03-22-2022, 01:08 PM
> "Hard to believe that radio prices have gone down that much." 
DOWN ?
Yes, down. Remember 2008, when the real estate market crashed? Prior to that, as an example, Philco 90 cathedrals were routinely selling for $500-800. Now they sell for around $350 or so, often less.
And current market conditions aren't helping anything.
Granted, when I entered this hobby in 1974, the only radios considered "valuable" were certain 1920s battery sets and very early wireless equipment. Then cathedrals and tombstones took off. And then, Catalin sets - which were once thought of as undesirable and noncollectable - suddenly took off big time. More people entered the hobby, and prices increased. Then 2008 happened.
Since then, prices took a hit but then came back a little. Now, I'm not referring to eBay Fantasyland, where more and more sellers are trying to get $500+ for a $50 radio. Another thing keeping prices down is the fact that we're all getting older, more of us are passing on, and less and less younger people are coming in to take the place of those who have passed on.
I would say in about 20-30 years, folks like Jeremy S., Jayce, Vince M., Felix-Antoine, and a (very) few others will have all the radios they could ever want to choose from, with little competition.
Enjoy it while you can, people. In the end, it's just "stuff". And you can't take it with you when you go.
(I really did not mean for this to turn into an editorial - it just came out that way.)
DOWN ?Yes, down. Remember 2008, when the real estate market crashed? Prior to that, as an example, Philco 90 cathedrals were routinely selling for $500-800. Now they sell for around $350 or so, often less.
And current market conditions aren't helping anything.
Granted, when I entered this hobby in 1974, the only radios considered "valuable" were certain 1920s battery sets and very early wireless equipment. Then cathedrals and tombstones took off. And then, Catalin sets - which were once thought of as undesirable and noncollectable - suddenly took off big time. More people entered the hobby, and prices increased. Then 2008 happened.
Since then, prices took a hit but then came back a little. Now, I'm not referring to eBay Fantasyland, where more and more sellers are trying to get $500+ for a $50 radio. Another thing keeping prices down is the fact that we're all getting older, more of us are passing on, and less and less younger people are coming in to take the place of those who have passed on.
I would say in about 20-30 years, folks like Jeremy S., Jayce, Vince M., Felix-Antoine, and a (very) few others will have all the radios they could ever want to choose from, with little competition.
Enjoy it while you can, people. In the end, it's just "stuff". And you can't take it with you when you go.
(I really did not mean for this to turn into an editorial - it just came out that way.)
--
Ron Ramirez
Ferdinand IN
