27 Mar
2005
27 Mar
'05
6:26 p.m.
I have nearly 1000 radio and TV (and some exotic)
tubes (valves to you
Brits) that I'd dearly love to peddle to someone. Problem is, they're not
in boxes, most of them, and testing them would take years, even though I
have the gear to do so. Unboxed (=unknown condition) tubes are apparently
worth very little.
What are the exotic types?
Anyway, yes box lots like this are worth very little. Series string TV and
radio tubes (those dumb voltage types) are nearly all worthless. Others
have some value, but we are talking cents per tube. For example, when I
buy box lots (I do this quite a bit), I will pay about two cents per
miniature "boatanchor" tubes (those used in ham radios from the 50s and
60s), maybe four cents per octal and loctal "boatanchor" types, maybe five
cents for metals, and maybe eight cents for big pin types (the 30s types).
Even then, I often reject many box lots due to too much crap. That, or the
price plummets from there.
William Donzelli
aw288 at osfn.org