finished or kit form

[mashantam]

I have a couple of older simple Japanese run-about kits I purchased hoping to profit from them. Would they command a better price completed or still in kit form?

One has twin working outboards and the other is all plastic with a trailer.

[Jaager]

Based on history, for about any kit,  the only profit to be had is in the personal experience found in its assembly (and for plastic)  the finish applied.  For plastic, the skill and challenge is in the surface presentation.  For wood, the finish is just something that has to be done.   The challenge is in the fabrication.   With even an elaborate  wooden kit, an excellently build model would probably only sell for what was the original retail cost.  The hundreds or even thousands of hours expended on the completion is an uncompensated donation.

 

About the only ones who value a ship model are those who build them,   Anyone in the 1% who would pay top dollar would also want something unique - scratch built by a name brand modeler.   Most anyone else cannot cannot see the difference between an actual ship model and a starving artist decorator kitch piece of junk.

[ccoyle]

Probably have more collector value. How much more I can't say.

[Baker]

Kit collectors want an undamaged box with the contents in the original packaging.

Once built, the value drops and is difficult to sell.