In the past couple of years, has anyone managed to buy a vintage box/case set ($500+) and successfully sold enough to recoup the costs? Or is everyone still holding onto those items, having absorbed the expense?
Example: buying this thinking it would be easy to sell the other 10-11 for a profit and either never getting around to it OR the market doesn’t support your theory.
Nope. Maybe with some work and time you could break even or turn a small profit but the horizon for that could be pretty far out. Depending on the pencil you may be sitting on those for a long time. Then again, keeping them listed on ebay costs nothing but time and attention.
Yeah. I haven’t purchased any dozen sets for serious money thinking I could sell individually to make profit. I’ve been tempted many times. Especially when it’s a rare piece that I have zero of and it’s the only current way to acquire.
In the example of the PD1055, it does seem to me that it is a good deal and you can make profit. 90K yen is about $650 ÷ 12 = $54 each pencil (plus shipping/proxy/tax costs).
For me, I have some sets that have gone up in price, others that have maintained their value, and a Rotring Freeway set that cost $100 that I think I will never be able to get my money back, worst buy ever (besides I don’t like the Freeway).
By the way, if anyone is interested in a great Rotring Freeway silver set please DM me.