Fountain Pen Prices On Ebay

[greencobra]

hoping this is the right section for my question...i'm scanning over at ebay trying to get an idea where pen prices are now. my goal is to ultimately put some of my collection up for sale so i'm looking at what price points others have set for the same pens i have that would be going up for sale. i'm not going to lie, i almost fell off my chair at how high these pens are priced at over on ebay. is ebay a good barometer on current prices at the moment? cause i'm not even close to the pens listed. i have prices in mind but they are 2-3 times higher at the bay. what's up? is the pre-owned pen market that good right now? where do you all go to gauge the price index? remember, i've been out of the fp hobby for several years, i use to keep up with values but not any more. i could use your help here, please.

[linkoiram]

This may or may not be useful, but I have found that hobby stuff recently has raised in price since covid started. I watch retro game prices and those have shot crazy high because of all the people stuck inside I'm assuming. Pens might be a victim of the same price jumps.

[Doug1426]

Asking price on eBay is one thing, what they actually sell for may sometimes be significantly less. Do an advanced search to see what that/those models have actually sold for, and how experienced the buyers are. That should help you get a better idea of actual market value. Also, keep in mind that sellers have to cover eBay fees of 10% or so, so the asking price may be higher than on a site like FPN.

[greencobra]

This may or may not be useful, but I have found that hobby stuff recently has raised in price since covid started. I watch retro game prices and those have shot crazy high because of all the people stuck inside I'm assuming. Pens might be a victim of the same price jumps.

your right about that. i have other interests and those values are going through the roof. i won't buy anything now but it's not stopping others willing to pay.

 

Asking price on eBay is one thing, what they actually sell for may sometimes be significantly less. Do an advanced search to see what that/those models have actually sold for, and how experienced the buyers are. That should help you get a better idea of actual market value. Also, keep in mind that sellers have to cover eBay fees of 10% or so, so the asking price may be higher than on a site like FPN.

thanks, i'll keep watch for a while and see whats really going on. here at fpn, it seems to be more in line with what i had in mind.

[Parker51]

First, ignore the asking prices. There are sellers who will list a pen at a very high price over and over again, trying to sell it for a price that they want to get when it does not sell.

 

Second, look at the sold for prices. They will show you what your pens likely will sell for, if your pen is in similar condition with the same nib and same color, etc. If your oen is a more common color it will sell for less. If it has a less desireable nib it will sell for less. And if it is in poorer condition it will sell for less, perhaps significantly less if yours is heavily worn from use.

 

Third, to get the maximum price clean your pens, get good lighting, a neutral background, a stand of some sort to bve able to position the pen from different angles, a good camera and take plenty of pictures, especially of the nibs to show condition and tipping material. The do it again and only use your best pictures. And take pictures of any markings on the pens which clearly identify who made the pen, what the model is, etc. Also, in your description include what you know of the pen including at least the manufacturer, the model, nib information and when the pen was made.

 

A pretty pen, clean and restored in excellent condition, well photographed will get a higher price than other pens sometimes considerably more, so you may actually be able to sell your pen for near the high end of the sold listings if they are presented well.

[LesterPendragon]

Don't just filter searches on "Sold" items.

 

Filtering for "Completed" will include those items that ran their course without attracting any bids at all — sometimes due to ambitious pricing by the seller.

 

Knowing what DOESN'T sell is helpful for setting your expectations.

 

[Apologies to grandmothers for egg-sucking tutorial]

[pen lady]

Adding to Parker 51's excellent advice about photos, one or two of the pictures should be a writing sample, especially if the nib is a ''flexie''. Don't worry if your handwriting isn't elegant, it all helps. Also, for nib close-ups, make sure that your camera is focusing on the nib, not the background if the pen is at an angle. I've been looking at a pen on eBay recently, background plastic beautifully focused, nib, not so much!

Edited October 17, 2020 by pen lady

[inkstainedruth]

@ Parker 51 -- Excellent advice (especially about the photos -- I remember the amount of derision here when someone posted a link a few years ago for a pen where you could see a potty chair in the background of the photo! IIRC, the buyer of whatever the pen was did very well on the price as a result -- which is not of course what greencobra wants ). And then of course there was the time when I was happy for the price I paid for my Plum Demi 51, only to then be out-sumgai'd by Farmersmum, who got a full size Plummer for slightly over half what I'd paid for the Demi the the same weekend -- because I hadn't gotten past the header for the listing (which said the pen was black).

@ pendragon -- I had not ever thought about checking "completed" listings. I've only had issues with returning pens (or other eBay purchases) a couple of times -- and one case, I had more trouble with the USPS because I didn't realize that I hadn't covered over the original label and bar code so the package bounced back and forth between the Midwest and Pittsburgh for a couple of WEEKS, even with a Postal Inspector trying to nab the package for me.

