Value of Boxes/Packing Materials

[BKimelb1]

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I had water in my basement due to Hurricane Ida and boxes/packaging for my apo-Summicron 90 f/2, Summicron 50 f/2 and others were ruined.  Many ads for used Leica lenses say they have boxes.  Is the value of these well-kept lenses diminished if you don't have them?  My lenses were stored two stories above the basement in my dry bedroom.  They were unaffected.

[jaeger]

users care about the lens, collector and resellers care about the box too.

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[Gobert]

I would never buy a recent lens without accompanying box.

[ianman]

25 minutes ago, Gobert said:

I would never buy a recent lens without accompanying box.

Oh ok… I’m selling a re-issue black paint Noctilux with engraved Mandler signature for € 20. No box though.

[Gadfly21]

4 hours ago, BKimelb1 said:

I had water in my basement due to Hurricane Ida and boxes/packaging for my apo-Summicron 90 f/2, Summicron 50 f/2 and others were ruined.  Many ads for used Leica lenses say they have boxes.  Is the value of these well-kept lenses diminished if you don't have them?  My lenses were stored two stories above the basement in my dry bedroom.  They were unaffected.

First of all, so sorry that happened! I'm sure there is more that was lost than some boxes, and I hope we are all sensitive to that.

I would say that, as a buyer, yes the value is diminished without boxes. I often see lenses go for a little bit cheaper when the box isn't present. That being said, boxes on their own only really go for $100 or thereabouts, so given the total cost of a lens, that is a low percentage, and hopefully something you can live with.

I am not well-to-do (although still very privileged to own Leica cameras and lenses) so as a buyer I tend to scrim for every bit of savings. I only have only bought lenses with boxes if that was the only option for what I was looking for.

If it makes you feel any better, I actually threw away/recycled some boxes because they really have no value to me as a user. I don't want to sell anything except in a dire circumstance, so I would rather not have them taking up space in my bedroom closet or shelves. I guess it would have been more financially prudent to sell the boxes, but it would have been troublesome, and with serial numbers on the boxes, I wouldn't want someone else somehow claiming ownership of my lenses via Leica's user portal.

Best of luck to you, and I hope everything gets sorted out for you and your home.

 

[LocalHero1953]

Sorry to hear about the flood, for you and many others who lost more, including their lives.

As an individual buyer, who buys for practical photography, I am happy to buy a lens with out a box - I look just for end caps and, normally, a hood as a bare minimum. 'The Market Says', though, that the price is less if you don't have a box, user manual, cloth/leather bag etc. AFAIC that's an opportunity to buy a good lens at the low end of the market price range. If you wanted to sell the lenses, in your shoes I would explain why the boxes were missing and that it has no implications for the care you have given the lenses. It may help nudge the price up a bit with a private buyer for photographic use.

Whatever you do, don't try and sell the lenses packed in visibly water-damaged boxes! 

Edit. You can buy boxes on ebay - for a price. I know, I sold one once; I can't remember how I acquired the orphan.

Edited September 3, 2021 by LocalHero1953

[Boojay]

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Good luck sorting out your damage, I feel for you, it is no fun dealing with flood damage.  Maybe your home insurance could cover any assumed loss of value, there will be some but when selling or listing you have her to blame for their loss, rather than the usual lost in home move.   Hurricane Ida has more to answer for than a few boxes 😥.  

[KFo]

Sorry to hear about your flood damage!

I’ve recycled all my new Leica boxes almost as soon as I got the hardware out and tested.  I do keep the signed build and inspection cards though as well as the receipts.  For buying used, I don’t care at all about boxes since all my stuff is for use - and I will recycle the packaging anyway.

I certainly won’t pay more for a lens in original packaging.  I do want all the hardware though: caps, trim rings, hoods, etc.  Although the accessories don’t all have to be Leica, I just don’t want to have to hunt down more caps etc.

Regards,

Kevin

[pedaes]

2 hours ago, ianman said:

I’m selling

That's giving it away, not selling!

[pgk]

Some of my gear came with boxes, some didn't. Perhaps a collector would value the inclusion of a box so might possibly pay more for a boxed item, but in general I think boxes are used are a bonus when advertising an item rather than being something which actually increases the value/price. It should be easy enough to check by trawling through some adverts to see if boxed items of the same grading are any costlier than those without. I doubt it myself. Its a bit like the leather lens pouches/cases which the lenses come with - I never use them so they stay in the box or hidden away somewhere to be supplied with a lens if I ever sell it.

[jaapv]

3 minutes ago, pgk said:

so they stay in the box or hidden away somewhere to be supplied with a lens if I ever sell it.

Assuming you can find it . (Speaking from experience. I'm still searching for the original lens hood of a 35 Summicron asph I am considering selling. I must have two -somewhere. The box and pouch are a lost cause  )

[LocalHero1953]

My boxes are all at the far end of the attic. The pile just gets higher, so I suspect the ones at the bottom are a bit flatter than when they started.

[ianman]

12 minutes ago, jaapv said:

I'm still searching for the original lens hood of a 35 Summicron asph I am considering selling. I must have two -somewhere.

If they still have the plastic caps there are worth a fortune. Although there must be thousands of these caps cold and lonely out in wild we never get reports of sightings.

[ianman]

28 minutes ago, pedaes said:

That's giving it away, not selling!

I’ve since found the box under my unopened limited edition “black painted by HBC himself” M3…. So the price will be slightly increased to €1,500,020.

[Gobert]

I have very carefully conserved my boxes and stored them high and dry.

[pgk]

2 hours ago, jaapv said:

Assuming you can find it . 

We are starting house renovation (insulation) so I know exactly where everything is - in storage .......🙄.

Edited September 3, 2021 by pgk

[Ouroboros]

If I buy new I keep the box, original packaging, leather pouches and all the other stuff that Leica use to bulk-up the perceived value of the contents because it does seem to make things more saleable further down the line.  If I'm buying used, it doesn't bother me if there is a box or not as long as the 'grading' is truthful.

 I would be happier if Leica simplified and reduced the amount of crappy, over-designed and environmentally unfriendly packaging they seem to think photographers want (along with a commensurate cost reduction, of course!)  🤬   

 

[mike_j]

8 minutes ago, Ouroboros said:

 I would be happier if Leica simplified and reduced the amount of crappy, over-designed and environmentally unfriendly packaging they seem to think photographers want (along with a commensurate cost reduction, of course!)  🤬   

 

I'm sure Leica would be happy to oblige with the first request but not the second.

[ianman]

28 minutes ago, Ouroboros said:

I would be happier if Leica simplified and reduced the amount of crappy, over-designed and environmentally unfriendly packaging they seem to think photographers want (along with a commensurate cost reduction, of course!)  🤬   

That would be good. Or at least give the option to buy items without the 200 layers of boxes in drawers or with all that for the <cough> collectors.

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[Danner]

All my Leicas were purchased used.  I have a box for one M6 and my 28 Elmarit ASPH.  A few more have the leather canisters.  Basically, I look for the lens  with the best condition, and the packaging is not considered in the purchase.  I do, however, factor in the hoods and caps for pricing purposes, because they are expensive to replace.