Archive for January, 2009
by Edward Rizzo
Soon to follow with his outstanding model trains, Josh came out with a different gauge, and this was a small three rail O gauge. He had rapidly visualise the need for a train that would be more adjustable to home sizes and could generate off the electricity. That is incisively what this gauge provided and is nonetheless a very favourited model now.
Other train manufacturers were fast becoming identified as well. For instance the in 1907, the American Flyer joined the industry. Owned by two friends, William Coleman and William Hafner. They had determined they wanted to experiment with keeping costs down in the lithography region. They tried numerous tin type stuffs but the quality was bad, so they were not favourited. Actually, it was this organisation that originally started making clockwork trains.
Eventually the partnership came to an end and Hafner went on his individual manufacturing the American flyer electric train set. In the beginning, he went with the O gauge, but shortly went into the common gauge that Lionel had set.
Merely before the attack of the war, Hafner sold the American flyer in 1938. This was to A C Gilbert. Once the war started out, all model train making had to stop. Every last the attention had to be put on the war. Prior to this though Gilbert had shifted the gauge from HO to O. And So in 1946, the S gauge was introduced. The Lionel Company had the superior border in the industry and Gilbert was unable to compete. He could not keep up with the mass production and the cost of Lionels. Gilbert stopped production in 1966 and just after this; Lionel took over the ownership of the American Flyer.
The love for model trains exists on today and will no question continue to do so for many years to come. There will never be a toy in the industry that can take the place of the favourited trains in people’s heart.
About the Author:
Download your free 1965 vintage
lionel train catalog and learn how to repair
lionel trains easily and quickly with over 2000 pages of diagrams and blueprints from LionelManuals
January 16 2009 | Collectibles | No Comments »
by Thomas Hernandez
Are you calculating to sell your used Lionel trains? Possibly you have found a goldmine at your neighbourhood garage sale! Or perhaps you’ve revealed a box in the attic filled with these used Lionel trains. How do you learn their worth?
When it occurs down to it, their worthy, or their trading price, will depend on some things, not the least of which is how much the purchaser is prepared to give you to get it. The most motivated purchasers will course pay more than someone who is not fanatic about it.
The last someone you want to sell your antique Lionel train to is some of those someones who post ads saying “I buy trains!”. These people are in the business of moneymaking the worst potential price, and then dealing as high as manageable. You most likely will not get a good cost presently.
Who you DO want to speak to is true collectors of used Lionel trains. They are most liable to make you a reasonable cost, and in this group of somebodies is where you are also most in all probability to find a affected buyer. You may have a local group of collectors in your personalized arena. Hobby stores that handle in used Lionel trains, or provide areas and add-on for them, can lead you in seeing the trusted collectors.
Now that you recognize where to acquire a buyer, here are some leads to assist you put a price on your used Lionel train.
The Train Collectors Association has direct grading measures that are followed by the trusted train collectors in determining evaluations. They separate the entire range of conditions into 7 categories, ranging from brand new and unused (mint condition) to junk, with whatsoever available divisions (poor condition). The seven categories are: Mint, Like New, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor. Your train will drop somewhere into 1 of these categories.
In addition, there are two outstanding leads published each yr that can help you to determine a rate for your old Lionel train. These publishing companies are well reputable in this field, and have been writing these guides for numerous yr. The 2 guides are:
TM’s Lionel Price and Rarity Guide - Volume one or Volume two, betting on the date your Lionel train was constructed
Greenberg’s Pocket Price Guide to Lionel Trains
There are certain affairs you can do which can make a large difference in your trading cost. Say your train is in mint condition, plus you have the primary box, you will get the steepest cost possible. So don’t ever throw away the box if you have one. Too, clean your train so that there is zero dust, grease, dirt, or old built up oil on it. A clean and shiny train that doesn’t move can frequently require a higher trading cost than a dirty 1 that functions. In addition, at times just cleaning it up and making small amends can fix that old train to a more valued condition.
You can get an supreme guide for mending your old Lionel train at LionelManuals.com. The guide is actually 2 CDs full of instructions, blueprints, parts lists, and detailed plots for every Lionel train made up from 1906 through 1986. It makes reestablishing your train easy, and can easy double or triple the cost you can get for your train. With several of these payable trains, doing the simplex restores can really bring you thousands of dollars more when you sell it.
So you see, there is a lot that goes into committing a rate on your antique Lionel train. Your well count to get a good selling price is to do your enquiry on your train, check the accomplished guides, make contact with a collectors club, and show a repaired, clean and shiny train to a fiery collector.
