How much are "typical" marx tinplate cars and where can I find a price guide?

[jimhaleyscomet]

I purchased the following cars on ebay.  I should of asked this before I bid but I am curious how much marx timplate usually goes for.  Anyone know a good price guide.  I can't seem to find Greensburg's in print.  I probably paid too much but I like the way they look.

Jim H

4 metal FREIGHT CARS.  Plastic knuckle couplers, metal wheels.  yellow B&O 241708 gon, yellow B&O 241708 gon with silver painted couplers, brown Union Pacific 59 stock car with sliding doors on both sides (doors have slots in them like in a stock car), red Penn 37961 merchandise service box car.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=008&item=180033245263&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1


Here is another one I could not pass up. 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=003&item=130030791592&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1

[Dr. John]

Jim, for four of the 6 inch tin cars in good shape, I'd say you paid a fair price. I see individual tin cars with the tab couplers usually go for around $10 each on Ebay. The tin cars with the plastic knuckle couplers tend to go for just a bit less.

Greenberg's book is still around if you are willing to pay a hefty price. They are going for better than $100 on Ebay when listed.

Like any collectible, condition, rarity, etc. is a factor, but the bottom line: If you like them and are happy, then you came out fine. Personally, I think you made a good buy and I like those cars.

[Anonymous]

I agree that you made very good buys!  That set for $16 is certainly a good deal!  As for price, $10 a piece is a good price for common 6-inch tin cars.  If they're especially nice, maybe $20.  As you have proven, you can get them for much less than that on ebay if you look.  The thing about Marx is that the common stuff is so just so incredibly common that everybody has it and therefore it often goes quite cheaply on ebay.  The commonest engines like the 591 (the one in your set), the 898 (an all-tin steamer) and the plastic 400 and 490 steamers (which were sold in many 6-inch tin sets) are all listed at around $10-$20 in my Marx priceguide.  These prices are for the engine alone without a tender.  Other engines like the commonest variation of the Commodore Vanderbilts, the 994 (a bigger tin engine from 7-inch sets) and the ordinary version of the 999 diecast 2-4-2 are listed at $20-$40 (again these prices are without a tender).  Besides 6-inch cars, of course, there are 7-inch cars and the 3/16" scale cars.  The most common of these cars are also $10-$20 each, but don't expect to get these quite as cheaply on ebay, espcecially the 3/16".

A word of note is that the plastic knuckle couplers found on some 6-inch cars are often broken, so be sure to pay attention when buying them to see that they are intact.

Naturally, there are many Marx trains that are worth a great deal more than the prices I gave you and there is a real range in values.  The ones I quoted you were generalizations.  As I stated, the really common items show up on an incredibly frequent basis.  The B&O gondolas and NYC 20102 caboose such as you have are the lowest-priced items in the 6-inch section of my Marx guide, being shown at $5 good condition, $10 excellent condition each.  Those are the commonest of the common, though, and every other 6-inch car is listed at at least $10 in good condition.  By contrast, a 59 UP cattle car with slotted doors is listed at $30 good, $50 excellent.  There are many variations in Marx and one without slotted doors is worth half of that.  PRR boxcars are listed at $10 good, $25 excellent.  Another note about the PRR boxcars is that they were produced with 15 different road numbers from 37960-37975.  You already have two of them-just 13 to go!  A few other Marx cars were also produced with multiple road numbers.

There is a much cheaper price guide than the one Dr. John mentioned, which is the one I'm quoting values from.  It is the Greenberg pocket price guide for Marx.  The newest version is the eighth edition, published in 2001.  As far as I know, it's still in print.  The cover price is just $9.95.  I would consider it essential if you are going to actively pursue collecting Marx.

A website I suggest you check out is http://mywebpages.comcast.net/marxtin/site/marxtin.htm .  It's by far the best Marx site on the web.  The rarest and most valuable Marx items are shown and browsing through the site will give you a very good education in Marx history.

Also, I noticed that terribly rusty tender in the set you won.  Faux Toys is a company that makes special wraps for converting Marx 6-inch cars.  Check out their website at http://fauxtoys.com/ .

Anyway, as you have found, it is quite easy to built up a sizable collection of Marx tinplate trains on the cheap.  Marx defies the saying "You get what you pay for", however, as their lithographed tin trains have an amazing charm and beauty to them and their electric locomotives have practically bullet-proof motors that will run forever.  A word of warning, though: Once you get the Marx bug, you'll be hooked for life!

[cnw1995]

Another source for Marx items is http://www.trainmarket.com - I've both several items from Ray and he has good stuff.

[wallyworld]

You might want to check out the "new" Marx.
I have my eye on the Pumpkin Express.

http://www.marxtrains.com/

[jimhaleyscomet]

Thank you all for your suggestions.  I also stumbled across Thor's site.  It had a lot as well.  I am waiting for my price guide ($30 on ebay) to arrive and am looking forward to my new aquisitions to arrive.

Jim H

[Dr. John]

Wow, Jim! I'm envious! I've been trying to get a price guide off Ebay for a while, but the prices on the one's I've watched kept going through the stratusphere. Glad you could find one at a reasonable price.

I know you'll enjoy your Marx items. I still love my Lionel postwar, but lately I've been buying old Marx items almost exclusively.

[S&G Rute of the Silver River]

This is great info guys! I have a marx set with the tabs and was woundering where I could find some more. Did they make pasanger cars w/ the tab cupplers?

[Dr. John]

Marx made 6 inch tin passenger cars (the Bogota, Montclair, and an observation car) with the tab and slot couplers. The most common version was red, followed by the scarcer green and rarer still, blue. You can find these pretty easily on Ebay as individual cars, sets or three, or in full train sets. Choochoo auctions also often carries these cars.