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November/December 2006
Volume57Issue6
You can buy a handsome vintage Lionel car for less than $100 today, but many desirable engines and sets sell for four-figure prices. Occasionally something soars much higher. This past autumn Stout Auctions, which specializes in toy and model trains, sold a superb example of the Lionel 20th Century Limited set characterized by cream trim around the windows of its four green cars, a great rarity. The buyer paid $253,000, in part because the set included not only the box for each piece but also the carton in which they were originally packed. Pristine boxes can easily double the value of a set. This is just one of the many intricacies aspiring Lionel collectors should learn before venturing out on the acquisition track. Here are some resources for other essential information:
Greenberg’s Guides , the standard price directories, are available from Kalmbach Publishing Company (
David Doyle’s two-volume
The largest enthusiast organization is the Train Collectors Association (
Indiana-based Stout Auctions (