January 16 2009 | Collectibles | No Comments »
by Quincy Scott
It can seem that most parents out there already have everything they need. However, this can make the process of trying to decide what gift ideas for dad will work a difficult one. After all, they have had years to buy whatever they might need and this means that when you are thinking about getting them something as a gift, you will need to make it something special. One of the first things you should consider when looking at gifts is whether or not they collect something. It is not uncommon for a person to have an existing collection of items that they are constantly working to keep in place.
One such example of something that your dad might want for a gift is a Zippo lighter. Zippos are really an exceptional item that many people have collected over the years. There is a variety of different Zippos and styles, so you will be able to pick out one that reflects your father’s personality as an individual. Plus, one of the interesting features about giving these items as gifts is the fact that you can usually have them engraved so that they are even more personalized, even more than most other presents you can give to them. You can also get them an antique version of the Zippo lighter if you want to get them something a little different.
If you are looking for something slightly more elegant and your dad dresses up quite frequently, you can consider looking into cuff links. These come in a wide variety of shapes and designs, so you can easily find something that will represent your father. However, if you want to take it a step further, you might look into a customized pair of cuff links that are designed specifically with your father in mind. This can be considerably more expensive than just buying a regular pair of cuff links, so be prepared.
If you really want to go all out and get a gift for your father that is truly different and unique, you should look into buying him a vacation. You don’t necessarily have to pick out the vacation for him. If you are worried that he will not like what you have picked out for him then you should contact a travel agency and ask them about gift certificates. Many times these places will allow you to put a certain amount of money in holding. Then, you can give a voucher to your father, showing him that he has a set up for a vacation at a certain travel agency and he can go choose from a variety of options.
No matter what you decide to get for your dad, you should be sure to consider his personality and style so that you get a gift for him that is something he will treasure for a long time to come. At the end of the day, don’t forget that there are many fathers out there who still hold on dearly to the macaroni paintings that were given to them when you were still a small kid.
About the Author:
Dads deserve more that we can offer them for sure, why not give the gift that any dad would love a
dragon Zippo lighter. If you have a camping dad, or a fire pit dad or just an around the house dad, a
brass Zippo lighter will come in handy anytime.
January 16 2009 | Collectibles | No Comments »
by Anton Neville
Do you want to mend your Lionel train? Are you a Lionel train enthusiast, buying, fixing up, and trading Lionel trains? If so, then you’ll be fortunate to discover the complete Lionel trains repair manual at LionelManuals.com!
Actually, its much more than merely a repair manual, also. Its a 2 CD set chock full of everything you require to be confident to repair, mend, or accessorize Lionel trains at a professional level.
You’ll see particular instructions for mending every Lionel train invented from 1906 through 1986. These particular instructions are exemplified throughout with thousands of plots and specified blueprints to make interpreting the instructions crystal clear. Require to read merely 1 part of a diagram? No problem! They’re “zoomable”! Yes, the manuals were planned with you in mind! You can zoom in on some region so that you can visualise precisely the spot that you are operating on.
Still with so much subject, you can well find the right page you need for your original train. It’s simple - they indexed every page for you!
Addition, the manual is printable, so that you can print out what you require and take it to your study table with you.
There is also a handy sections and accessories catalogue. You can visualize what all is ready for your Lionel train, and acquire several great minds on supplements to make your apparatus accomplished.
You can still reckon how your Lionel train set was in the first place founded back when it was invented. They have included a lot of old Lionel catalogues, advertisements, and photographs. Experience your train with it’s primary concept, and feel a few warm memories of the old days creeping in. Most Lionel train collectors nowadays have a passion for their hobby for this very cause. They recall what it was like when they were so young and they got their first Lionel train! They can sense the awe and the pleasure all over once more. It’s like Christmas morning! Is it the same for you? Is that why you are repairing your old Lionel train right now? They do have a way of bringing back those memories, don’t they?
Yea, Lionel trains are 1 of the good parts of our history, and a section that we wish to recall.
Talking of history, your 2 CD Lionel Train repair and restoration set likewise includes an informative report: The History of the US Railway System. See how right your Lionel trains are, and how well the models fit in with the real history of trains in our nation. In Point Of Fact, several of the Lionel trains were an direct replication of a specific train.
All this can be yours with the full Lionel train repair manual set from LionelManuals.com. Its an outstanding value! You are confident to love it!
