Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion This hobby just aint fun sometimes.

This post is about what seem to be rising prices. I am of course a total novice at this and may not even know what I'm talking about. I've only been in this a little over a year. But it seems in just that year the prices have gone haywire in some ways and in some cases. I am a total conservative capitalist to the core and some times you loose fair and square. But last night was very disappointing. I had been watching this piece, 161020828727 all week ready and happily willing to go $300-$350 on it. Which at that I even thought was a little high but a fair price for something i'll have the rest of my days. But no way in hell I'm dropping close to $600 on it. I couldn't believe what this went for!!

I just needed to vent a little. That's what this post is really about!! Thanks for listening!! I'll get over it. I hope!

Uncommon sign, I think the Price paid isn't out of line at all.

Yah!! I suppose your right!

its hard to compete against deep pockets, happens all the time on the bay!

I think all of us understand what you're feeling Steve. At one time we've all been outbid or just totally floored at what something ends up selling for. I've been in this hobby for a few years longer than you, around 6 years, and I will agree with you that prices have really climbed in the last couple years. I think all hobbies experience cycles, and right now our hobby is one of the "hot" ones to be involved in, due to reality shows, etc.
I'm certainly no expert in Sunoco items, but my gut feeling tells me that the particular tin sign you're referencing would be tough to find in the condition of the one sold. While certainly not mint, I would say it was in way above average condition for a tin sign, and if a couple of serious Sunoco collectors wanted it, I don't feel the price is totally out of line. There just isn't a ton of good, older Sunoco items out there from what I've seen, and when something different comes along someone is probably going to pay top dollar for it, which could be the case for this sign IMO.
Just look at it this way, I'm sure within a few days there will be something else in your watch that might take it's place!
Darin

Dont worry about it...sometimes its meant to be. You will realize that some of your best finds will cost you the least amount. At the end of the day rememeber there is Always something better out there.

It Might have sold for much more IF YOU HAD BID & still not won.

When I first got in the hobby only 13 months ago I almost bought a really nice Sunoco globe. Metal body, all orignal lenses, and it was $500. I was so new to the hobby I just couldn't bring myself to buy it having no idea if it was a good price or not. I was so green. I hadn't even discovered Oldgas yet at the time. Well if that sign is worth $560, then what is that globe worth today? $1100? $1200? And all in just 13 months. I'll tell you I sure wish I had bought that globe now Not that I would ever sell it. Like I said, as I sit here today, I believe I'll have these items all my days.
It's funny, my wife asks me, "why did you pick Sunoco, it seems the stuff is so hard to find and so expensive" LMAO!! She collects bowls and Christams ornaments. I think of here 200 or so items her biggest dollar item is like $50. Maybe I need to change hobbies! LMAO!!

Very often the deep pocket collectors are waiting & watching for items in their interest area that are in mint or "better than usual" condition. I've passed on nice items that I thought were priced too high only to see the next two go for more money. If you are patient, you can run across those items reasonably. But when you are competing with the big dog$, you have to get off the porch and run with them.

I agree there is always something else out there. I had never see that Sunoco sign before. Just in the past two weeks I have picked up three Sunoco items. So be happy and keep looking. There is plenty to go around.

Wow that first piece is COOL!!! What exactly is it / what would it have been used for?

Appears to be a nicely framed magazine ad.

Prices have gone up on a lot of stuff. On the other hand, I just scored two great old cans off of ebay for what I took to be a great price, less than half of my high bid. A lot of the time it all depends on who sees it to bid on it. Deal can still be had

You might see another one of those signs come up for auction again Steve.

eBay 101:
When you see something bring more money then expected,wait.
Someone else out there has one,and will likely want to get that amount too.

Steve, I go along with all the posts on here and just remember it always takes two to run up a price. the next time you may be the only one who wants it bad and the other guys got his eye and money on another item! keep the faith buddy.

Steve, when you are building a collection it's a little easier to pass on items because of price point.

Once you have built your collection and have most of the items you want and an unusual or not so common item comes up...well, at that point it's not about money anymore.

I know, that I buy items and when paying for them am thinking to myself that I am paying more for it then what it's worth. I don't buy to increase the net worth of my collection. But rather to increase it's enjoyment factor to me.

Since, I can't take it with me...I have a choice. I can enjoy my money now or leave it for my children and have them spend it. I think that's a no brainer...I'll spend it!

If you can enjoy it today...then do it!

Lmao!!! That exactly the metaphor I was going for!! Ain't gettin nothing by u DB!!

I agree with Dave. If I want it in my collection I go for it. Not to long ago I bid about $150 more on a can than it should have sold for and still got outbid.

