What is the value of your collection?

[Irish Spartan]

This may be a touchy subject for some, and a chance to shine for others, but how much is your FP collection worth? Exact amounts are not essential, estimates are ok.

 

I realize some may feel disenfranchised if they have only a few pens, but thousands of inks, but I hope you will forgive me.

 

I will get the ball rolling with my meager $45.57 only two pens.

 

 

P.S. I searched for this topic to see if it had been posted yet, but I couldn't find it. I hate redundant threads as much as the next person, so if it is already out there I will not be upset if an admin deletes this.

 

P.S.S. I hope no one becomes so envious they feel they must plot to thieve from another. If you don't feel comfortable posting your collections worth, I am sure no one will be offended.

[Parker51]

This is a very difficult question to respond to, as value may, or may not be directly related to cost. As Example, my wife once found a Parker 51 for me at a garage sale that was $.25. So, do I value it at its cost, or at what its retail cost would be if I sold it, or at its wholesale value if I sold it to a reseller? This is not even the most extreme example I have ever had. I have in the past purchased some very collectible pens for very low prices, then traded them for other pens. Thus, do value the Blue near Mint, in original packaging Pelikan 400 that I traded to get its current wholesale, or retail price, or the approximate $30.00 cash, and trade value of the vintage pen that I obtained "in the wild from a nice elderly lady that chose to sell me her father's Fountain pens at a nominal price due in part to a Friendship between her brother and my wife (Do I count the value of the Birthday cake my wife happened to have given her brother a few months before as a simple gesture of friendship which while unrelated to the pen purchase had been part of the conversation with this fine lady which had led to her deciding to locate and sell the pen to me that I traded to get the Pelikan?)

 

Also, I suggest that many people whom have a lot of pens such as myself obtained them in different ways, and used different resources to get them would have difficulty calculating their value.

[Doug Add]

I don't think it is such a difficult question. What is the replacement value you have listed on your insurance policy (or if you don't have such a rider, what is the replacement value you would claim in a total loss through fire, theft, etc.)?

[Chris H]

I've spent around $4000 to purchase my 95 pens and to get get some of them repaired. Still have about 25 or so pens needing repair. I haven't had many appraised, but I would guess I could perhaps add another thousand to the collection, maybe more. The ignorance of my initial buying meant I over paid on a few pens, but I also ended up with a few steals. So maybe they wash.

 

So a very rough guess would say I have about $5000 worth of pens and nibs.

 

Chris

[pen2paper]

'This' may be a topic in which you'll get oblique answers..

..my humble pens..less than 2 handfuls, are not worth special insurance..

Edited April 11, 2009 by pen2paper

[Irish Spartan]

Perhaps I should clarify. What is the (rough) monetary value of your collection (in USD). Not what you paid for them, but what they are worth.

 

As one astute member noted, some may have been purchased at higher prices than their blue book value, and others are gems found at rummage sales. So I think an estimated value based on their appreciation/depreciation would be the best bet.

 

:embarrassed_smile: Sorry everyone

 

Nolan

[Zeroblade]

According to my database thingy, about 621 USD. Given that some pens were bought much cheaper than usual, and so on, I would probably estimate this to be about 700~800 USD.

 

Oh my god.

[I am not a number]

About an Aston-Martin.

[Hoarder68]

To much I guess, but I enjoy them.

[dumdummuoi]

About a month-long vacation in my home country, incl. plane ticket.

[goodguy]

A lot,well actualy too much concidering I owe a lot to the bank

 

You will not get a direct answer to this question,people simply dont like to talk about the total value of their collection.

We all know how to assess the value but lets face it most people will keep it to themselves.

[Paddler]

I have 78 fountain pens in my collection. Nearly all of them came from flea markets and yard sales. I probably spent an average of $5.00 each for them. Call it $400.00. Add in some pen sacs and polish. To sell them again as working pens, I would guess they might bring an average of $25 each. That would be about $2000.00.

 

The fun I had restoring, tweaking, and learning their little ways . . . priceless.

 

Paddler

 

[Glenn-SC]

no way to estimate .....

 

Have you ever tried to sell a pen?

 

Did you get what you asked for it?

 

No? Then your estimate of "replacement value was too high".

 

Yes. How fast? Maybe your estimate of replacement value was too low.

 

So I have no credible way of estimating the replacement value of my 400+ pens.

 

 

[Miranda]

Yes, of course it is a touchy subject for me! To tell you the value of my collection would mean i would have to tell myself its value rather than keep myself in ignorant bliss as to how much i have seemed to have spent on fountain pens and ink....

[goodguy]

no way to estimate .....

 

Have you ever tried to sell a pen?

 

Did you get what you asked for it?

 

No? Then your estimate of "replacement value was too high".

 

Yes. How fast? Maybe your estimate of replacement value was too low.

 

So I have no credible way of estimating the replacement value of my 400+ pens.

after selling almost my entire collection and buying a new collection I can tell you I have a good idea of the value of my current collection.

 

Pens in my line of interest I can guess close enough how much you can get for it.

400 pens would be a big job but I am sure if I had 400 pen I would know roughy their value.

[TwilightFury]

Under $300 spent.

 

I remember when I bought my first FP for $160, and everyone I knew who didn't understand FPs couldn't believe I spent that much on a pen.

 

Then a few months ago when I really dove into the FP culture here, I really have to laugh at that price.

 

 

 

When I dream about winning the lottery, I dream in pens.

[gyasko]

5,000,000,000,000,000 dollars!

[wspohn]

Covered on my insurance for $Too Much

 

Believe me, it adds up pretty quick. If you have 200 pens for average value of $100, you have $20K sitting in your portfolo.....

Edited April 13, 2009 by wspohn

[hawki]

Doing a quick spreadsheet for my wife (she asked and later hyperventilated) at $1325 in dollars paid.

[JayLo]

The value of my collection? Lets just say enough to disqualify me for a government bailout!