[justinmandawg]

Maybe your dad was telling you to sell it and put the money into an account for college for the kids?

[bkdlots]

justinmandawg Wrote:Maybe your dad was telling you to sell it and put the money into an account for college for the kids?

Or this is something to share with your kids, telling them about your dad.

[P_Manning 18]

tommydale1 Wrote:

soxfan4004 Wrote:I found this link for you. It has some great pics of your set.


http://www.dakotapaul.com/items/showitem.asp?iid=1026


Richard

That's it!!! Thanks for finding this for me...I really appreciate it!

And I think that price should keep it in the family. If it was $3000... I could totally understand if you had thoughts of selling..... but $320.... nice price.... but not enough to get rid of it.

[tommydale1]

P_Manning 18 Wrote:

tommydale1 Wrote:

soxfan4004 Wrote:I found this link for you. It has some great pics of your set.


http://www.dakotapaul.com/items/showitem.asp?iid=1026


Richard

That's it!!! Thanks for finding this for me...I really appreciate it!

And I think that price should keep it in the family. If it was $3000... I could totally understand if you had thoughts of selling..... but $320.... nice price.... but not enough to get rid of it.

Well put. My thoughts exactly.

[bdal23]

tommydale1 Wrote:

P_Manning 18 Wrote:

tommydale1 Wrote:

soxfan4004 Wrote:I found this link for you. It has some great pics of your set.


http://www.dakotapaul.com/items/showitem.asp?iid=1026


Richard

That's it!!! Thanks for finding this for me...I really appreciate it!

And I think that price should keep it in the family. If it was $3000... I could totally understand if you had thoughts of selling..... but $320.... nice price.... but not enough to get rid of it.

Well put. My thoughts exactly.

I know nothing of trains but im going to say that your train set that you found is way better than the one linked. For one the box is in way worse shape and the individual boxes are poor. Also I dont think the one that sold has tracks or the original smoking pellets. You really should continue to research. Just like cards when it comes to something old condition is the number one thing.
What an awesome find. Thank you for showing that train set to us.

[zithy]

There's not always a lot of things that are possible to hand down from one generation to the next, especially when the older generation is without the benefit of storage units and weatherproofed garages. To have something of that age and in such great condition is wonderful, but to know that your father bought and played with it puts it into a different category.

If the value is low, then it should be a no brainer--keep it and invest into a nice shelving unit or even a huge display case and proudly display it somewhere to see it often and tell stories about. If it was a super valuable item, I wouldn't put you down for selling it if you needed the money, but some things you just can't replace. In this case it's not the item, but the sentimentality.

Congrats to you for just the circumstances that brought that train set to you. People don't always have good fortune (and I don't mean the monetary value). Cherish it. Now you have something to pass on to your children

[Daeyel]

My dad has a Lionel train set. used to be in great shape, too, but the 2 youngest brothers got into it at abt age 7, and well, I believe most of it is gone now.

Remember, like vintage cards, it is condition sensitive. Its up to you whther to treat it like a museum piece, which it surely is. You may want to consider the fact that it is likely in the top 5% condition wise. I am sure a professional model train sho can give you a good idea of its value. Be sure to have a rough idea so he doesnt lowball you - and by no means whatsoever should you accept a cash offer, no matter how enticing.

That said, considering the condition it is in, you may want to seriously consider selling it to a collector or museum. Then, you can do what prospectors do all the time, and buy another one in fine condition, and keep the change.

Would a replacement be Dad's train set? Yes and no. Dad obviously never used it THAT much, or it would show, no matter how careful he was.

I guess my point is, that you have to balance the rarity of that condition with any desire to use it, and the value. None of us can tell you what to do, but as for me, I think I would either display it as is in a cabinet and never use it, or sell it, buy a suitable replacement and use that.

[qtiphife1]

This would be a great item for "Antiques Roadshow".

[tommydale1]

Thanks to everyone for all of their kind words.

Father's day is a rough one around here. Dad and both G-fathers died within 6 months of each other. Pretty much me, mom, and 2 g-ma's.

Thanks again!

[bigguy219]

No one here knows your financial situation. It is none of our business and it is rude of anyone here to ask.

On a collector's site like this, featuring many people whose collections started with parents, you will find many people encourage you to hold onto this item and pass them on to your children and hopefully grandchildren. All things being equal, I would also encourage you to keep this item and pass it down. At the end of the day a family legacy, particularly if your children never got to meet your father, is priceless.

However, if you are in a situation where you do need money and you cannot afford the luxury of passing down this legacy, then by all means sell. But do not go blindly searching eBay. Search for reputable auction houses who deal with these items. Look for ones that consign items rather than purcahse items, because you'll find a more honest evaluation.

Once you find out what your set is valued at, there is only one question you need to ask yourself.

Could I afford to spend that amount of money to pass this legacy down to future generations of my family?

If the answer is yes ... keep it, cherish it, pass the memories down.

If the answer is no ... sell it, with no regrets.