What is it worth

> I really want to keep it but if the price was right I would consider selling or trading.

As someone who's bought a bunch of used equipment over the years -- most of it via eBay -- I'll offer what are intended to helpful comments on the marketing of same:

1. A very small subset of potential buyers -- small generally being countable on one hand of someone who's seen more than his share of industrial accidents -- are initially willing to pay a premium price for a piece of equipment. That subset usually comprises the fanatic collector and/or the guy who needs the equipment for immediate use.

2. The bulk of the potential buyers are looking for a deal -- there's no such thing as too cheap for them. (I usually fall into this category, though on occasion I find myself in the other.)

3. Some of the "I want it cheap" people can be enticed into changing their emphasis from the "cheap" part to the "I want it" part. The most effective way of doing this that I've observed is to put the item up for auction with a low opening bid and no reserve. The low opening draws in more bidders, and the incremental increases in the bid tends to get more bidders to go beyond their initial ceiling price in pursuit of a win. (I think this phenomenon has a lot in common with the drive behind gambling. It's also the phenomenon that sniping software is designed to circumvent.) The absence of a reserve precludes the sense that the asking price is too high to be worth engaging the auction. Similarly, when I see phrases like "if the price is right," I immediately assume that the seller is looking for top dollar, and I quickly lose interest in the sale.

5. eBay, for all its shortcomings, is the closest thing to a perfect market for niche items that I've ever seen. If I were trying to move a level like yours, I'd put it on eBay -- accurately and completely described and with an ample set of good photos -- for 7 days with a $9.99 opener and no reserve, and count on the buying community to do the rest. That can be a hard thing to do; there's always a little voice saying, "But what if only one person bids?" However, I've only been disappointed once following that scheme, and it was for a very low-value item.

By all means follow your instincts in this matter, I'm just sharing what I've learned. I don't have any skin in this game; I have too many optical instruments as it is, with no desire to add any more. And good luck with the sale, regardless of which path you choose.

I would put a minimum opening bid on it unless you want to give it away. There is a brand new 32x for sale on Ebay for 2300.00. What is the value new? Used probably would be in the 50-75 percent range. A check out and some kind of certification by a survey repair shop might make it bring more.

Which micrometer? I believe Wild/Leica has offered at least three types over the years. Geodetic reading to 1/1000 ft, Geodetic Metric, and Optical Tooling to,I think 1/100th of an inch. Coming from a machine shop it might be the third one. If the micrometer has a stock number usually six digits maybe a Leica dealer can identify it if there's not some indication on it.

To the right user the decimal inch one might be valuable, might not be available these days.

From the NA2/NAK2 brochure on Leica's Web site

Parallel-plate micrometer Range Interval Estimation
(optional accessory)
GPM3, with glass scale 10 mm 0.1 mm 0.01 mm
GPM6, with metal drum 10 mm 0.2 mm 0.05 mm

Check with Leica service to see if they still can supply the compensator. Some model NA2/NAK2 compensators have been out of stock for decades.

If it's no longer available, a solid knock could turn it into a doorstop or something to put in your glass case along with those old chaining pins.

But the chaining pins are still usable!

🙂

N

It's the GPM3 model. I will dig into the specifics on it tomorrow. It looks just like the new ones but is in the old style case. I use one at work and it is much better than the Sokkia B2O 40x's we have. It would be sad if Leica couldn't service it any longer! If I end up keeping it I will be on the hunt for the 90° eyepiece for it.

Jim is right about starting cheap. I have seen plenty of good deals get zero bids because they started at 199 for a $300 item.

On optical equipment Wild and K+E seem to get the best prices.

> But the chaining pins are still usable!
>
> 🙂
>
> N

I found a brand new chaining pin next to a rebar this past week. I put a stake up beside the rebar and wrote "Found Chaining Pin - (phone number)" on it.

Sorry for the hijack, carry on.
James

As someone who has sold maybe a hundred or so survey items and bought probably twice that many... including both antiques and comtemporary equipment I suggest figuring out what you want to sell it for tempered by what you realistically believe it could bring and run it for a 30 day fixed price buy it now and take the option to accept offers. Be patient you have something people want and it will sell.

The only true auction I have sold anything by recently was a slight dissapointment. A very nice compass and jacob staff which should have brought $300 sold for about half that. The consolation is that it went to someone who appreciates it so much it is his avitar on this message board. Fact is two posters on this thread have won my auctions in the past.

One other bit of advice is the summer usually brings fewer bidders and lower winning bids. If you wait a few months you will probably get more.

Good Luck

It is so well cared for I almost hate to use but then not using it wouldn't do justice to it.

It is a nice one but I did keep the best one for myself. Glad you enjoy it.

> Fact is two posters on this thread have won my auctions in the past.

I'm the other one -- I bought my first L1/L2 receiver from 2xcntr in 2001, an Ashtech Z-12. It served me well, but I sold it on eBay in 2010 after switching to Trimble gear. I paid around $5,600 in '01, sold it for $735 9 years later, and was happy in both cases.