reply to liamkembleyoung at https://reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1v4ykv9/pros_and_cons_of_pre1950s_typewriters_vs_1950s/

Quality of the materials, build, and engineering, condition of the machine (clean, well-adjusted, rubber condition), popularity, rarity, desirability, collectability all figure into machine pricing.

Most would say that the $250-350 Royal Classic/We R Memory Keepers machines from Shanghai Weilv Mechanism Company that are available new from Amazon and other retailers are cheap, poorly made pieces of junk with dreadful quality control and thus not worth the money one would spend on them. (The fact that they sell on ShopGoodWill for $5-10 underlines this.)

You might also have a 1970s Brother typewriter (made in the millions) that might have sold brand new in the $100 range versus a used 1955 Olympia SG1 selling in that same shop at the same time (1970s) for about the same money, or possibly less. The SG1 is acknowledged as one of the finest typewriters ever manufactured versus the very pedestrian and "cheaper" (materials-wise) Brother, so it's going to be worth more money now in the secondary market. The SG1 is less common, has a better reputation, more popular, more collectible, and just a better machine overall which is also likely to last longer. At the low end the SG1 is going to go for $75-150 while the Brother will be $25. Fully serviced out of a repair shop (cleaned, oiled, and adjusted with new rubber feet and a recovered platen) they might go respectively for $700-850 and $400-475.

Keep in mind that most typewriters you'll see on this sub and in the broader market are far from "rare"; rarity and desirability are two different things; and rare doesn't always equate to being more expensive. Actually rare machines aren't often discussed on this sub in general.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/TypewriterCollectors/posts/10163266181279678/?comment_id=10163266332769678

quote via Clair Callaway

Collectability in typewriters is different for almost everyone. I like mid-century standards, some only like pre-1900 machines, some red typewriters, some toy typewriters, some less common typefaces, and still others prefer plastic 70s portables. Some treat them like Pokémon and "gotta catch them all".

Typewriters as a whole are all "collectibles"... What is your specific definition and criteria (value, rarity, popularity, etc.)?

In aggregate, knowledgeable pricing may help you determine the most collectible ranking them by most expensive. But by this ranking there aren't many of us who can buy even a single Sholes and Glidden or collect the typewriters of famous authors like Steve Soboroff.

ETC Magazine did a rarity versus desirability survey a while back of some serious collectors: https://www.antikeychop.com/mostwantedtypewriters

Interestingly, on this list you won't find many of the most collected typewriters out there as ranked by general "popularity" including machines like the Hermes 3000 or the Olympia SM3.

The Typewriter Database also has some data (albeit skewed) of the most "popular" machines ranked based on how many examples have been uploaded by collectors: https://typewriterdatabase.com/popular.0.typewriter-models

All these rankings are highly subjective though, so, again, you should figure out what's most interesting to you and create your collection from there. Figuring this out is half the fun of doing this as a hobby.

reply to u/WRSD605 at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1n6nhts/remington_16/

On the value of typewriters

As a hobbyist, you'll easily obtain several hundred dollars worth of potential diversion and satisfaction out of your alluring typewriter by cleaning, properly oiling, and adjusting it. Then you're guaranteed to both give and receive thousands of dollars worth of happiness out of it by typing letters to family and friends. With practice, you may reap millions by writing stories, plays, poems, screenplays, and books.

Even if your scintillating typewriter sits on a shelf as home decor only to be viewed as a museum piece, you'll have gotten $50 of value for even that lowly function.

You'll only have wasted your money if your wondorous typewriter sits lonely and forgotten in a dusty attic or dank basement to rust and rot away.

Might you have gotten it for less? Perhaps, but you've saved yourself a huge amount of time and effort in such a hunt for a machine as desirous as this. You have it in front of you for writing right now.

So get to typing at once my friend! For time is money, and every moment your fingers aren't caressing its keys, you are losing value.

Congratulations on your stunning find.

reply to u/readysalted344 at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1h3jyyt/did_i_waste_my_money/