Additional Coverage:
- ‘Antiques Roadshow’ guest says ‘oh my, good heavens’ after hearing the value of his toy train set (marketrealist.com)
All aboard! “Antiques Roadshow” guest stunned by toy train’s value.
An “Antiques Roadshow” guest received a pleasant surprise when his Lionel Blue Comet toy train set was appraised for a whopping $10,000. The guest, who inherited the set from his cousin, had no idea of its value.
The guest explained to appraiser Leila Dunbar that the train had been a cherished family heirloom, passed down from his uncle to his cousin, and finally to him. While admitting a newfound appreciation for locomotives, he confessed to knowing little about the Lionel Company or its history.
Dunbar then provided a brief history lesson, explaining how Joshua Lionel Cowen, the company’s founder, made his fortune developing flash powder for photographers and the Navy before turning his attention to toy trains. She highlighted Cowen’s goal of creating beautiful, high-quality trains, with the Blue Comet being one of his crowning achievements.
Dunbar described the Blue Comet as the “seashore’s finest train,” inspired by a real train that operated between 1929 and 1941. She noted its luxurious features, including mohair seats, a bathroom, a smoking room, and an observation deck—rare amenities for a Lionel train of that era.
When asked to guess its worth, the guest estimated between $2,000 and $4,000. Dunbar then revealed the set’s auction estimate of $8,000 to $10,000, leaving the guest speechless.
She added that similar sets have sold for as much as $11,500. The guest, clearly astounded, expressed his newfound desire to cherish the heirloom even more.