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#646320 Sun Feb 07 2016 05:46 PM
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Kevo335 Offline OP
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Hey guys, i have a couple signs i'm interested. Its two large porcelain double sided signs and a mobil gas pump plate. The big signs are a red crown and a mobilgas ethyl. I was quoted $795. Does that seem fair?

Thanks.

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Guess everyone is watching the Super Bowl! Kevin, don't take this the wrong way, but do you want quantity or quality? I know rough signs are selling very well these days but I don't understand the mentality or the logic of people buying items in this condition. I know everyone can't afford high dollar signs, but I tell new collectors instead of buying ten $100 signs, buy one $1000 sign.
My Mom, who along with my Father dealt in antiques for years told me when I started collecting almost thirty years ago,"you buy junk, you'll always have junk". If you're buying to resell, you have to think about how much you pay for it. If you're buying it to keep, it doesn't matter if you pay too much for it today because it will nearly always be worth more tomorrow and there will always be someone who will buy quality even in bad times! I have done well by heeding her advice.
The Mobil pump plate appears to be in decent shape. The Red Crown is pretty bad and for the Mobilgas, I saw one today at an automotive swap meet in nicer shape that they were asking $425 for. Don't know if this helps you any. Maybe someone else will have a better opinion on value. Pat



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Kevo335 Offline OP
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Pat,

that helps immensely. I often forget the importance of buying quality over quantity.


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Pat is right on the money with his advice! I have been lucky in that I received that same advice very early in my collecting career and never forgot it!


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I also agree with this advice I would much rather pay more for one good piece than have a bunch of beaters . Your always going to get your money back on quantity or little more . Enjoy em for while ! Unless your just in it to make a quick buck .

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I'm in this because i love collecting signs. i see them as investments; pieces to hold onto for their beauty and value. And now it makes total sense, quality over quantity makes more logical sense every time.


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If you intent is buying to hold value over time then buying the best you can personally afford is the way to go. Unfortunately the future is fickle so even if you buy one good sign today there is no guarantee that in 10 years or further out that it will be worth more or less.

The particular signs you are looking at, given condition and if they are not repros with added damage are likely to not increase in the same timeframe.

The reason people have bought damaged signs instead of very nice signs had been because they were substantially cheaper. Your larger signs in question would have sold for $200 or less each (pump plate for less than 90). Thus a value increase was less of a gamble than paying $800 for a prime example of each. Further, many people collect damaged not because of future value but because they enjoy signs which show honest life and survival of use.

Now, with many more people on the hunt for signs even damaged sign values have increased. Personally I think the price quoted to you for the three is close to current market and likely to only marginally increase or maintain value in the short run. Will they be worth more 10 years down the road? making the acquisition a wise investment? Who knows.




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I would buy original pump plates like that all day for $90...

If he is asking $795 for all three, he may take $750. I would think the pump plate is worth $250? That would have you in each of the other two at $250 each. I would think the Red Crown would sell for more than that, the Ethyl at the $250 or a little above. So if you are buying to resell, you may be able to make a couple bucks. Buying to keep, are you happy with the condition?
If I bought them, I would try to keep the pump plate and sell the other two.


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The best advice I received when I first started collecting was to buy the best I could afford. My old friend Ray May preached that over and over until it sunk in. I've never regretted buying quality items. I can't say the same about items of lesser quality.

Are the signs worth the asking price? Probably.

What are your goals as a collector? Do you want a building full of beat up rusty signs, or would you rather have a wall full of quality signs?


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Originally Posted By Wes Maxwell


If I bought them, I would try to keep the pump plate and sell the other two.


That's what I would do as well.


......John
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