January 15 2009 | Collectibles | No Comments »
by Christina Goldman
Silver Christmas rounds are a simply beautiful variety of a type of silver coin called bullion rounds. The term round itself came about because the silver was shaped into coins and thus was able to be stacked into rolls. This made it easy for the coins to be handled and shipped. Many times, you’ll see them called silver art rounds because they can be bought inscribed with a variety of designs ranging from Santa Claus, christmas trees, snowman, animals, angels, and many other seasonal figures.
These dated season bullion rounds are not only fun to collect but some of the older, rare dates are highly sought after and command a higher premium than the newer issues.
Specifications:
1. You can buy silver bullion Christmas rounds in sizes ranging from one ounce to five ounces. The one ounce variety is the most popular.
2. Each silver round coin contains one full ounce of pure silver.
3. It has a purity of .999 fine silver.
4. It is not government-backed and has no legal tender status.
Varieties:
Silver bullion rounds are available in both name-brand and generic.
Name-brand silver rounds include the one-ounce private mint produced A-Mark Precious Metals, Wall Street Mint and Sunshine Minting. These silver rounds will display the name or hallmark of the mint that manufactured them.
Generic silver rounds are produced by a variety of small, little-known firms as well as those produced over the years by companies that may or may not still be in business. They typically have a smaller markup than the name-brand silver rounds. These include the silver bullion Christmas rounds.
Most Valuable:
Engelhard Silver Prospectors is the one ounce silver round that is most sought after by collectors. It was minted by Engelhard but has not been produced since 1988. This silver round is difficult to obtain and occasionally can be purchased on the secondary market.
Reasons to Buy:
1. Silver rounds are readily available.
2. They typically sell for a lower premium than government-backed silver bullion coins.
3. The value of the rounds is directly correlated to the current price of silver.
4. Their small size makes them perfect coins for bartering.
Conclusion:
Silver bullion Christmas rounds are affordable, fun to collect and easy to store, count, buy and sell. They are an excellent way for the small investor or collector to invest directly in pure silver bullion.
January 15 2009 | Collectibles | No Comments »
by Boy Richardson
The American Flyer is in all likelihood the most well known of all model train series. They did achieve their peaks around the 40’s and some other peak in the 60’s, they are around longer than that. Their popularity is also well known nowadays as well and they are,i personally reckons that they will be still here another 100 years!
A toy maker in Chicago called William Hafner, in the very early 20th century developed a model train built on a clockwork motor, actually for the use in toy cars. By about 1905 however he decided to put them into use in model trains as well. Luckily he did, the model cars sold no where near as well as the trains.
William Hafner and his good friend had the same name, William Coleman approached a small manufacturer of hardware, Edmonds-Metzel. They used this organization to start making trains in 1907.
They were first marketed under the name of Edmond Metzel trains, but because they were selling so fast and so well they required a perfectly new name and they came up with the name of the American Flyer. This happen at 1910. Even the name of the hardware company they were using had likewise changed its name to incorporate the American Flyer name in it.
They started selling like hot cakes for some reasons. They were quite cheaper then some other popular makes of model trains at the time and because they were also quite a bit more practical then more budget style model trains of the time.
Mr William Hafner left the organisation around 1913. He used the money he had already made and built up his own firm. Colemans American Flyer Trains. It did well for quite some time around the first world war. There were no competition because of the war. Right before the break out in 1938, the founders son with the exact name,took over the business after his father pass away in 1918 traded the American Flyer to a organization called A C Gilbert Company. Gilbert already had experience in making toys, but had never done so with trains.
At the same time he decided to moved the corporation from Chicago where it was based to New Haven in Connecticut where he lived. He also began to drastically re design the American Flyer and turned it into an S-scale model train in 1939. It is a replicate of the popular O scale which is then the leader of the market.
The S-scale was much smaller then the O-scale and this made it more popular with enthusiasts as it needed less room to setup a proper track. The scale is 1:64, substantially smaller then the O-scale yet still very detailed and accurate.
He also made another change in 1946 that amended the realisticness of the American flyer more so. Model trains, electric model trains at that time had been run on 3 rail tracks. Not realistic. He changed it so they ran on 2 rail tracks, much like their huge counterparts. These tracks had 7/8th inches between each rail. This made the trains operate better as well.