I've been "around the corner" long enough, that I can still remember when Oil Company's and Gas Station Owners were paying us to take away; Pumps, globes, signage, cans... etc... (and folks they were doing that well into the early 1970s) So I cry, every time I have to "fork out" even a buck for an item!!!!!!!!!!!! (but, I'm also real cheap!)

My Father, his "Friends" and myself destroyed literately hundreds of globes, buried countless signs and pumps.... Part of doing business, back then as these items for the most part were not collectible...

Now if only we had "Mr Wizard" to help us "go back in time"....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6coPVnJSsPg

Bob,So sad but true!!!

words of wisdom..

Years ago I knew of a collector in Calif that was buying & "accumulating/hoarding". Very few were ever allowed in to see & were told NO CAMERAS. Today that same collector is posting Select pictures on the net!
What fun is collecting if ya can't share it w/ others that have the same interest?

Bet in lives in S. Ca.

I've seen some of the Washington collectors that have Started posting Pictures of their Hidden collections!

LOL!

That is life. Bid on a few items in the last few week that have went for more than i am willing to spend. But i am getting picky on what i buy... Sometimes others are picky just like me and the prices get really interesting. SO PONY UP BOYS AND PAY!

don't know who they are, mine have always been shown somewhere, No Sense spending $$$ and just hiding it in a closet,which I have never Understood

Its a tin litho sign that was meant to be used outside. Those signs rust easily ,Steve. Really not that over priced IMO. We all get that feeling though. Even the guys with deep pockets.I've been trying to nail this price thing down for close to twenty years and I certainly still havent accomplished that. It just sucks to have champagne taste and a beer budget. lol

The Lord blessed me, not with champagne, but at least with Heineken , and I looked back at my bid, it was $409. I thought I was good but apparently just not good enough.
Oh well. Live to fight another day.

Now here's another guy looking for his big money thinking he's got rusty gold!! 281106886979
And I don't care what this is worth to anyone else. I wouldn't pay more than $200. Any more than that and they can have it.

You have to admit, theres a big difference between the two. I'd say let this one lay and put that 200.00 toward a better one. Good luck hunting.

I too was watching that sign.

When that sign was asked about on here about being real or fake and no one answered, it threw up a red flag for me. That meant it was real and people on here were trying to not let the cat out of the bag.

This meant that I knew the price was going to be double of what I would have paid for that sign. I too was thinking around the price you were, and also thought it was a bit on the high side at that.

I was right on my assessment.

...four pages, and no one has mentioned that there are a LOT of non-collector speculators driving these prices up as well...the same process that makes you curse when you fill up your gas tank...the only ones cheering and yelling 'pony up boys' at the gas station are the ones who own the wells...

Wow I totally missed that thread!! I'm sure I would have done everything the same though even if I had.

What drove my price point was another tin sign ( http://www.oldgas.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=404518&page=2 ) and pictured below, in more or less the same condition. I know the owner tried to sell it for several months on Oldgas for only $300 and then it finally sold for $235. And in dealings outside of Oldgas I had it bought for $180 but had to back out because of personal reasons at the time. So when this one went for $565 I was like 'what the hell'!!! I really want to get some of these Sunoco tins and they dont come up all the time. So I was kind of freaked when I lost. Just needed to vent. I love this junk and the hobby!!!!

My Sunoco that I had went for 565??? When, I just sold it month or so ago or was it another one like it?

No, no, no!! If I'm understanding your question, I wrote that incorrectly. The sign that I was orignally posting about went for $565. 161020828727

BTW, gulfiend's point about "non-collector speculators" , is a very sad, yet very possible piece of this!!

Whew, but I know why that one went for so much with the arrow graphic. sweet one but out of my range at that price too.

Steve,IMO ,I think Dave Gill pretty much summed it up!

Maybe. But I was also using this in my evaluation. This sold only a couple weeks ago. Not in as good of shape of course, but...
And this sold for what? Something under $275???

171001803236

I don't know. I thought I had it nailed at $409! I would have loved to have won it. Oh well, it is what it is.

Same thing happened to me yesterday. I was bidding on a Skelly Oil Company porcelain sign that was on an oil lease in Barton County, KS. I REALLY wanted that sign as I was born and raised in Barton County, KS AND collect Skelly stuff. I thought I put a pretty high bid in and had it sealed but 5 seconds till end he got me by a dollar. I was so *****. But thats the name of the game I guess.

could have been more than a dollar,
you don't know what the snipe was..

Wow!! Yah I can see why you wanted that!! That would have been very cool for you to have!! I feel for you for sure!!

On the other note, like Randy said, he could have outbid you by a million. But it's ony going to show you the next bid increment above yours.

True

Doesnt help that it still ***** me off lol