Mike - I'm in the same basic situation. I decided to go totally digital with the Jan 2022 issue ending my subscription of MR since Jan 1970. I still have every issue in plastic bins in my garage but I'm beginning to think it's time to recycle. I must admit however, it's difficult to throw out something that began as a birthday gift from my folks and started my model railroading interest.
Mark
Two years ago I was at a model railroad club's open house.
They had a table piled full of old MR magazines, free for the taking.
I took a couple of the older ones, but even with a bunch of people there, there were very few taking any of the magazines.
York1 John
A few years ago I had about ten years of MR and Trains taking up space. No one wanted them. One club even was rude about it. How dare I ask to donate magazines... I put a listing on Craig's List and a month later a guy called and was happy as a clam to receive them. He and his young son were just getting into the hobby.
I also put copies in doctor offices, but since COVID, waiting rooms have zero magazines.
I don't like reading from a screen and I like re-reading old articles so my collection is staying on the shelf! I have MR from Dec. 1949 to present, Trains from Jan 1989, and many others. I've been re-reading the V&O story from RMC. It's fun to see where things were in the '50's and compare to today. There are so many plans and scratchbuilding articles that look promising (some day!) but I will not be using asbestos for any scenery projects.
Of course, I've told my wife that they're worthless in the future. But I've got my money's worth out of them!
I photocopied some particular articles of interest in MR, then donated my roughly 40-year-plus collection to a friend, on the condition that he make the approximately 600 mile round trip to pick them up.
I also donated most of my Trains magazine collection to another friend, but his trip was just a bit over 2400 miles...it was for a permanent move, so only one-way.
I still have my collection of RMC, from 1970 to 2014 then another four years worth of the White River version of RMC.
I also have some Mainline Modeler, about 50 issues...I bought only ones which were of particular interest to me, and likewise for Classic trains, another 50-or-so.
I have a list of articles from those magazines still in my possession, but should go through it and copy that which is useful, then donate the magzines.
Wayne
The old issues, '50s and '60s, used to have plans and scratch building articles that were very useful should you want to scratch build or kit bash something. The newer issues not so much. Mostly colorful layout tours with tastefully composed pix that are not very helpful for building. However, I have the basement space and I keep all my back issues. Judging from the train shows, it will be a long long time before anyone will pay much for back issues.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
When I've decided to lighten the load, I also cut out articles of interest or drawings and pit them in manilla folders. One I wish I had was I think an April Issue around 1997, it featurd an article on the new gen AC diesels. I do keep a few issues whole if it was one that really had a lot of appeal, and still really enjoy an occasional paruse. Dan
In my recent visits to doctor and dentist's waiting rooms I've found that the periodicals and news papers have all been banished in the interest of reducing chances of the spread of communicable maladies.
I guess it makes sense. Even the pens get placed into separate baskets after use for sanitizing.
Actually, the periodicals were removed from my doctor's office before covid came along so there must have been some concern over bug transmission for a while.
Good Luck, Ed
John-NYBWoccasionally I see a stack of old MR magazines with a very small asking price per issue. I can't remember for sure but I think it has always been less than $1.
When I make my annual pilgrimmage to a large club layout's Christmas show, I always buy a bundle or two of their magazines. They tie 12 issues of MR and RMC from random years together for like $5. I'll read through them, typically for nostalgia value, and pull out the pages of interest (if there are any). Then they go in the bin, later that evening. I consider it a donation to the club.
The recycling bin is certainly preferable to them going in the trash.
Better still, I've heard of some MRRers who take a few somewhat recent copies with them to their doctor/dentist/etc. appointments and leave them in the waiting rooms. Its one way of spreading the hobby.
Jim
I keep past issues going back to 1976 in 3 drawer plastic cabinets. One drawer holds about two years worth of issues. I don't have every issue since then because for a while I was an on again, off again subscriber. Sometimes when I've been working in the layout room (my basement) for several hours, l'll take a break and start leafing through some old issues at random. Sometimes I remember the article and sometimes it seems new to me. Either way I find it interesting. In particular, I note what in the hobby has changed and what has stayed the same. Sometimes I'll come across an ad that looks interesting and I'll start looking for their website and then it will dawn on me that the issue is from 1982.
It is the same here in the U.K. regarding old issues of magazines. Seen at various venues over the years. Still on the table at the end of shows etc. even though they were free.