@greencobra -- The problem with eBay, of course, is that prices are all over the map -- even for "sold" items. Last winter I went looking for a sterling silver Ciselé Parker 75. I had scoped out ones at the Ohio Pen Show and asked lots of questions as to the differences in prices (the cheapest ones were of course long gone by the times I got back to those particular tables). But NOT buying one, just learning as much as I could about the model (early/late, US production vs. French, etc.) made me more confident. Then I went to the Bay of Evil and put a number of pens into my watch list. One of them? I got outbid on -- by a LOT (flat top, F nib). Apparently a couple of bidders were going "I'm not letting that guy get this pen!" at each other (so another suggestion is to keep track of how the bidding on a particular item goes, because you can often tell whether one bidder has a high maximum or not -- I got lucky on that Demi Plum 51 because I started out with a reasonable bid and a reasonable maximum, then got nervous and upped it a couple of times but never got outbid -- so I guess I had the best poker face ever: the pen went for slightly under my intermediate maximum, even with shipping). Another Ciselé 75 (dished tassies, but US production, and a B nib)? I got for the minimum bid because NOBODY was looking at that listing. Nobody. And, while eBay now collects sales tax, and there was some shipping charges as well, I got it for the minimum bid and basically waited till the last couple of minutes before bidding. Yes, I paid more than I might have -- but not ANYTHING like the $192 and change that the flat top with the F nib ended up going for. I remember seeing how high that other listing went and was going "WTH?" And then to turn around and get one with a B nib where NOBODY was watching the listing but me -- and the pen ended up having a converter in it already, so that meant I didn't have to buy one. (Sadly, the pen leaks a bit around the collar ring, so at some point when there are pen shows again that's going to get taken in for repairs....)

There was also a listing a few years ago that Teri of Peyton Street Pens posted about (she was the seller) where even SHE was going "WTH?" about -- a guy in South America got into a bidding war with a guy from somewhere in Eastern Europe. And she was basically going "Good for my bottom line, but WTH -- the pen ain't worth THAT much...."

@ penlady -- Yeah, I HATE bad pix of the nib and feed (and will generally ask the seller for better ones if at all possible). As for asking for writing samples, especially if it's showing flex, that can come back to bite you in the butt. Because ALL nibs will flex... once....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[JotterAddict62]

One thing to remember is not to flood the market, If there are 100 of pen [ A ] up for sale don't add you pen to the list. You may want to wait until there is 10-20 of pen [ A ] or less then sell the pen and get a better price for it. The vast majority of pens on ebay for sale are in need of restoration [ the price should reflect that ] Have a proper description of the pen you are selling and list it in the proper category for maximum viewing.

[Gloucesterman]

A couple of thoughts about selling on the Bay... or elsewhere

 

First, if you are not an experienced seller then find some vendors who are and REALLY pick their brain about what to do and what NOT to do. Look for sellers with as many sales as possible if they will give you their attention.

 

I have a good friend who has almost 3,000 sales and a 100% satisfaction rating. He has been ripped off a number of times by people who, for example, bought a pen and then returned it scratched or missing an expensive converter (Waterman CF) who claimed that there was no converter included or that was the condition it was in when it arrived. EBay sided with the buyer (automatically it seems) and just refunded the buyer's money. Also, keep in mind that in addition to the 10% Bay fee, you will probably have to pay a PayPal fee as well. This means that to start with you just lost 13-15% off the selling price. Oh and keep in mind that as a "newbie" on eBay you are moire vulnerable to people who might want to take advantage of you inexperience!

 

Underline the issue of excellent pictures with good lighting and multiple angles. Also set up a clear tracking process to prepare your pens, take pictures, track packing and shipping and all the other details that you may have to deal with as you sell and learn. They take time, energy and may cost "cash".

 

My suggestion would be to start to sell your pens here on FPN or the "other" site because you can do it for free (a small donation to FPN would be nice, of course), in general a more knowledgeable (although smaller) community of prospected buyers, a way to see more about the buyers through their profile and any postings they have made.

 

In general, depending on what and how many pens you are selling, you may find it easier to sell here than go through the Bay "window".

 

Finally, you can check out the "qualifications" that are required to be a seller here on FPN.

 

I have sold several pens and other items here on FPN and found my experience to be very positive - even when I messed up.

 

Good selling and have fun doing it.

[Carguy]

Actually, I kind of agree with this.....it seems like I am getting outbid on EVERYTHING lately!

 

Admittedly, I have a somewhat understated sense of worth to value with what I hunt for, but even knowing that some items are going for more than I think they should.

[Paul-in-SF]

For items up for bid on eBay, so much can depend on how much a buyer wants it at that particular moment, and it can really skew the curve when a few pens get bid up really high due to unthinking momentary enthusiasm. I think if I were doing this kind of research I would focus on pens with Buy It Now prices, including those with Best Offer options. To me that seems more like a regular buyer/seller transaction and therefore more accurately predictive of sales prices.

 

[Apologies to grandmothers for egg-sucking tutorial]

 

I hope you don't mind if I borrow this, now and forever in the future.

[Aysedasi]

Asking price on eBay is one thing, what they actually sell for may sometimes be significantly less. Do an advanced search to see what that/those models have actually sold for, and how experienced the buyers are. That should help you get a better idea of actual market value. Also, keep in mind that sellers have to cover eBay fees of 10% or so, so the asking price may be higher than on a site like FPN.

