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I save them all.  Although I have a small collection compared to many, since there are only 160 items on my spreadsheet.  Most are in a closet under the basement stairs, though a few are under the benchwork of the layout. 

Having the box and packing is safer when I sell items, if and when we move, and for my wife or daughters to sell or give away upon my passing on.

Last edited by Mark Boyce

I buy small collections to repair/rebuild.  Some come with boxes.  I put them all on eBay and they always sell eventually, for prices ranging from $2 to $60.  In five years of this, I only thrown away two or three boxes that would not sell for something more than my eBay and PayPal fees plus cost of shipping.  The was a 2321 box with inset that recently was bid up to $550.

My basic rule is if it's Lionel (postwar era or prewar), someone will buy it.  What I absolutely can't sell goes on the free table at a local TCA meet, and they are rarely not taken.

This topic appears every so often - and I enjoy reading the answers every time.  

Me:  I keep loc boxes, accessory boxes and a few "special-to-me" car boxes.  That's it!  Storage is in the attic.  We have a very moderate beach climate so no issues.

OH!!  WAIT!!  I forgot!  I DO have a fairly extensive PostWar collection.  ALL the P/W boxes that I have are saved and given special attention & treatment.  

I just own trains made since 1995.  All my trains are on layout or on shelving. All ACCESSORIES are on layout.

I used to save everthing.  Now only Locomotive,  caboose, passenger, operating, sets, and accessory. If you sell these customers will want boxes.

I have sold quite a bit of my inventory at train shows and it doesn't matter if common freight cars don't have boxes. No extra value.

 

I save all the boxes for everything that i buy that comes in or with a box. I store all of the boxes in totes in any empty space I can find right now but they will be in the attic of my detached garage when I get a floor up there. That way when I kick the bucket and join all the other Gandy Dancers in the yard my daughters will have some method of disposing of all the stuff I have collected over the years. Their problem to figure out what to do with all the stuff I will be gone. Make them work a little for the reward they will receive(HA,HA,HA ).

I save all the boxes unless they are in bad shape.  It's the easiest way for me to store and find things.  Things without boxes stay on the shelf,  the layout,  or in plastic drawers.   Since the 80's I have always found it much easier to sell things with the box.  For me, with MPC, LTI and later,  it is a requirement.  Otherwise the price drops by 35% to 50%.

For me the box is also a statement of how well it was taken care of. 

Jushavnfun posted:

I just own trains made since 1995.  All my trains are on layout or on shelving. All ACCESSORIES are on layout.

I used to save everthing.  Now only Locomotive,  caboose, passenger, operating, sets, and accessory. If you sell these customers will want boxes.

I have sold quite a bit of my inventory at train shows and it doesn't matter if common freight cars don't have boxes. No extra value.

 

It may not add monetary value (though I think it may), but it does make it more desirable.  It  may not get you more for it, but it might make the sale. 
Alan

ajzend posted:

A question could be would you keep the boxes if you had the room?  Do you discard the boxes because you place no value on them, or  because you have nowhere to place them?

BTW, I do save all boxes,  Fortunately, I have plenty of room for them.

Alan

I am simply out of room. Otherwise I would save all the boxes.

I have saved every single box.  That’s a lot of boxes.  A LOT!!  They are currently being put to good use, however, as just about all of my trains, buildings and accessories are being stored in them.  

And it sure makes packing/shipping a bit easier as I’ve begun to sell off a good portion of this stuff.  So I’m glad I kept them!

Last edited by CNJ #1601

I have saved all my boxes ( probably 1500 or so) Not sure exactly why? They are in my attic, under the layout, in the basement, in the well room, in the utility room, stored at work, etc.. if ever a fire, it would burn for days.

they are from cars, passenger cars, locomotives, transformers, layout accessories and just about everything else. Someday someone may have to sort them all out - I look at it as a way to be remembered- ha!


 

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