Soviet Order of Lenin - 1st Type

[Guest Darrell]

Got $58k?

http://collectrussia.com/DISPITEM.HTM?ITEM=13408

[Dolf]

I wonder for how long it will sit there!

Or maybe as is often the case with the more expensive stuff it will sell in a short time!

Who the heck can afford spending that much money in just one single piece?!!! An oil company owner?!...

Not even made of gold, or silver, or platinium!...

Anyway, one thing is for sure, the moustache of the original owner is simply amazing

Dolf

[Guest Darrell]

Let's say someone actually buys it .... how would you have it delivered? BRINKS armored Car?

[Dolf]

Let's say someone actually buys it .... how would you have it delivered? BRINKS armored Car?

Yeah And if from a customer outside the US, probably delivered door to door in a private jet

Dolf

[Ed_Haynes]

Interestingly, the dealer had had THIS SAME tractor Lenin a few years back. As I recall it was in the $30K range at the time. And someone bought it then. And now it is back, nearly doubled in the price tag (and having, apparently, been researched in the interim).

Sure, and all joking aside, this is a lot of money. But how many legitimate, documented, researched tractor Lenins are about??

Edited February 18, 2006 by Ed_Haynes

[Riley1965]

Has Igor lost his mind?!! 58K...NOT even if I had the cash!!!!

[Ed_Haynes]

Has Igor lost his mind?!!

Possibly, yes quite possibly. Some of his other pricing has been, well, overly ambitions. But if you had to choose between this item at $58K and a Ushakov, 2nd class, at $69K, I can't imagine anyone would pass up the Lenin.

And I dare say the Lenin sells first.

[Stogieman]

Well, I won't be spending that kind of money on anything, anytime soon. But I suppose if I had "unlimited resources"........... and was bored......... and thought "I need it"........... who knows. Frankly, even if the price dropped to a more reasonable 15K I can think of a zillion other things I'd spend it on than either one of these........ Yes the pieces of extreme historical significance... but just like an RK of the '39EK....

[Bryan]

Let's say someone actually buys it .... how would you have it delivered? BRINKS armored Car?

For that price you better take the plane and take it yourself at CollectRussia corner store.

Edited February 18, 2006 by Soviet

[Ed_Haynes]

Well, I at least got to fondle that awe-inspiring set at an OMSA a couple of years back, when it last passed through his hands.

[seb16trs]

hello Gentlemen, do you know awards that can be compared in price and historical interest this Lenin? (in all countries field)

when I think to a hero of the GDR, sold for 18000 euros, belonging to Erich Mielke...an award more interesting by its rarity and almost its former belonger!...

[Wild Card]

Gentlemen,

A question more appropriate here than in the ?Soviet & Eastern Block Quiz? thread.

What city in the world has the most billionaires?

Wild Card

[order_of_victory]

I would say Moscow.

[Wild Card]

I would say Moscow.

Gentlemen, we have a winner!

All the good stuff is going homex

[order_of_victory]

and once there back in Russia they cant be exported back to the West.

Also the more pieces that go back to Russia the less there will in circulation so high end prices will go up in the West!

[Dudeman]

Well, I was prepared to pay $57K - I guess it's out of my reach now.

[Ed_Haynes]

I think we are allowing ourselves to be distracted by "sticker shock" here -- and quite a STICKER it is. Let's not forget the importance of this group:

1- A legit tractor Lenin.

2- Low-numbered.

3- Documented (with a marvelous photo).

4- Researched.

I know that many devalue non-military awards. Never sure why. But can't we see the importance of this medal?

And, yes, it is a lot of money. It is around half the price of a Victoria Cross group. Comparing it to unnamed/unnumbered items (e.g. any Nazi-era stuff) and tiny-niche stuff (e.g. DDR awards) misses the point, I fear.

"Should" it be worth that much? Is is worth that much? Hey, ECON 101, if someone will pay that much (and I suspect someone will), then it is worth that much. (Not to address this dealer's "strange" pricing practices.) And if it returns to the Motherland, is that a bad thing? OK, we'd all rather see it go to a loving "collector" home that to some nasty investor, but that is a universal preference, isn't it?

[Stogieman]

Good points Ed, supply & demand will continue to rule the marketplace. It certainly is interesting to watch "market forces" at play... But you are also quite correct... that's probably the only chance I'll ever have to even see something of that significance!

[Ed_Haynes]

Yet it is worthwhile to observe that this particular dealer -- and note how carefully we avoid names while leaving no doubt at all of whom we speak -- seems to love to fly in the face of the economics I learned in college: if an item has been on his list for months (or years) and remains unsold, he raises the price.

Edited February 20, 2006 by Ed_Haynes

[HuliganRS]

Guys,

Here's my take:

The piece belongs to some collector whom is getting out of the hobby. Chances are that collector bought the piece a few years back for significantly less money from this exact dealer.

He calls Mr. X and says, want your piece back? Mr. X is excited and after several minutes of explaining that he has a business and needs to make X profit offeres to buy the piece at a significantly lower price than the market on such piece. The seller is not happy and almost decides to keep it but then he is offered consignment! The seller knowing full well that he can't list this on eBay reluctantly agrees and tells Mr. X how much he wants for it. Mr. X get's the piece takes great photos and puts it in his bank vault. He also spends a sleepless night fighting himself on the profit margins! Thoughts of 20%, 25%, 30% and 35% are all floating in his mind. He finally falls asleep and when he wakes up he sees xx% and that's how the price is determined!

As funny as all of this may be to you, x% of above is true. You be the judge of X.

[Ed_Haynes]

Sounds fair to me, however bizarre.

The last time Mr. X had this medal and document (no research yet) for sale, in August 2003, it was, as my fading memory retains, $32K. He had it for sale at the same OMSA (Philadelphia) where I got the Lavrinovich group. I got to caress the medal and document then and there. While I thought (briefly) about it -- and still dream about it -- it was sold to someone else at that same OMSA gathering.

[Gerd Becker]

Lets say it this way: I can?t see myself ever buying something from this dealer. In my opinion is nearly everything overpriced on his website. I mean, would you buy three common Campaign Medals with documents for nearly 300 Dollar?

This pricing policy will displace a lot of people out of the hobby. But as long as it sells, why should he care?

[Riley1965]

Good points, gentlemen . I will still buy from him. I'll just have to stay within my budget and consider whether the asking price is in line with the general value of the medal.

Doc

[Stogieman]

My feelings are the same with him as with any other. I will search for what I want and then decide at that time whether it's worth the toll to me. On one hand, there's a tremendous amount of material offered that's not all that easy to find. On the other, as with many dealers, you pay for his experience, his warranty and his time and efforts. I expect to recoup the same with the things that are my little niche. So I think that's pretty normal. As with any dealer, we/they all make mistakes. Not necessarily on authenticity either. My philosophy has always been that the best (and yes even the worst) dealer makes mistakes. As "prepared & educated" collectors, we are occassionally afforded the opportunity to capitalize on these mistakes.

[Chuck In Oregon]

Yet it is worthwhile to observe that this particular dealer -- and note how carefully we avoid names while leaving no doubt at all of whom we speak -- seems to love to fly in the face of the economics I learned in college: if an item has been on his list for months (or years) and remains unsold, he raises the price.

* * * * *

I would dearly love to put a Voroshilov Horseman badge in my Osoaviakhim collection. That seller has had what appears to be the same example for sale for several years. I have watched the price go from $295 to, as of today, $545. I don't get it. I think I'll just wait until one turns up in Tbilisi.

Chuck