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I went to the train show in Wheaton, IL today. It was the first once since March 2020. Two fewer buildings, and a few less vendors, but wow, what a crowd for an August show!

The kicker is I somehow couldn’t stop buying! I landed NINE postwar F3’s, all in the $20-$30 price range. One was a B unit for $8! Yes, that’s an Ocho. Five 2023 and 2031 Alco’s for $100. An AEC 57 Switcher for $15. An A-B 2240 Wabash set for $20! Way too many PW to modern era freight cars from $4 to $10 range. A plastic bin of steamers and whistle tenders for $25. I’m shocked at how much I scored given how little I spent. I’m giddy with all of the goods I now have to fiddle with. I wonder though, is this the new normal? Are too many older folks passing on, so dependents are just dumping vintage treasures?

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Sam, It is probably a combination of the need to downsize, covid and those passing on.

The good news is that people like you and me will have tons of fun refurbishing and playing with treasures like these. I am sure Peter from the Modular Group is green with envy at your score!!

I think a lot of factors and adding up and finally its getting through to folks that even if you only get a few dollars an item that is far better than looking at them all on your shelves. I've got a bunch of stuff I don't need and I'm waiting for the local show in East Rutherford. Its going to be "what will you give me? I don't want to take it home" time for me also.

I was at the show also.  Spent $50 on a large prewar Flyer bridge, which was a bargain in my opinion.  There was a lot of stuff there, but nothing I really needed.  Had the price of the bridge been more in the range of what it was worth, I probably would have passed on it. 

It was nice to see all of the friends that I have not seen in a year and a half.

NWL

I just had this conversation with a close friend in TCA Desert Division who is very active nationally.  Train prices for less than stellar product has bottomed out for the time being.  People are dumping collections for 20 cents on the dollar out of fear they won't get anything out of them.  It seems I have a warehouse full of trains to unload, but at this rate I'll sell what I can, dispose of what truly has no value, and use the rest for target practice.

Funny thing is I have boxes and boxes of HO that when priced well sells incredibly well at shows.  When you sell 20-40 cars at $5 a car it at least pays for the table.

Last edited by GG1 4877
@GG1 4877 posted:

While technically the tax liability has not changed for selling on eBay, they have lowered the threshold of reporting to the IRS at the income limit of $600.00.  The site includes their fee in your total cost so you are paying taxes on eBay's fees.  I will not be selling there.

Why would their fee be included? You don’t receive that money.  You definitely do not owe taxes on money you don’t receive.

If they’re including the fee in the cost basis this works in your favor.

If you buy a train for $500 and sell it a year later for $500, your tax liability is $0.

If you sell it for more than you paid you might owe taxes on the difference.  This is dependent on the taxpayers situation. (selling price - cost) * rate = liability

Last edited by rplst8
@rplst8 posted:

Why would their fee be included? You don’t receive that money.  You definitely do not owe taxes on money you don’t receive.

If they’re including the fee in the cost basis this works in your favor.

If you buy a train for $500 and sell it a year later for $500, your tax liability is $0.

If you sell it for more than you paid you might owe taxes on the difference.  This is dependent on the taxpayers situation. (selling price - cost) * rate = liability

Question: do I have to have my original receipt to show what I paid?

@MikeH posted:

Question: do I have to have my original receipt to show what I paid?

If you got audited it would be best to have it.  But it’s not essential.  A credit card statement showing the purchase price and date would suffice.  Or even a log in a book.  I keep a list in a spreadsheet with what I paid and when I bought it for everything I collect.  This sort of thing can be used as evidence in any future audit which is very unlikely to happen.  What you don’t want to do is claim losses on your taxes from sales that offsets other income from a W-2 etc..  That can be seen as a tax shelter, and will raise eyebrows.

You definitely don’t have to send the receipt in when you file taxes.

@Ron_S posted:

@rplst8

They use the fees you pay to the bay as a seller to report total on the 1099 you receive, as a seller you won't have anything to sell at a loss or profit.

I sell something at least once a year on the Bay, but my sales rarely if ever have totaled $600, so forgive me…

Your saying that if you sell a train for $1000, and pay them say, a $100 final value fee, you’ll get a 1099 with $1100 on it?

OK, I just looked up the form, it’s 1099-K if anyone is wondering.

So I see what everyone is talking about, sort of.  Box 1a is the gross amount of CC or third party payment network transactions.  But the key word is GROSS.  You don’t owe taxes on all that.  You can expense the cost of the item when you bought it, the amount you paid the auction site, and any shipping you paid for to send it.  There are other forms for filling out the expenses. You definitely do not owe tax on that amount.

@Ron_S posted:

Having not kept receipts for many of the train items I sold previously, there is no way to show a profit or loss.

This is not true.  You can use old catalogs or advertisements, or even current market prices when it comes down to it.

As long as you are being honest about what you paid and critically, not claiming a loss, you do not owe taxes on selling used goods, unless you’ve made a profit.

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