to gather more interest than most regualr diesel chief signs. Not sure they are any more wscarce than the regular ones. Think it is just different.

It would be interesting to see if you told a Texaco collector they could have one or the other, but only one, which would they take. I can't honestly answer wh ich one I would take.

jamie, I have (2) wide sprays & a 8" X 12" diesel-
are any of the yellow diesel fuel 1 avalable for trade
for the other one, not quite as nice as one pictured..

This is kind of off topic. But does any one know what the Diesel Chief L stood for ?

Advertologist: That is nice.......nicer than mine.

Hi-Octane: Not sure what the "L" was for. Will have to hit the books.

I believe the "L" stood for "Low Sulfur"

Jamie

Well, there ya' go. Thanks, Jamie.

Since you have two thick spray ones, put one up for sale on ebay and see what it brings. Then we will know the value...LOL

There are a few more in collections on the West Coast also.

Here's some of my Texaco signs. This one was added after the Have added four more since these photos. 18x12 Texaco Sky Chief Marine porcelain and tin version and two hex signs Marine White and Tuneup Service.

Uploaded with ImageShack.us group photo.

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Bill and the rest, VERY impressive.. I sure wish Conoco had some Great signs like Texaco! I might have to start looking for some of these. Thanks for posting this information.
Ric

Hey Bill,,, your Texaco Fuel Chief 1 sign looks familiar to me, ha,ha,ha,,, LOL !!! Great sign..

Guys who think this isn't an awesome sign and don't own one for any money must be jealous,,,If you put that sign in the middle of your collection in that empty hole I would bet $100 that it would be the first sign your eyes would see,,, that yellow stands out like huge !!! That to me is why it brings big bucks, makes me kinda wish I had it back..

If I had to sell three top notch signs to buy a Texaco pump plate from the 1960's something is wrong. I understand this sign is rare, but there are much harder to find Texaco signs that do not command near as much money. I guess I will have to reevaluate my collection of signs and determine what a "great sign" really is....

Here is my thick spray and my 8 X 12.

57tbirdkid: I can understand your sentiment. But, don't confuse old with rare. Wes is correct that it is a rare sign and really stands out. It is the same with the Texaco Auto Diesel sign. While not as expensive as the Fuel Chief, if you ever see one on ebay or at an auction they really take off and they are from the mid 60s. They just weren't around much. Think about this, when you see pictures of Texaco stations, do you ever see Fuel Chief or Auto Diesel pump plates....never. (That may be an overstatement, but I have never seen one.)

The Texaco sign that always amazes me that doesn't sell for more is the one you can see in the background of my 8X12 diesel. The one with the attendent wiping the dipstick and discussing that The Furfural'd Film does it. It is a gorgeous Texaco sign but hardly sells for more than a couple of hundred. Possibly due to the reproductions...Anyway...Texaco Fuel Chief....would love to have one.

This has been a great learning experience! Thanks to all and especially those who took the time to post pictures! Great to be able to see all the different plates! Thanks--KEVIN

Jamie: What is the reverse spray? Not sure I am familiar with that...

Wes you are right that Fuel Chief 1 sign should look familiar and it was in that empty spot until all of the signs came down and went into storage when I moved out to NM.

Alex, I think Jamie is talking about the thick spray-

Alex,

I am not confused in the difference between old and rare. The dipstick sign as you state is a nice sign but does not commmand a strong price which is a good example in this situation. My concern is there are much earlier and harder to find Texaco signs that do not command this price. For example, i do not like to go off auction prices but the easy pour flange matthews sold in 2008 went for $2,200 .....now in 2008 a fuel chief 1 sign sold for $2800. Which sign do you see more often? I no longer collect Texaco items, but I feel the easy pour sign is a much harder to find sign yet brought $600 less. I guess the values lean more towards market demand versus how rare the sign is. I no longer want to stir the pot because this is my personal opinion. I am sure there are many people that would fork over the cash for this pump plate in a heart beat.

57 TBird: I don't think you are stirring the pot at all. You asked/raised legitamite questions and stated your opinion most respectfully. And you are right, you can't always use auction prices as an apples to apples comparison. Personally, if I had the choice between the two, I would probably go with the Fuel Chief. (And then go in debt trying to buy the other one too..LOL)

That might be a fun poll of the week to start. Show two or three signs of comparable value and say, "Given the choice of one, which would you take?" Could do it with globes too.

I'm not jealous (after all it's just a sign), the fact of the matter is that I'm 31 years old and I hope to be collecting Texaco signs for a long time (God willing). When a high dollar sign comes up I have to ask myself "where do I see this sign in 20 years"? There's no doubt that this is a "great sign", but I personally feel it's not worth the amount that they're selling for, and the value of this sign will drop (eventually..lol)

I know I'm never going to get rich by collecting Texaco signs. Actually in my opinion I'll probably will loose a lot of money when the time comes to sell this stuff. I guess what I'm saying that it's best for me to wait and pick one up when the value drops and minimize the amount I lose.

BTW..I love all of the pictures this thread generated.

Jamie

Hang in there, Jamie. One may fall into your lap when you least expect it. I am with you, I wouldn't pay that much for one, but I am not going to criticize someone who is willing to either. LOL God Bless 'em. My thick spray and 8X12 fell into my lap...so who knows.

What great comments and photos everyone has shared. I agree it's a great sign in excellent condition. My opinion is that the rarity of the sign combined with its condition are the two main factors driving the price (as is with any other great sign of this calibier). Considering the reserve price was not met means a couple of things. 1) the seller was just testing the market 2) the pot of gold is worth $3,000+ to the right person, right now! I liked the commemt Jamie stated "where do I see this sign in 20 years." Take a look at your collection, think about what you paid for something 5, 10, 15, 20 years ago and ask yourself "what is the market value now?. More questions to ponder..."did I pay retail (or more) back in the day just because I wanted it in my collection". Some food for thought......

Four different bidders over $3000 and it still didn't meet reserve.

Flash may be correct that this was a "test the waters" auction.

It's not hard to figure out, it's in the eye of the beholder...:)

gotta have you feelin good Bill...

I'm not a Texaco collector but here are some pics of some Texaco signs I've had and sold,,plus lots more common ones..

plus these 3

Wes, if you ever get tired of that "cheap eye sore looking junk" drop me a line. LOL. Wow.... i have one of those test fire Chief pump plates, but not as nice as yours.

There is a Texaco diesel wide spray on ebay right now with no reserve.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Texaco-Diesel-Ch...1#ht_4008wt_932

What a thread ! : )

She was a good one.

Hey WFort..... forgot to complement you on your collextion of Texaco signs. Very impressive.