Andi's Model Horses - Hobby Info

Frequently-Asked Questions

Breyer Model Horses

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This page was updated on June 12, 2006.

Although this FAQ is a good place to get started with the hobby, also check out my links page for great resource pages. Also, I am compiling a list of RR Breyer models and their numbers, so check that out if you need to know a Regular-Run model's number. (I do not have Special Run numbers listed on the page, however--sorry!)

Here are some more in-depth answers to questions you may have at this point. Click on the questions go to my answers:

How can I avoid getting ripped off when I sell or buy models?
You keep mentioning the Model-Exchange group. What is this group?
How do I know how much my collection/model is worth?
What do all these terms and abbreviations mean?
What are model horse shows, and how can I get involved?
What does "customized model" mean? How can I get started customizing my own models?
What is Breyerfest?
How can I fix a bent or broken model?
Where do I go if I have questions not answered here?

1. How can I avoid getting ripped off in selling or buying models?

In situations involving authorized dealers, it is usually not a concern--as long as they offer a secure ordering site for you to use. But if an authorized dealer does rip you off, contact the Better Business Bureau in the dealer's area. Be prepared, though, to wait several weeks before you write a model off as lost--and do try every possible way to get in touch with the dealer before reporting them to the BBB! It's always wise to have a phone number, just in case. If you make your payment using Paypal or other online payment service, be sure you still have a complete mailing address and phone number, as well as the name of the individual who runs the company (not just the company name).

When dealing with private individuals, be cautious. If they have an ebay account, check their feedback there. And if you're (or they're) spending a significant amount of money, insist upon a phone number before you send the money (or the model, depending on which end of the deal you're on). Ask for, and check, references from people they've dealt with in the past--though some younger and/or newer hobbyists often don't have a repertoire of references built up yet. Also, if you join the Model-Exchange (see above), you can see which hobbyists seem to be sticking around over a period of weeks. Ripoff artists (or ROAs) usually don't stay in one place very long, but move on just as people are beginning to catch on to their scam. If all else fails, you can ask for advice on that particular seller from the model-exchange list, but they really don't want you to do so unless you have already been ripped off.

2. You keep talking about, and recommending, the model groups at yahoogroups.com. What are these groups, and why do you recommend them so much?

Yahoogroups offers subscriptions to free communities of model horse collectors, sellers, and buyers. It is located at yahoogroups.com, and also features groups relating to every possible interest you can imagine (hobbies, entertainment, sports, crafts, even health issues, just to name a few). When you subscribe to a group, you can post questions or comments to the list, and read everyone else's comments, questions, and answers. You can receive the messages as e-mails or read them at the website. Some groups are only for posting sales lists, trade lists, and want lists of model horses (not necessarily only Breyer) and model-related items. There are other groups that are better for general model discussions.

If you are a beginner at selling your models, and you join a list to post your items for sale, it's a good idea to read other hobbyists' sales lists before you post your own, both to get an idea of price ranges as well as to see how models are described.

I recommend this technique for selling your models, for one reason: It worked for me! Another reason is that many of the people on the lists are long-time hobbyists who really know their stuff, and are honest sellers/traders/buyers. Your first sales list posting to the list (or a wanted posting) should include a little info about yourself, to introduce you as a new hobbyist, and ALL of your posts should include your full name and your e-mail address (don't assume everyone can see those in the headings of the messages). It is considered unprofessional and untrustworthy not to sign your full name to your postings--particularly if you are not a "known" name on the group.

There are literally dozens of groups at Yahoogroups that pertain to Breyers and model horse collecting, so do some searches (for breyer, or maybe model horses) while you're there. It may be that the popular Haynet Exchange is too "hard-core collector" for you, and one of the other, more casual-collector groups will suit your needs. It pays to research!

3. How do I know how much my collection/model is worth?

So you've had a childhood collection of Breyers packed up in boxes since you were 15, and now you want to sell them? Or at least, appraise them? There are several books available which offer valuation estimates of many Breyer models. Some books on collectible toys have Breyer sections, but these are hardly complete. From my experience, even the books written by hobbyists list overly high prices for Breyers. Please be aware that most Breyers do not command high prices, even for die-hard collectors--those $500+ models are so rare as to practically be non-existent--but the good news is that most of them retain their value over time, and many actually increase in value after they have been discontinued.

The fact is, the value of any model is only what it will sell for--its fair market value. This can be determined by watching ebay listings, and by examining and comparing saleslists on the Haynet Exchange group or other online buying/selling groups (see above). If you are a raw beginner, you will want to just sit back for a week or two, watching sales lists and seeing price ranges as compared to the conditions of the models so you can get an idea of what is a reasonable price to ask for your model.

Obviously, the condition of the model will in part determine its value. Hobbyists tend to snicker at ebay sellers who say a model is in "excellent condition" when it has obvious rubs in the paint. In general, the scale of quality runs from mint (no rubs or flaws) to poor (extremely scratched or possibly broken). A model that has been played-with and has lots of rubs usually will sell as a "body"--a model for repainting or customizing--for $5-15 depending on size and desirability of mold. But if it's a really rare or desirable model, it may sell for more than just body prices, so do your homework!

In general, regular-run models that are easy to find are lower in value--that seems pretty obvious. So SR models are usually more valuable than RR ones, although a few RR models (like the Hanoverian Gifted, which was offered in 1994 as a Commemorative Edition, or CE) are so popular that they are worth much more than a similar model that is less sought-after. For example, Gifted is usually listed as $60-70 on saleslists, whereas Memphis Storm, the CE for 1992, often lists from $45 to $50 on similar lists. Why? Because the Hanoverian is a more desired mold than the Tennesee Walker, generally speaking. (Also, Memphis Storm is a glossy model, and glossy finishes often have minor flaws, even when brand-new.) Lady Phase, another very popular mold, is often more expensive than other comparable models, too. For this reason, it is imperative that you hang around some of the web groups or do other research before you begin pricing your models; otherwise, you may estimate their value too high or too low.

Here's another example of why research is so important: A friend of mine wanted to trade for a model on my saleslist. She said she had a Spanish Pride (a RR bay Legionario mold that was made in 91-92) but that it was worth much more than my model. I asked how much, and she said one of the value books priced the model at $70. I couldn't figure out why a regular-run model made for two years would be valued so highly--and I began watching the saleslists on the exchange. I never saw the model offered for more than $35, and as low as $25 on one list--similar in price to my model. So, even though the author of the book my friend was using is a long-time hobbyist, her estimation of value is probably more an ideal price than the reality of buying and selling. Remember that people with saleslists want to sell their models! That may mean that they are willing to sell them below their "collectible" value.

Also, be warned: Someone on the list will almost always sell the same model cheaper than you. Don't let this discourage you--the other seller may be naive, or their model may be in worse condition than yours, or they may just be desperate to get the models out of their way, and thus are deliberately selling below fair market value. They may sell their models faster, but that doesn't mean you won't sell yours, too, in time, at fair prices. Note that "fair" doesn't always mean the same thing as "low"!

One last tip: Unless you need the money for some emergency, be prepared to stick it out a while before the models actually sell. Not everyone reads the lists every week, so don't give up or knock your prices way down because you've posted twice and haven't sold anything (your prices could possibly be too high, but you can check this by comparing with other lists). It usually takes a matter of weeks or months to sell off everything on your list, so be patient. If you're really in a hurry, try selling your models as an entire collection, or put them up on ebay or another auction site.

Also, some buyers do want to buy whole collections, but only at a significant discount for buying the whole group, so be aware that if you sell your whole collection to the same buyer, they will want a price below the combined market value for all the models.