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Good problem to have, help me decide.

What would you do?

  • Auction on ebay starting at $1,000

    Votes: 18 85.7%
  • Keep it forever

    Votes: 3 14.3%

  • Total voters
    21
Sorry for a long one, but here it goes. Pics at the bottom :)
Please understand this is not a "what's it worth" thread nor an attempt to solicit offers.
In fact, no offers through PM will be considered.
Moderators if you feel this is on the hairy edge or in fact crossing a line please delete and accept my apology.

Here's the deal. I'm not a gambler, but I once rode a stock from $144 to $7 a share waiting for it to come back (not Gamestop lol).

Recently a D3 Executive Fatboy in the plastic case, without blades, instructions, or the outer carton went on ebay for $595.95. It claimed new, unused, but the silo doors and missing blade pack tells a different story.

In disbelief I contacted the seller, and he confirmed it did in fact sell at that price, in US dollars.

I have the same razor, with the original carton, blades, paper card in the razor silo doors, and instructions.
I firmly believe mine was used a handful of times at best (I've never used it). My belief is based on the original 10 pack of blades with the matching date code to the razor having 8 blades left in it. Additionally it simply looks brand new, period.

As far as "flaws" go, there are 3 that I consider insignificant.
1. The carton is missing one of the ears that fold down on the sides inside the top lid, and the gloss is worn on the outer edges.
2. I'm admitting it has been used - though I believe in no such thing as NOS when it comes to a vintage Gillette that's not sealed in a blister pack.
3. The original price tag is missing.

I won't share my secret, but I paid $60 for it, on ebay, in 2019. At the time I thought I'd flip it immediately for profit to fund more razors.

It's not sentimental, I own it for nothing, and it is my most pristine piece. I HAD nothing like it and planned to keep it until the values went crazy or I needed the money.

So it seems there are some razors being sold for what I consider crazy money. There's a $100 Fatboy in a case with a BIN for $1,000 for God's sake...as for my favorite set, it has been replaced by a 1947 Milord Christmas set (some may have seen my post on it).

So here I am, contemplating listing on ebay with a starting bid of $995.95 and rolling the dice as they say. This would be a minimum I'd be happy with, like a "make me move" price on zillow if you know it lol.

This accomplishes two things. One I turn a little money into alot of money to buy more razors, soaps, and brushes. Two the thrill of an auction.

It's a neat place to be I guess, if it doesn't sell I'm happy, if it sells I'm happy. Either decision could have regret I suppose, though only one is irreversible.

So, what would you do?

Pics of the $595 ebay sale:

Screenshot_20210204-195955_eBay.jpg
Screenshot_20210204-191104_eBay.jpg

Here's mine!
20210204_190330.jpg
 
I am not a collector, nor do I consider myself a "wheeler-dealer". I buy razors in the hope that I will enjoy shaving with them at least as much as the razors I already own. If not, I sell them, usually at a small loss but occasionally for a small profit.

If I were in your situation and I had no interest in shaving with the razor, I would sell it.
 
Congrats on a fantastic razor! Win, win either way for you. I voted well it though, especially given you originally bought to sell, and it seems like the time is right, vintage razors are going like hot cakes!
 
Either sell it or shave with it. Don't just hang onto it for no reason.

Just fyi, though, if you put it on the by with a really high starting bid or buy it now and it doesn't sell, you will be paying a pretty hefty fee. If you relist it, you pay the fee again.
 
Kingfisher has a reasonable point. I'll just say it comes across as a bit greed driven at $1k, but...the market may bear that. I do understand that opportunity is a wonderful thing, and it is yours, so...

If you won't use it, GLWTS.;)
 
Fantastic points on all accounts!

@SharpieB , I think guitars and razors share many levels of collectibility. Americana, design, utility, precision, craftsmanship, rarity...both are tools. I have a Martin guitar, know 4 chords and just like to strum my own stuff in my head. I can't possibly get that tool to sound how I'd like it. I totally get collecting guitars, but I collect Gillette. Arguably any 50 year old daily utility item in truly NOS condition will continue to appreciate in value...
If I were in your situation and I had no interest in shaving with the razor, I would sell it.
One thing holding me back is I love my Executive Fatboy. It gets the lions share of the shaves in its den (i like that lol). I take great care of it, over 10 years since I found it and it still could pass as new but for a touch of brasing on the end caps.

Sell it and get that razor you've had your eye on for a while.
Exactly. Nice toggle is on my list!

Either sell it or shave with it. Don't just hang onto it for no reason.

