Model making has been an enjoyable hobby for many years. Model companies that I remember....... .......MPC, AMT, Pyro, Lindberg Line {which made some really cool motorized models in the day}.....too many to count!
A Brief History of Scale Modelling (As I Recall It) by John Loughman
Plastic model - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This will give you an Idea about some of the History behind the nostalgia. The true models emerged in the early 1950's. Planes and cars.........then military pieces.......Model trains, being the last to join the list. At the same time, the use of scale came into being.....folks in the earlier days would model from scratch, devoid from any sort of true scale. Model manufacturers quickly flooded the market, in an effort to gain superiority in the market. In the average home today, I would be willing to bet that there are model kits in their attics and cellars.....stored away for that "time in a person's life"......that unfortunately, sometimes never comes.
E-bay, Amazon, and other such vehicles of the like, are useful in selling kits that are no longer wanted, or if a person has too many. Collectors.......and hoarders.......folks thinking of the future, have the highest capita of surplus model kits......some are no longer in production. These kits are in demand.....some looking for the nostalgia......some looking to collect, and then there are those who built one in the past and want to experience the build again. Some kits are more abundant......and those that are not, can fall into different categories of rarity. There are sites out there that can evaluate the age of a kit and if it meets their criteria, can see where this particular kit stands, as far as rarity, and has accrued an elevated value.
Old Plastic Model Kits: model airplane kits, Revell, Monogram, Aurora
Sites such as this, began to spring up on the internet, selling older kits and ones out of production. you must remember though, that just because a model company went out of business, doesn't make a kit more valuable and rare........age and availability does. As I mentioned, there are collectors and outlets out there that can evaluate older kit and give a reasonable price. They must meet certain criteria, as I also mentioned.
The box must be in good shape......clean, with no tears, water stains or blemishes. The kit itself must be intact, preferably untouched by human hands. It is even an extra if the plastic wrap is still on it. The different levels of kit condition includes: pristine - no damage, perfect.......VG =very good- some blemishes on the box, tears, kit is still intact........G = good - box is not too clean, but the kit is alright........and so on, down the list till you get to P = poor- box is junk, and some assembly is done to the kit....ie, parts missing {you get the picture}. If a kit or model has been manipulated in any way, shape, or form......I hate to tell you folks.....but the kit is useless! There are some instances, where the kit is indeed rare, but has been build in a museum piece condition {it has to be really good}, then there might be some value to the piece.
Appraisals
Collect Air | Collectibles Info
Old Model Kits: Aurora, Revell, Monogram and other rare and out of production model kits
Here are some sites that can help you find if a kit meets these criteria s. There are many more out there on the internet. Sometimes the instruction sheets are missing.....here is one place where you can find them:
Instruction Sheets
model car kits spotlighthobbies hobbies
Here is another interesting site that you may enjoy reading.
Lindberg Toy Troubleshooting, Manuals & Repair by FixYa
I really hate to be the bearer of bad news to all who have kits in different grades of condition. I see so many questions and inquiries about such kits. Not too many people out there have a hermetically sealed room in which to store these precious gems........it is a joy to a collector's eyes, when he find such an old kit......in such good condition. Like an ambulance chaser, they look for estate sales, yard sales, and the like, in their search for these rare kits...........even this has turned into a very lucrative hobby!
