Hello, everyone:

I recently ran across this NIB Cox Pitts Special online with a listed price of $175 (he said that he is accepting offers). My questions for you:

Is it worth buying at this price?

Should I send him an offer?

What is it's value?


As always, thank you very much,
KP

depends on use..
a) to hoard... erm.. 'collect'; whatever someone is willing to pay to 'own' it., logic is clearly irrelevant in these valuations
unless one subscribes to the bigger fool theory.. (sell it on for even more)
b) to fly ; I'd pay $5 Max as I've seen one 'sorta' fly
c) as a donor for a product engine and or parts for one $10 / 15 , 'maybe' 20 ?

$ 175 ... no way !

Offer 100 it is fair for both of you.

It is a collector item, so the value can really vary a lot and it is more in the eyes of the beholder rather than a true value. Don't buy it unless you really like it, there is very little to gain by trying to make an "investment" in these things, as I see it.

Hello KP;
The Scholl Pitts is hard to find in any condition. Not many were produced. The main issue regarding condition is once they are fueled up and run, the paint immediately begins to come off. Same problem with the Miss America P-51.

A new example in the box would be considered quite a find to any collector. Back when I was seriously collecting, er.. sorry, hoarding, I'd have jumped at it for that price. I say do it. You would likely double your $$ on eBay if that's part of the equation. Offer him $150, that would be very fair.

Hope this helps. My Scholl Pitts is nice, but not perfect. I can't remember what I paid, but it was more than $100.

John

Since you asked for opinions...

If I found this pristine example at a swap meet for $175, and wanted it for MY COLLECTION, I would be thrilled to have it.

If I were considering investing $175 in it for RESALE, I would probably pass on it, as I doubt that I could make enough to make it worthwhile for ME.

As such, I would consider $175 to be within the general range of a fair private party market value. If YOU like it, I'd suggest you buy it.

That being said though, I believe that it would bring CONSIDERABLY more than $175 in the right market.
I don't think you would loose any money when you went to sell it - IF you offered it in a competitive marketplace.


"Nothing has a fixed value, and the value of nothing stays fixed."

I finally bought this for $125. Can anyone tell me if these boxes had cellophane windows or if they were simply wrapped in a shrink wrap plastic?

Celophane windows on the box??
Personally I'd be a wee bit more concerned with flying the thing.
Unless of course this was purchased to fund one's retirement

KP, box was entirely shrink wrap, no cellophane windows.

You found a nice deal! I have my Pitts models hanging together, flying formation. They can be displayed in an 'artsy' kind of way...

John

Bare,

Sometimes, it's not even worth arguing over. We all have our own interests. With this one in particular, I will be stuck between selling and holding on to it. Nonetheless, this is a forum for many interests and you will run into many types.

P.S. I am a senior but don't think I'm retiring any time soon as I'm just heading off to college!


John,

Thank you very much for the help. I also think that I did okay with the deal (especially after getting everyone's help). I haven't found one other Art Scholl's Pitts in the box within four months of looking around (the auction site's "completed listings" shows no Pitts with nearly as much collector's value as this one).

Just out of curiosity, what sort of collection do you have?

KP

$175 would be a fair price for one in 8 or better condition. You rarely see the Golden Anniversary Pitts go for less than $225. At $125 you go a deal. PS. None of the plastic planes fly as good as balsa built ups.

Originally Posted by skylane42

$175 would be a fair price for one in 8 or better condition. You rarely see the Golden Anniversary Pitts go for less than $225...

I think an NIB Art Scholl version Pitts is considerably rarer than a NIB Golden Anniversary Pitts.

The Art Scholl Pitts was one of the less common Pitts versions, and it was made many years before the Golden Anniversary Pitts.

Many of the Golden Anniversary Pitts' were originally purchased in quantity by collectors and kept NIB because of their "collector value".

The older Art Scholl Pitts' were usually bought to be flown as Cox intended them to be, and weren't considered by many to be a collectable at the time.

Desireability? Collectability? Value? Price? Those are questions that are answered by the marketplace.

Just out of curiosity, what sort of collection do you have?

KP[/QUOTE]

KP, I'm mostly a model builder. But I'm also interested in these old Cox models, and consider myself a 'weekend' collector. I don't buy stuff anymore since I already have most of the models I really like. My models are displayed, which makes them great for fun conversation.

I know some really serious collectors, the guys that have every issue of each model... brand new... in the box... etc. etc. It's an obsession for some. For me it's just a lot of fun.

BTW, the anniversary Pitts was never intended to fly. Incorrect prop, finish isn't fuel proof, etc. The Art Scholl Pitts is significant in that it's the same airplane Art lost his life in while filming "Top Gun".

John

I had a Cox Pitts, but it didn't have the Art Scholl color scheme. The whole plane was molded out of red plastic. The Pee Wee .020 later ended up in a rudder only powered glider. I may still have the engine somewhere, but the Pitts is long gone.