Just fyi, though, if you put it on the by with a really high starting bid or buy it now and it doesn't sell, you will be paying a pretty hefty fee. If you relist it, you pay the fee again.
The reason to hold it is the investment. It's the "NOS" of my favorite razor, including date code, so I don't use it. The plan was to break it out if God forbid something happened to my daily.
As for the fees on ebay I had no idea they'll whack us if it doesn't sell... ouch, leaning towards checking the market in 10 years :)
Kingfisher has a reasonable point. I'll just say it comes across as a bit greed driven at $1k, but...the market may bear that. I do understand that opportunity is a wonderful thing, and it is yours, so...

If you won't use it, GLWTS.;)
RAD driven lol. I'll put it all right back into vintage Gillette. SAVE THE RAZORS!!!
 
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The reason to hold it is the investment. It's the "NOS" of my favorite razor, including date code, so I don't use it.

I’m new to this forum and am curious about the vintage razor market. I thought that vintage razors were a lot cheaper prior to COVID as then they currently are and since the pandemic started the prices have sky rocketed, would this be correct? If this is correct, I’d guess it’s because people are home more with more time to browse the web and since people aren’t going on trips, out to dinner, to the stores, etc, they have money to spend, thus the increase in shaving related purchases the last few months.

Honestly, if you aren’t going to use it, display it or it has no sentimental value, I’d sell it. I’m curious if I’m the next few months or year when hopefully things get figured out and closer to normal 🤞, will the market stay where it’s at or will people be putting $1k towards a week on a tropical beach rather then a vintage razor 🤷‍♂️ You’ll have to figure out if you think now would be a good time to sell and make a huge profit or if you wait longer will you lose out on the profit (or make more). Good luck
 
Sell it! But, I'd list it for a minimum sell of $500 and play it out. It would be more fun.

I'll share a story now. Years ago we took our daughter for some testing at a doctors and she was unsettled at the experience, so her Mom bought her a beanie baby at the hospital gift shop for about $5. She also bought one as a gift for our daughter's friend. Fast forward four years and her friend's Mom calls and tells us the little doll is a collector's item and valuable. Her daughter sold hers without the tag for $400. After a long talk about tulip bulbs, our daughter decided to sell and got ~$1K for the $5 doll. She never really played with it and had left the original tag on, which upped the value. She later complained to us because the price went to $2K, but she learned an important lesson that some in hand often beats speculation as the price totally collapsed when the craze ended.
 
I’m new to this forum and am curious about the vintage razor market. I thought that vintage razors were a lot cheaper prior to COVID as then they currently are and since the pandemic started the prices have sky rocketed, would this be correct? If this is correct, I’d guess it’s because people are home more with more time to browse the web and since people aren’t going on trips, out to dinner, to the stores, etc, they have money to spend, thus the increase in shaving related purchases the last few months.

Honestly, if you aren’t going to use it, display it or it has no sentimental value, I’d sell it. I’m curious if I’m the next few months or year when hopefully things get figured out and closer to normal 🤞, will the market stay where it’s at or will people be putting $1k towards a week on a tropical beach rather then a vintage razor 🤷‍♂️ You’ll have to figure out if you think now would be a good time to sell and make a huge profit or if you wait longer will you lose out on the profit (or make more). Good luck
Your guess is as good as any. I know I bought more over the last year than I had the 5 prior combined. Covid or my RAD kicked in again?...likely both.
A few were sub $50 transactions where I acquired 2 or 3 razors I really wanted to keep and sold a few on ebay to cover what I put out. The remainder I PIF'd on two other boards. Full circle of life :)

I do display it with my nicest pieces, but like I said, it's the only one I don't/haven't used. I handle it time to time, but my Milord xmas set is so much nicer to play with. That packaging was designed to be kept, used and enjoyed...

As for the market, I've been in it for about 15 years now. Using a Fatboy as a gauge (can't think of a better marker for vintage Gillette) I think it's at a high, but no higher than I've seen. Others can correct me if I'm wrong, but 15 years ago a nice Fatboy went for about $50, they peaked around $100 maybe 5 or 6 years ago ($150 in a nice case), and then dropped to $50 again. Recently I'm seeing nice examples going for $100 again, but you can still find plenty that'll clean up nice $50 and under.
Sell it! But, I'd list it for a minimum sell of $500 and play it out. It would be more fun.

I'll share a story now. Years ago we took our daughter for some testing at a doctors and she was unsettled at the experience, so her Mom bought her a beanie baby at the hospital gift shop for about $5. She also bought one as a gift for our daughter's friend. Fast forward four years and her friend's Mom calls and tells us the little doll is a collector's item and valuable. Her daughter sold hers without the tag for $400.
She later complained to us because the price went to $2K, but she learned an important lesson that some in hand often beats speculation as the price totally collapsed when the craze ended.

Firstly, I hope that mom sent you a nice thank you!
If I listed and it sold for $500 I'd be devastated...Especially when you compare it to the one that just sold in my OP.
 
