All I am trying to say from the rca thread is that collecting should be fun and collectors should work together to help one another.
I have lost money on some sets that I have purchased, But realize that it all tends to even out in the long run.
Sometimes I trade them off to someone who appreciates it more than me or sell it for a little (or lot!) less to another collector.
What I really hate is the greedy ones that have to make a buck on every thing that passes through their hands, And if they can't they cop an atitude and either give it away to goodwill or let it rot. Life is too short for that crap!
I keep my hobby going by selling some things on the bay to pay for new aquisitions and trading to friends that really want them.
When DRH4683 was over earlier last year, He saw a Zenith portable color set that I had nearly 20 years in my collection.
I could clearly see that he enjoyed it much more than I did after almost 2 decades. Rather than leaving it hidden and unenjoyed in the basement I traded it to him for something else.
Sure, I could have quoted him some price, But why? I think it is more fun to trade among friends and collectors than turn it into some "used car lot" business.
My funds are limited, And I love it when I can find a cool set on garbage day or at an estate or garage sale for 20 bucks or less.
To me, That is the fun in the tv hobby! I know there is at least one well to do collector on ak and I think that is great that he can collect and display the really rare and special sets for everyone to
see, I feel what he is doing is very important, Which is to save these for the future.
But with the stuff I collect, Mainly mid to late 60's era televisions, There really isn't a lot of value in them at this point (maybe never)
and don't feel as though I need to charge a premium and get all pissed off when there are no takers.
Anyway, That is my opinion on the matter.

nicely said captainmoody. I cant agree anymore. Almost all of us on this forum have one thing in common, we like sharing our latest estate sale or garbage day finds. Its exciting because we were able to add something we liked to our collection for close to nothing. Dont get me wrong, Im willing to pay $$ to get the TV. I paid $200 for a ctc19 from rca2000. Ive wanted one of those for the longest time. It worth that only to me becase I like it so much. I just sold two brand new consoles on ebay to captainmoody for like $100. Im so glad he wants them for his collection, as they can be appriciated and with his know how in tv servicing, they will live on. I lose out on $$ all the time with ebay. Its not what it was, back when you could sell a sony micro tv for $169. I dont care what I get for my tvs, regardless of what I put into it as far as time and parts. What is important to me is that someone else out there takes interest and enjoyment of the sets. Think about it, when you sell an old TV on ebay (if your lucky enough to do so today), that bidder wants it to appriciate it, maybe to watch or to enhance the appearance of a room in his home. I became great friends with captainmoodys family because of ebay, he was selling the tvs both I and he liked, mid-late 60s color sets. I was the only bidder on his tvs most of the time because of the lack of interest in these sets.
Lets face it, we on the tv forum are probably close to the only ones that collect and enjoy vintage tvs. If we didnt give a damn, all the great TVs you see on AK would be GONE!
Thats how I see it. - my 2 cents.

Doug & Cap'n- Amen, brothers !! Maybe at some future date, when we're long gone, somebody will be glad we took the time & effort to save these things from the landfill. I always try to help out fellow collectors any way I can. I've even given away a few radios to kids-maybe to "plant the seed" in their minds. You never know...-Sandy G.

the majority of my sets come from the curb or are just given to me.
some come from thrift stores and hamfests.
no need to pay big bucks on ebay when you can look around and find them on bulk waste day.

Bulk waste day is like christmas for us collectors!

Large-item trash pickup is good for TV's but the recycling days I attended were even better! This event was set up specifically for electronics and all I had to do was load up the truck with the TV's that were brought in.

The most expensive TV I have is an RCA CTC-36 that I bought for $40.00. There are a very few things I have spent more than that for...a jukebox for $75.00 and a 30's cathedral radio for $50.00.