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Jack,
Very interesting question. I am in a somewhat similar situation, although I have not written a book and I couldn't if I tryed. I have had hundreds of old farm tractors through the years. I guess that qualifies me as a good person to ask. I also put a website together years ago showing a lot of my collection. Got to a point where I received so many emails, especially about values that I literally took 7/8 of the website down.

What I found interesting through the years is many years back, you could actually get into some very interesting conversations, even make some lifelong friends with the give and take and you could quite often make a difference. Years ago I always considered it a "karma thing" and I took all the time needed to answer questions as thoroughly as I could. As the years progressed I had less & less time for it all. But I also noticed through the years exactly what you mentioned. It seems with the age of cell phones and such that can be accessed within a moments notice I guess, I seem to get a ton of emails asking me "what's this worth" in the subject line and not so much as a photo to accompany it, then no text or message telling me anything about the item. My rule of thumb anymore is I put as much into my reply as they put into the message. If I get a message saying "what's it worth, I simply reply I'm not at all sure. But when I get emails asking a value, with a well thought out message about where they are located and what the condition is and details such as if the tractors run or not or how many implements are with it and a million other things to consider including what has and hasn't sold in the recent past and rarity etc. In other words, a well thought out message gets a well thought out response. That's the kind of email I'll spend as long as it takes. But I always give a disclaimer because I'm far from an expert. Values are so hard to deal with, even for experts. What something sells for today may not come close to that tomorrow. Certain things are worth more to certain folks, even distance has a great deal to do with purchases anymore. So values can be very hard to pin down in this day and age. Too many scenario's to consider.

I've seen a ton of folks take advantage in certain situations where perhaps someone older or younger could have used a little good advice. Happy to say I've helped some of those folks out, sad to say I'm sure I missed some along the way. The most interesting thing to me these days though is probably 9 out of 10 emails are quick one line what's it worth emails where 20 yrs back it was the other way around. I also frequently get plenty of emails with pictures of a very common old tractor that might sell for a couple hundred and they tell me how extremely rare it is and they'll sell it for a couple thousand :-) I have never bought a tractor from someone asking me advice though, just seems like a conflict of interest in my humble opinion.

Something I get a huge kick out of...and this happens alot anymore! I'll be watching an interesting old tractor on Ebay or elsewhere, see it sell, and literally within minutes get an email from the new owner asking the value! Right after he placed the winning bid :-)

One quick great story, makes it all worthwhile....I saw a post where someone had advertised a very nice somewhat rare tractor, a fair value at the time was between 5-6000. It was advertised for $500. I emailed, not to buy the tractor, but to ask if they realized there was a zero missing. Turned out to be a lady who's husband had passed and not left her with any info so she did not have a clue. She changed the value to 5000 and sold the tractor an hour later for her asking price and both seller and buyer got a great deal. She was from Canada, a few weeks later, somehow she tracked my address down, sent me down a goodie basket with all sorts of Canadian treats, boy did that make me feel good that I was able to help her. Some good things about being in this position, and some bad, but always interesting...

Wow did this get long! Sorry...

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Originally Posted By Jack Sim
.."When the publisher agreed to publish my first book they said it had to have values or they would not print it. I didn't want to do it, but I had to."


I find this odd,as other ID books don't show any prices because I imagine it dates them,and they have to write another one later on.Or in some cases,makes them obsolete the minute they're printed.
We all know prices change so often are and very subjective.
There are many ID guides in print today that don't have any prices in them @ all.
The internet is usually where they all suggest you look for current prices.


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My first book was printed in 2002. Second book in 2008, has things changed?

Jack


Author, 1st & 2nd editions of Gas Pump ID book, 3rd edition is now available at www.gaspumpbible.com
Air Meter ID book also available
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Originally Posted By Jack Sim
My first book was printed in 2002. Second book in 2008, has things changed?

Jack

Jack, when will the 3rd edition be available?


Curt Schulze
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I would agree with most that if you want to find a value of something do your own research , sold on ebay , auction results , there are many ways to get a ballpark on an item just take you time and look .


Remember you are only as good as your help
If you don't make any noise no one will hear you!
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How are you putting a value on a pump in a book if like you said yourself you can't touch it. I have only collected pumps for 5 years and I find the antique dealers ask about 2-4 times the usual value found on craigslist or other venues. The region being sold is a major indicator. The midwest and west are half the price as in the east. It is cheaper to buy from the west and ship to the east and still have a great savings. I would find it impossible to write a value on a pump for that reason. I do respect your vast knowledge on old pumps. Value is what someone will pay for it and drive very far for it. Of course, a pump you will value at $5k and you can buy for $1K or $2K is a helpful indicator. That will show the value in a sort of ratio from one to another. I do know that the value grows only in leaps and bounds and your book will be obsolete quite fast. I will get a copy.



Last edited by MORE RUST; Tue Dec 01 2015 11:58 AM.
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I can't speak for Jack but if I recall, volume 2 of his Gas Pump book says values shown are for a pump that is in about 100% original unrestored condition. Volume one also said there were five other people besides Jack that got together to come up with the values based on their knowledge and experience in the hobby. The five that helped were names in the hobby, their input should carry a lot of weight with others. That said, the books are several years old already and prices/ values do change. They should be used as a guide. Volume three should be the best yet.


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