Sell it! But, I'd list it for a minimum sell of $500 and play it out. It would be more fun.

I'll share a story now. Years ago we took our daughter for some testing at a doctors and she was unsettled at the experience, so her Mom bought her a beanie baby at the hospital gift shop for about $5. She also bought one as a gift for our daughter's friend. Fast forward four years and her friend's Mom calls and tells us the little doll is a collector's item and valuable. Her daughter sold hers without the tag for $400. After a long talk about tulip bulbs, our daughter decided to sell and got ~$1K for the $5 doll. She never really played with it and had left the original tag on, which upped the value. She later complained to us because the price went to $2K, but she learned an important lesson that some in hand often beats speculation as the price totally collapsed when the craze ended.
Interesting story. I have one, too.

When I was a medical student at Tulane University back in about 1985 or so, I purchased a limited edition Swatch that was designed by the famous pop artist Keith Harring. I'm not sure when I bought it that I knew it was truly a limited edition; I remember that it was a bit more than the other Swatches. (I think I paid maybe $70 or $80 for it, which was quite a bit for a Swatch in the mid-80s.*)

Anyway, one time this really, really pretty girl (who wasn't even my girlfriend) just kept fawning over it and saying how much she loved it, and so on. I can't remember if I told her where I got it and they were sold out, or whether those big, beautiful blue eyes were enough by themselves, but the long story short is that I took it off my wrist and gave it to her. Just to hear her praise me, I guess; to hear her dulcet voice tell me what an awesome guy I was. Maybe in the back of my mind I thought it would be enough for me to prevail as her next boyfriend.

Anyway, she took it and was grateful. We never became "an item."

About 10 years later (give or take), I found out that the particular watch was selling for about $3000-$5000 on the secondary market! Grrrrrrrrr......................


*Correction: Just Googled it and saw the original ads for these watches. There were apparently THREE different Haring designs, and they sold for $50, not $80 (the regular swatch back then was probably $35??).
 
Interesting story. I have one, too.

When I was a medical student at Tulane University back in about 1985 or so, I purchased a limited edition Swatch that was designed by the famous pop artist Keith Harring. I'm not sure when I bought it that I knew it was truly a limited edition; I remember that it was a bit more than the other Swatches. (I think I paid maybe $70 or $80 for it, which was quite a bit for a Swatch in the mid-80s.*)

Anyway, one time this really, really pretty girl (who wasn't even my girlfriend) just kept fawning over it and saying how much she loved it, and so on. I can't remember if I told her where I got it and they were sold out, or whether those big, beautiful blue eyes were enough by themselves, but the long story short is that I took it off my wrist and gave it to her. Just to hear her praise me, I guess; to hear her dulcet voice tell me what an awesome guy I was. Maybe in the back of my mind I thought it would be enough for me to prevail as her next boyfriend.

Anyway, she took it and was grateful. We never became "an item."

About 10 years later (give or take), I found out that the particular watch was selling for about $3000-$5000 on the secondary market! Grrrrrrrrr......................


*Correction: Just Googled it and saw the original ads for these watches. There were apparently THREE different Haring designs, and they sold for $50, not $80 (the regular swatch back then was probably $35??).
Ouch that hurts. I never gave them anything until after I got some :)
 
R

romsitsa

I'm perfectly comfortable with used/beater razors, so mint/NOS/boxed examples go straight onto the market (after a test shave).
 
Either sell it or shave with it. Don't just hang onto it for no reason.

Just fyi, though, if you put it on the by with a really high starting bid or buy it now and it doesn't sell, you will be paying a pretty hefty fee. If you relist it, you pay the fee again.

I'm with kingfisher. Use it or get rid of it. Razors, just like most physical memorabilia, make poor investments, unless it's a direct clean up and flip. You bought it for $60 and maybe you can get the same ~$600 or more that you saw the similar item go for. If you hang onto it for another 10 years, odds are it won't appreciate much more than that. Maybe you get $700 instead of $600. That's not a very good return on 10 years' worth of investment. If you sold it now and invested the $600, in ten years that could be worth $1200.
 
Yeah, I'm not a collector so the items that I don't use get sold off. If you're not a collector and you don't see yourself using the razor then consider selling it. In terms of collecting you'd do better to collect things like money, mutual funds or perhaps stock in a company.

If you're a razor collector then maybe pick up a few more in every different color and take them out to look at them once in a while before putting them away again in the back of some drawer. Unfortunately, some day when you pass away your kids or significant other will sell them for way less than they are worth or perhaps just toss them into the garbage because who would want a used razor anyway.

In terms of pricing info, or what you should list it for, those are topics that are against forum rules to discuss, so I'll leave that part up to you.
 
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