 

This is definitely true - in part. When researching the potential sale of any item, it's always worthwhile to look at 'Completed Listings' to see what other similar items have sold for. It has often put me off bothering to sell things that I thought might be valuable but ultimately seem not to be. As a seller though, I've never inflated the selling price to take into account the selling fees. Perhaps I should. As for prices on here, I generally find very few pens here that I can afford. The vast majority of pens up for sale in the Marketplace are way out of my league, particularly now that I've retired from work and I have to watch the pennies a little more closely.....

Edited October 19, 2020 by Aysedasi

[EdgarK]

If you can sell here, I would go this way, since you usually will need to do auctions where, if important for you, you always will not know how much you will receive. For whatever reason, people tend to not buy anything if sold as "Buy it new". Also, the eBay fees are quite high.

[Theroc]

Auctions tend to attract a lot more interest. Buyers hope to snap something up at a bargain rather than pay a "fair" price. It's human nature.

Ironically, it's quite common for an item to sell at auction at a higher price than the seller's original "Buy Now" option.

The biggest drawback auctions have, is that they tend to attract a greater percentage of insincere buyers and scammers.

[Aysedasi]

Auctions tend to attract a lot more interest. Buyers hope to snap something up at a bargain rather than pay a "fair" price. It's human nature.

Ironically, it's quite common for an item to sell at auction at a higher price than the seller's original "Buy Now" option.

The biggest drawback auctions have, is that they tend to attract a greater percentage of insincere buyers and scammers.

 

That's not entirely my experience. After many years of buying and occasional selling on eBay. I've certainly picked up bargains and I've also lost out on sales where pens have gone for a lot less than they should have. I've encountered no 'scammers' or 'insincere buyers'. Perhaps I've just been lucky, or maybe I just do a bit more careful research before I bid on something. There are also countries that I will not send to.

Edited October 19, 2020 by Aysedasi

[linkoiram]

 

That's not entirely my experience. After many years of buying and occasional selling on eBay. I've certainly picked up bargains and I've also lost out on sales where pens have gone for a lot less than they should have. I've encountered no 'scammers' or 'insincere buyers'. Perhaps I've just been lucky, or maybe I just do a bit more careful research before I bid on something. There are also countries that I will not send to.

Have you had experience with the opposite? Countries you will not buy from? I picked up a parker 51 from Denmark and with shipping included it was only maybe like 10-15 percent cheaper than buying within the States and it was a ton of work to get it writing like it should. I am of the mind that I should not purchase vintage pens from outside the country, but in England that might be a bit different, not sure.

 

I am not a fan of auctions for that exact reason, I don't want to feel taken advantage of for having bid higher than I initially expected to pay in the heat of the moment, I generally steer clear. Having sold on ebay I have not encountered scammers but I have encountered many a lowball offer for pens, which I think comes with the territory. Even if you don't accept offers buyers will message asking for them, which is something that I have adopted because it is an interesting strategy to get a good price.

[Detman101]

I've been searching the ebay for gold flex nibs and pens containing them.
I've found on more than 3 auctions that I bid on...I was outbid by another "User" who went on to consistently outbid everyone else bidding and then WIN the auction.

Two days later, I see the same item up for bidding again.
Literally, the same write-up...same photos...same everything.
I check my "Watched items" the old listing for the auction-ended item is still in my watchlist...check the original listing....
Exact duplicate of the NEW listing!!!

So some of these buttheads are apparently bidding on their own stuff to drive up the price of the auction and when no one else falls for it...they simply relist the item under another username.

Pure evil.

Edited December 9, 2020 by Detman101
clarity...

[Bill P]

It could also be that the seller had more than one of the item, hence another listing.

 

or perhaps the buyer requested the their winning bid be cancelled....there are several other possibilities other than the seller bidding on their own offering.

 

Ebay does have some sophisticated methods for detecting when a seller bids on their own item, or has a shill bid on the item to bid up the price.

 

 

[Uncial]

Vintage prices do seem to be creeping up rather fast, but perhaps it's also down to a Christmas rush and so many people buying online these days. There are aspects of ebay listings that do irritate me on BIN listings though and not just the auctions. I find it very odd that you can see listings for pens at €250+ that say 'pen untested'. Of course I avoid them like the plague because, how difficult can it be after all to test a fountain pen? But it's the cheek of asking such high prices for a pen they know will need repairs and the thought that some poor sucker will be burned by the purchase that I find galling. So it isn't only the auction prices that are rising. We as hobbyists must take a larger share of the blame though, because ultimately we are paying the higher prices. Shill bidding does happen, and I've witnessed it many times recently. It's very easy to do without being caught and almost impossible for ebay to police or stop. All you need are a number of friends in on the deal and easily got software. One pen in my watch list since June of this year has now been 'sold' no less than four times, with the seller name (but all the same details) changed only twice. Now I guess that people might pull out of a sale and that this might happen more than once, but four times seems rather unusual to say the least, and the exact same item listed four times under three seller names more than rouses suspicion. My suspicion is that many of these examples are probably pens that have languished on ebay with very, very high BIN prices and when they have failed to sell the sellers have shill bidded in an auction in an attempt to get close to the price they want.

Edited December 11, 2020 by Uncial
corrections