How ever, television was beginning to take hold at this time also. This distracted numerous from their hobbies they would commonly spend their spare time on. Also at this time, discount chain shops came into play, discounting train sets that corporations like A C Gilbert could not compete with. in 1962, Gilbert sold the American Flyer to Wrather Group. This firm produced toys as well, but usually on a large scale and tended to make poor quality as well. Sales of course fell through the floor and in 1967 the organization went bankrupt.
A major toy train maker and the market leader at time, Lionel Corporation bought the American Flyer. This organization itself was having difficulty with finances too and they also went bankrupt in 1969, so they sold off the rights to the American Flyer to another manufacturer, General Mills.
This firm, General Mills, started trading some of the designs of the original designed Gilbert American Flyer, it however sell everything it bought from then Lionel Corp to Kenner, who then in turn sold the firm to a man named Richard Kughn. This happened in 1985.
Mr Richard Kughn had great success with the corporation and design for 11 years, but he sold out in 1996 to a enterprise also known as Wellspring Partners, who then took on the first name of Lionel and called themselves Lionel LLC, which still operates now.
They sell the S-scale American Flyer still. They were actually concentrating on selling other scale models, but in 2002 they begin selling more and more of the American Flyer.
The American Flyer nowadays is more then a hundred years old and has gone through many different hands. It’s popularity is still going strong and while it fluctuates, this model train and scale is going no where fast.
About the Author:
Repair your
lionel model trains quickly and easily with over 2000 pages and illustrations covering prewar and postwar models. Use
lionel train parts and schematics to repair and service your trains.
January 14 2009 | Collectibles | No Comments »
by Zach Hersa
Alas, we are in a time era where so many hobby workshops are closing their doors for the last time. This makes it tricky for the avid model train hobbyist. It makes it even more hard to purchase the trains and parts when they are required. It neednt be that way though. Say you have a computer or know somebody that does, then you can do all your shopping right from the comfort of your own home. Just plainly head to the net and set out searching for what you desire or need.
Shopping on line make taking a little getting used to. It’s hard for train lovers not to be able to pick up a piece and lovingly inspect it. It’s likewise hard to picture the actual size of what you are seeing on your computer monitor as well. Shopping online is for sure convenient and fast, but it does have its drawbacks. There are some things you should use in order to get the most satisfying answers from your online shopping experiences.
- Make sure you are buying your model train or parts from a dealer that you have wisdom of as being respectable. Perhaps you know of people who have dealt with them in the past.
- Knowledge of lionel trains are required and knowing what you are reckoning for is likewise primary.
- Learn what return policies and refund rules are.
- Payment methods if possible should be credit cards, or even via Paypal, although not interpreted as safe.
Being as shopping online may be different to you, there are a few resources you can make use of. Check out forum where some other avid model train lovers gather. They can give you every last forms of advice. Contact the organization you are thinking of buying from, see how pro they are by way of response. Don’t be afraid to inquire inquiries. After all, you want to find a few trustworthy online miniature train providers that can meet your needs.
About the Author:
Who else wants to learn
model trains repair and restoration? Discover the easiest and step by step approach to repair, restore and service your
lionel train even if you’ve no experience before.
January 13 2009 | Collectibles | No Comments »
by Christina Goldman
Rare Silver Certificates worth collecting. . .
A lot of silver certificates are worth only a modest premium over their actual face value. For example, the common 1935 and 1957 certificates would sell for $1.25 to $1.50 in average circulated condition. A note this type in uncirculated condition would get in a small amount more, possibly $2.00 to $4.00.
Many collectors purchase silver certificates because of their rich history, uniqueness, and love of paper money. However, for the serious currency investor, their are a few notes worth obtaining for their monetary value and opportunity for appreciation. I’ve compiled a list of some of the more valuable notes available on the market today:
1. FR-251 - 1899 $2.00 Agricultural & Mechanics large-sized note, with a serial number of one. This certificate in GEM uncirculated 65 condition is practically priceless. For the untutored collector, a bill in GEM uncirculated 65 condition is absolutely perfect. It would have no tears, stains, rips, or folds. It would have razor sharp corners, absolutely perfect margins and no pinholes whatsoever. In other words, it would be a bill that is in absolute perfect condition!
What makes this note so special?
a. LOW serial number of D1
b. Extremely high certified grade
c. One time MATCHING signature combination of VERNON-TREAT
I discovered one such note on eBay, selling for over $20 million dollars!
2. FR-268 -1896 $5.00 Educational certificate. It has a GEM uncirculated 68 condition - which indicates maximum perfection.
