8mm Forum: UK Pound's New Low

This is topic UK Pound's New Low in forum General Yak at 8mm Forum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=8;t=002477

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on March 01, 2013, 09:39 AM:

Just announced that the UK pound has dropped to a new low against the US dollar. The lowest for two years. This morning the exchange rate dropped below 1.5.

This is good news for the Forum's American members who wish to purchase from ebay UK, or from British film dealers.

The rate did improve just above 1.5 this afternoon, but it still heralds bad news for any UK purchaser contemplating buying from the US.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on March 01, 2013, 01:54 PM:

Oh Boo Hoo ...

Collectors in the UK have been able to buy rather inexpensively for years while US buyers have had to pay out the "arse" (as a general rule), for the longest time!

Let's see it drop further. Bad for UK, great for US

... However, UK dealers could always raise they're collective prices, so it does tend to balance out.

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on March 01, 2013, 02:25 PM:

That isn't strictly true Osi, I've noticed on your ebay there are a
lot of over priced film items, the only people "paying out of their
arses" are the suckers willing to pay for them.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on March 01, 2013, 02:30 PM:

Like what? Can't think of anything I have overpriced. Name one. (by the way, if somneone bids on it, it taint over-priced).

Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on March 01, 2013, 03:19 PM:

Osi,

I believe Hugh was referring to the US eBay site in general when he wrote "your ebay", not specifically the auctions of Mr. Osgood!

Doug

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on March 01, 2013, 04:16 PM:

Thankyou Doug, for instance, there's a guy there wanting,$3500
for a flat print of "PLANET OF THE APES", now that's inflation.

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on March 01, 2013, 07:10 PM:

To be fair, there's one on our ebay that has the idea that if its on
s/8 it must be sold for some ridiculous price, which I note no one
takes him up on.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on March 02, 2013, 12:29 PM:

I don't know who your referring to, Hugh, bu7t I know that if the film will fetch a much higher price than others, (for instance, STAR WARS), I would be an idiot to put a buy it now of 300 or 500 dollars, for something that will easily fetch a 1,000.

I know that personally, I've always watched carefully as to what the "market allows" for a price and go with that. If a UK seller sells LPP or AGFA prints of classic Warners cartoons for instance, at 14 or 16 pounds, (around 25.00 US dollars, and that's not counting the shipping cost as well), then I put a starting bid of 24.95 on an auction for a great print in great condition, and if the person wants it right away, slightly higher with a buy it now option.

A good example of this is my optical print of "2010: The year We Make Contact". I bought that from Classic Home Cinema for 90 pounds around 5 or six years ago, which would be around 140.00 dollars. You factor in around 30.00 dollars for shipping, and my starting bid of 149.00 dollars that I had on it was right where it should be, especially for what might well be a one of a kind super 8 optical, (unless there are other prints of that title out there, but I have never heard of it, at least, not on optical super 8.

No hard feelings, Hugh! [Smile]

Posted by Alan Rik (Member # 73) on March 03, 2013, 09:31 PM:

A lower sterling was something great when Derann was around but since Derann have gone I have not really purchased much of anything from the UK. I have purchased from Germany however.

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on March 04, 2013, 03:39 AM:

Hi Osi, no I'm not getting at you in anyway, but I'm just making
the point that the "poor collectors" selling on ebay,both sides
of the pond, some have the view that what they're selling is the
Crown Jewels, so I don't have too much sympathy with their
inflated asking prices.So the collector selling his "Apes" film for
$3500.00 is not to be sympathised with.The falling pound has
more to do with our own idiot Government that sells off any
business that makes money to foreign buyers.

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on March 04, 2013, 04:58 AM:

If you ever get chance to get along to a UK film fair you will see films and equipment available for very reasonable prices such as the recent Bolton event where a big box of Derann films were selling at around £7 a reel. The ones I purchased for my own collection were just about as new and of course we could look at every item in the room prior to purchase which is very important to me at least. We are blessed here in Great Britain with a good number of film fairs including the excellent BFCC and the North West Film Collectors weekend, yes a whole weekend of film collecting and entertainment and you wont get that on fleabay folks or the camaraderie! The British magazine ‘Film Collector’ helps keep us all in touch and also a real help also for those who for one reason or another cannot get out and about so easily. We also have British DVD releases about our hobby from Keith Wilton which are fascinating, and even my own media business has put a few together from time to time. OK the pound may not be doing so well, but boy are we the hub of cine still? Yes we are, and I wouldn’t put Austria that far behind us either with a phenomenal following of Eumig products over there which they are also proud of.

Criswell predicts!
The pound will improve and horse meat will only be found in huge burgers overseas.

Carry on projecting folks.

Posted by David Ollerearnshaw (Member # 3296) on March 04, 2013, 05:19 AM:

Yes some of the prices wanted are ridiculous on e-bay take these for an example of OTT

With all the films I bought over the years I lost my AAA rating years ago, now junk status [Eek!]

The major problem buying from US is the cost of shipping, that's what stops me now.

Sure I remember at one time we got somewhere around $2.50 for £1 also went down to $1.10 too. That's from about 1980 to 1990's. I think you my find this link interesting? 1940's

Its not the dollar that's my problem, it's the baht for Thailand that makes my time there a lot more expensive. Although last time I bought dollars as it worked out better value. Wonder if they ever had super 8 films there?

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on March 05, 2013, 02:05 PM:

His auctions are a little confusing. I looked at the "Close Encounters" 400ft and the screenshot shows spot on color, but the description says that it is fading. I don't know the person, but I wonder if he is using screenshots from perfect color prints to advertise non perfect color prints.

If the person is a member of this forum, we would certainly appreciate his feedback, as i certainly don't want to discredit the person and I have been known to be wrong from time to time.

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on March 05, 2013, 02:57 PM:

There's one on our ebay now that's a scream, a little 200' behind
the scenes of the making of "O.H.M.S.S." the Bond epic, and this
guy wants £199.95 + £4.95 postage, the cheeky bastard, not even free p&p.i made a mistake with the "Apes" movie Osi, it
wasn't $3500.00, it's $3800.00, a steal at the price.I wonder
who actually buys them?

Posted by David Ollerearnshaw (Member # 3296) on March 09, 2013, 12:31 PM:

Thinking of selling all my films I could be a millionaire soon [Eek!]

Then I could buy all the films I wanted. [Big Grin]

I would never part with my films. I have sold some of my dvd though.

Film has a real magic. Like steam engines.

UBB.classic^TM 6.3.1.2