Tips on selling rare glass

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lattiboy
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p.1 #1 · Tips on selling rare glass

Hi all,

Through my veracious buying habits, I've picked up some pretty scarce stuff. Some of it simply has no sales history on ebay or here and I don't know the proper way to proceed.

I realize the obvious answer is a well worded ebay auction, but I've seen some pretty horrifying results with that over the past few months.

Does anybody here know of an up-to-date online price guide or any other resources for lens pricing?

If not, I had a few auction-specific questions:

1) Is it ever worth paying the $20 for the "preferred listing" status on ebay?
2) Is it worth listing in multiple catogories? For instance: film cameras AND lenses?
3)

This is a general question, but if any of you have info on the the following 2, I would appreciate it:

1) Minolta Rokkor-PF 100mm f/2

2) Minolta Rokkor-X 28mm f/2 (the 10-element, floating design one)

Jun 12, 2012 at 02:36 AM

Sarsfield
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p.1 #2 · Tips on selling rare glass

Why not list them here first with what you think is a fair price? Fair for you and for the buyer. I would think you may find some real interest.

Jun 12, 2012 at 05:59 AM

Naranek
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p.1 #3 · Tips on selling rare glass

If pretty scarce and rare means expensive have you considered having them appraised? A few years ago I inherited some collectable items and had them appraised for insurance and tax purposes. I used a local auction house specializing in estate and consignment sales. The fee was reasonable and based on a flat rate rather than a percentage of appraised value.

Assuming there is an appraiser in your area who can do the job at a charge you find acceptable it might be worth doing. If nothing else you would have some ground truth to prevent being low balled and taken advantage of by a potential buyer.

Good luck in this however you proceed.

Jun 12, 2012 at 11:50 PM

Sarsfield
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p.1 #4 · Tips on selling rare glass

I think he's talking a couple hundred dollars, not several thousand. At least that's what they have sold for recently on eBay.

Jun 13, 2012 at 06:46 AM

borderlight
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p.1 #5 · Tips on selling rare glass

The 100mm f2 was introduced in 1961. It is a 5 element, 6 group telephoto. Some guy was trying to sell it on photo.net in 2009 for $395 - $495, not to say he sold it. More recently a copy was apparently sold for about $150 but good luck finding a buyer. The problem is that after 52 years there might be blade sticking, timing issues, and other related longevity problems. It may be rare, but that doesn't mean there is much of a market for it. Rare doesn't always equal big bucks, especially in the photo lens business.

You will have to look up the other lens. It's all searchable on Google, usually the first page.

Jun 13, 2012 at 12:27 PM

Sarsfield
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p.1 #6 · Tips on selling rare glass

I love when people ask questions in a forum and then never return to at least acknowledge the responses. People trying to help and nothing from the OP - nada, zip. That's what I call gratitude.

Jun 13, 2012 at 05:42 PM

borderlight
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p.1 #7 · Tips on selling rare glass

Sarsfield: You're right. It almost made me stop posting here. Like I said in an earlier post elsewhere on FM, what you say here is sometimes a waste of time. Some guys want a serious critique then they in effect "can't handle the truth" when it is given usually leading to no response. It seems that few actually read previous posts leading up to their post, or do a routine search (also available to them) to contribute or confirm. Although it remains to be seen what the final outcome will be here, I am signing off questions like this.

Jun 13, 2012 at 06:23 PM

lattiboy
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p.1 #8 · Tips on selling rare glass

Woah fellas. I'm not skipping out on this, I just got kind of busy.

I appreciate the idea of appraisal. I might just do it. The 100mm particularly has a kind of cult status with Minolta folks. A lot of Rokkor gear has held its value pretty well. Especially the faster stuff (58mm f/1.2s usually go for $400-600 in good condition).

I was able to find a 100mm f/2 that sold for a BIN price of $875 (this was when I first got it back in March). It was for the earlier, non-MC version in kind of rough shape. The thing has been sitting on my shelf since then and now that sale is no longer in Ebay's "completed listing" data. Obviously that could've been a fluke sale.

Also, the Minolta Maxxxum 100mm f/2 usually sells for $1000-1300. Obviously apples and oranges (MF/AF, age, mount, compatibility), but those aren't nearly as rare.

I'm seriously debating paying one of those sites like TeraPeak or HammerTap to get the 90-180 day historical data. I just found out that's why ebay only shows 15 days. They sell the data to these other companies.

Jun 13, 2012 at 07:49 PM

sgopalan78
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p.1 #9 · Tips on selling rare glass

Personal opinion only .. but I'm a TRS on eBay

1) Is it ever worth paying the $20 for the "preferred listing" status on ebay?
No
2) Is it worth listing in multiple catogories? For instance: film cameras AND lenses?
No

Your lenses:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p4340.l2557&item=300588736597&nma=true&rt=nc&si=i%252Fte32z8BH%252B3paHvuMif5UgXrCg%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p4340.l2557&item=320753769315&nma=true&rt=nc&si=i%252Fte32z8BH%252B3paHvuMif5UgXrCg%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Can probably find more. Google advanced search is your friend and it caches old ebay auctions

Jun 16, 2012 at 05:54 PM

greggn
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p.1 #10 · Tips on selling rare glass

Why not contact KEH, Adorama, and or the B&H Used Dept and see what is being offered ?

Jul 05, 2012 at 01:08 AM

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