What makes this note so special?
a. The final Educational Note series
b. The only known CGA GEM-68 that exists
c. One time MATCHING signature combination of TILLMAN-MORGAN.
Other rare notes worth collecting:
3. Two - 1896 $1.00 large-size Educational Silver Certificates
These are absolutely beautiful notes:
a. Only 6 serial numbers
b. Two Consecutives (very rare!)
c. High Grade
d. Only Lowest high-grade, consecutive serial number in existence
This pair was selling for over $84,000!
4. FR-330 - 1891 $50.00 Silver Certificate There are only 6 of these notes in existence and only a couple ever seen in public. I discovered one selling on eBay, in PMG Fine 12 condition, for $23,000.
5. FR-23 - 1886 $5.00 certificate. In PCGS 65 condition, this one was fetching in the neighborhood of $27,000.
6. FR-343 - 1891 $100.00 Silver Certificate. Only 15 of these notes are known to exist. I found on selling on eBay, in in PMG Fine 12 condition, for $16,500.
As you can see, there are many unique, rare and very valuable silver certificates worth collecting and investing in. Before purchasing any paper money online, always do your homework, ask questions, investigate the reputation of the seller carefully, and make sure a 100% full, money-back guarantee is offered on the sale!
January 13 2009 | Collectibles | No Comments »
by Edward Rizzo
Josh came out with a new gauge, and this was a average three rail O gauge. He had rapidly visualise the need for a train that would be more adjustable to home sizes and could generate off the electrical energy. That is incisively what this gauge provided and is all the same a very favourited model today.
Other train manufacturers were fast becoming identified as well. For instance the in 1907, the American Flyer joined the industry. Owned by two friends, William Coleman and William Hafner. They had determined they wanted to experiment with keeping costs down in the lithography region. They tried numerous tin type stuffs but the quality was bad, so they were not favourited. Actually, it was this organisation that originally started making clockwork trains.
Eventually the partnership came to an end and Hafner went on his individual manufacturing the American flyer electric train set. In the beginning, he went with the O gauge, but shortly went into the common gauge that Lionel had set.
Merely before the attack of the war, Hafner sold the American flyer in 1938. This was to A C Gilbert. Once the war started out, all model train making had to stop. Every last the attention had to be put on the war. Prior to this though Gilbert had shifted the gauge from HO to O. And So in 1946, the S gauge was introduced. The Lionel Company had the superior border in the industry and Gilbert was unable to compete. He could not keep up with the mass production and the cost of Lionels. Gilbert stopped production in 1966 and just after this; Lionel took over the ownership of the American Flyer.
The passion for model trains exists on today and will no question preserve to do so for many years to come. There will never be a toy in the industry that can take the place of the treasured trains in people’s heart.
About the Author:
Download your free 1965 vintage
lionel train catalog and learn how to repair
lionel trains easily and quickly with over 2000 pages of diagrams and blueprints from LionelManuals
January 13 2009 | Collectibles | No Comments »
by Eugene Rizzo
Like numerous of lifes great innovations, the model train was found in a elementary way. The inventor was a fellow by the name of Josh Lionel Cowen. You guessed it, the name of the known Lionel Trains. It was nothing elaborate just a really uncomplicated half train car that he motorized. That’s all it took to start a passion for the avid train fans by way of becoming collectors.
The model train business is not a moderate industry by any means. It is very favourited throughout America, Australia and Europe as well. It cannot be forgot that at the time of Joshs innovation, not every home even had electricity. The introductory electric trains as they were promoted , were actually battery functioned. In comparing to what we call model trains now, the originals were much larger by comparison.
At about the same time that Lionel trains were being constructed there were others getting into the industry and making some other trends, scales and gauges. The model train industry was off and working. Josh being the astute business man that he was, shortly visualise that if all the makers used the same gauge, it would be to all their reward. The gauge is referring to the space between the rails of the train tracks.
To get anybody to stick to to his way of thinking Josh not merely applied his individual name, but his business name as well. All he did was to call his organization as Lionel Standard. If we were to compare this gauge to the models of nowadays, it would be the G scale. This truly wouldnt have a practical function in the home because they are far too large to set up in good order.
By 1915, electricity had become a ordinary commodity in most home. This meant that now the model trains could be powered by this source. There we have it. The introductory of the personal home use model trains. Needless to say, the industry expanded from that time on and for many years to come.
January 12 2009 | Collectibles | No Comments »
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