At one time I used to keep (U.K.) magazines for several months, reading and re-reading them. The layouts and articles were very interesting. I had Model Railroader magazines (I bought in the U.S.A.) for over five years. My last one did not last the month.
Now I find the so-called Layout of the Month is not even above average. As for the articles; the less said the better.
I do not know how it works in the U.S.A. but I wish U.K. Editors looked at other modellers work instead of choosing their favourites. I have seen some really beautiful layouts being presented yet 'knocked back' as unsuitable.
David
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
Used to have piles of model railroading mags, just kept a few and a few very old Walthers catalogs that I need to refrence every now and then for detail parts etc. Even the newer mags have little for me as they are digital and about things I care nothing about like modern trains and advaced electronics, get much more out of u-tube.
No I wouldn't count on funding the kids' college education based on the value of old issues of MR. (I do however prefer reading paper to looking at a screen particularly for text. Photos are a coin toss). I was frankly underwhelmed by the 1000th issue's contents in spite of all the build up and hoopla that surrounded it. Also I thought the "soft" satin finish paper chosen for it (and some subsequent issues) deprived photos of clarity and sparkle, an impression I have received from several issues of MR, GMR and MRP in recent years. I do not think the current photo clarity is what it was a decade or two ago either. Maybe it is the inks, maybe it is the paper, maybe it is current trends in layout lighting or digital photography. Or maybe it is my glaucoma!
One old issue that is very much worth getting and reading is MR's 25th Anniversary issue. It is rare to find one in good shape because it was packed with good stuff and is generally very well thumbed. The 50th Anniversary issue was rather good too but is very commonly seen at swap meets. Sometimes in the "Free - take one" pile by the way.
Dave Nelson
I maybe thinking wrong but, My stacks and stacks of paper magazines never freeze up or crash and I never had to say ''the magazine opened so slow tonight'' and with the tap of a ''key'' somewhere in the world, it can all be gone.
I have been to auctions and they could not get a bid on Model Railroader and other model train mags. they could not give them away for free. And when the magazine gets that musty smell in them, they do stink up the place, more then my wet Beagle dog.
gmpullman M-R_4-2017 by Edmund, on Flickr Cheers, Ed
M-R_4-2017 by Edmund, on Flickr
Cheers, Ed
Note too that $5 is the asking price. The true value of something isn't the asking price but what someone else is willing to pay for it. We don't know if anyone is willing to pay that price. Most potential buyers are probably MR subscribers and already got their copy a few years ago so there would be a very limited number of people who didn't get it when it came out but want it now. It might be a subscriber whose copy was lost or destroyed and would like a replacement. That would make for a very small customer base.
My LHS has a couple shelves of second hand merchandise and occasionally I see a stack of old MR magazines with a very small asking price per issue. I can't remember for sure but I think it has always been less than $1. A special issue might command a bit more but not much.
Thanks for the feedback. That's exactly what I thought. Really don't plan to try to sell because it's too much hassle.
FOB, Austin Texas. Otherwise off to recycle.
Mike
I agree, the value for the foreseeable future, let's call it 30 years, is going to be between it's current stated price and maybe $30, and I'm being optimistic...for your sake.
Now, let's get 'er up to the point where MRRing is as popular as Mickey Mantle is/or was, now what, 70 years on...? In 70 years this edition will probably command a respectable $100, albeit in inflated dollars for the time....maybe about $50 in today's dough.
I hate to be cavalier about our hosts' nice monthly editions, which I do enjoy for their content and quality, but maybe rolled up with six other editions, nice 'n tight, and then used as a fire log?
The value of collectibles is based on the demand in relation to the supply. Right now, I don't think there would be that great a demand and I'm sure there are plenty of copies still available. I doubt it would fetch more than cover price if that much.
If you can hold onto it for another 20 years, it might appreciate some, but I doubt it will be worth enough to to pay for a meal at a nice restaurant.
I keep all my old issues solely for my benefit. I know they are all online for a premium price but I prefer looking through old printed issues as opposed to leafing through the online editions.
Since MR is available in the non paper format, I decided it was time to consign my more than 50 year collection to the recycle bin. In the course of looking at them one last time, I came upon the 1,000 issue (April, 2017) and wondered if it has any special value or if there are any people who might be interested in it.
What are your thoughts?