[Milsurplus] USCG CGR-5 on Ebay ?

[Ray Fantini]

Pure speculation on my part but what the hell. I think that much of the prewar radios have been in almost a free fall in regards to value. At least what I have seen. Maybe it’s because that generation that has the greatest connection to that hardware is fast departing? Maybe because a lot of the estate sales of collections are hitting the market or whatever but from what I have seen on line, at auctions and at Ham Fest is all this wooden or tin can Atwater Kent type radios are not bring the money they brought ten years ago. Some sets will always have value like the bread board stuff but they are now selling for less than they were. Don’t think the value drops down to nothing but not the demand that there once was, but is that a bad thing? I would like to have a bread board set but can’t see laying down a thousand dollars for one. When they get to a couple hundred then maybe I can get one.
Will imagine that maybe some will P/M about the decreasing value and all this history will end up in the trash but don’t see that happening. Today more than ever with estate sales companies and EBay tons of stuff now finds its way on line and is resold so if anything once everything reaches its end value it would still be worth it for the resellers to hawk this stuff on EBay.
If those resellers have to cry about how they are losing money by the overall value going down well that’s just the cost of doing business. After all those same resellers are the ones that have drove me out of the government online auction market so won’t spend too much time crying for them.
I am one of those stupid people that has always bought just because it’s something I wanted to play around with or use just to have the experience. I have never considered anything I have as an investment and have always lived the motto “Buy High and Sell Low”. My kids get tired of hearing it but every opportunity I get I tell them when I am gone to rent one or two huge trucks and drag everything out to Dayton and sell it for whatever they can get! The money won’t do me any good then but the enjoyment I have been getting now is worth it.

Ray F/KA3EKH




From: milsurplus-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:milsurplus-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Todd, KA1KAQ
Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2017 1:41 PM
To: Hubert Miller <Kargo_cult at msn.com>
Cc: milsurplus <milsurplus at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [Milsurplus] USCG CGR-5 on Ebay ?

As mentioned Hue, there are a number of factors involved in the price of this receiver ranging from rapidly dropping demand to overall condition. As Mike mentioned, there are footprints inside this one. You can see newer wiring on the meter including a blue crimp terminal, for example.
There are also some credibility issues with this particular seller. He's been discussed extensively on the antique radio forums and even joked about relating to his descriptions (or lack thereof), everything he sells being 'Marconi era' regardless of age, same generic ad with a few details changed, etc. As well, more than a few who have bought from him have complained about misrepresentations, deceit, and so on. You'll note damage to the bottom of the case but no photos showing the bottom, as well as a later mention that the tube socket 'may have been changed' but again - zero photos of that area beyond some missing hardware on back. A case could be made that it was photographed in a way to hide these flaws.
There are still a few of us out there looking for these items. The problem is, with very early pieces, it doesn't take a lot to make it a parts donor vs a museum piece. Missing/damaged pieces are nearly impossible to find and may require cannibalizing a decent-but-not-perfect set to make one complete set. Just finding something as simple as a knob can take years. Makes finding the bottom plate or local tuning knob for a Command set look like child's play in comparison.
~ Todd,  KA1KAQ/4

On Thu, Dec 21, 2017 at 3:06 AM, Hubert Miller <Kargo_cult at msn.com<mailto:Kargo_cult at msn.com>> wrote:
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