The
Desert Division has been selling
trains and collections in the
Phoenix area for over thirty
years.At first these were small
private affairs open only to our
members, but have now grown to
large public events held several
times a year. Offering a very
attractive commission rate to our
consignee’s
and no Buyers Premium to the
purchasers, our auctions continue
to be the place for families and
friends to turn to when dealing
with the daunting task of selling
excess inventory or complete
collections. It is also a great
place to look for new trains
either as a beginning operator or
someone looking to add additional
items to their present collection.
WHY
SHOULD YOU CONSIDER AN AUCTION?
We have worked closely with
estates and family trusts in
offering solutions to their needs
when selling blindly through
Craig’s List or want ads might not
be in their best interests. If you
do not have any idea on the true
value of the estates trains, why
take offers? How can you be sure
the offer truly represents honest
and fair value for your trains? If
the buyers intends to resell your
trains he must build in a certain
profit margin, and you lose value.
Likewise the time to photograph
and advertise with online
resources such as eBay often
results in mixed results and the
hassle of packaging and shipping
the numerous items. By offering
you free storage until the auction
you can clear much needed space
and concentrate on items you are
more familiar with. Don’t put
trains in an estate sale when they
can be auctioned to train people
by experts that have been
conducting train auctions in the
Phoenix area for over three
decades. Avoid strangers knocking
on your door from a Craig’s List
or Want Ad, and instead deal with
a nationally recognized non-profit
organization founded by train
collectors. It is in our best
interest to see you get the top
dollar for your trains; after all,
our commission is based on that.
What
can we offer and do for you?
AS A BUYER, you will be notified
in advance of all our auctions. We
hold several auctions every year.
Some are casual impromptu affairs
lasting only a few hours. Others
are special auctions in which we
advertise nationally, print a
catalog, and contain over 400 lots
lasting two days. You can actually
see and inspect the merchandise in
person prior to bidding. Admission
is $5 or free with the purchase of a
catalog and best of all, THERE
IS NO BUYER’S PREMIUM. What
you bid is what you pay!
Obviously, as with any auction it
is Caveat Emptor and all sales are
final. But we will have several
members of TCA Standards Committee
available to answer any question
you might have. Join the fun of a
live toy train auction by joining
the fun at our next event. We take
cash, checks from TCA members or
we can process a debit card in
lieu of a check if you are not,
VISA, MASTERCARD, and American
Express.
AS A SELLER, after
you sign the consignment form and
provide us with your inventory, we
will schedule an auction as
quickly as possible but when it is
best for you to capitalize on an
active buying audience. In Phoenix
that usually translates from
November until April, when out of
state visitors join the
mix while they are in town for the
holidays, golf tournaments, car
auctions and of course Spring
Training. If we notice high value
items in your collection we can
offer several alternates that
might suit your situation better.
At your discretion we will then
pick up and store your items free
of charge. We also will prepare an
auction catalog, photograph high
interest items and begin promoting
and advertising. In cases where
you do not have enough to fill a
single auction we can combine it
with others. This diversification
broadens audience appeal for all
our buyers and provides you with a
larger and more interested group
of train enthusiasts.
The Train
Collectors Association was founded
to preserve and promote the
history and joy of collecting and
operating toy trains. The Desert
Division auction committee looks
forward to helping you get
established in the hobby of toy
trains, add to your existing
collection, or help members or
their families when the time to
sell trains is upon them.
How can we help you?
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