Collins Collectors Association
Technical Data Sheet G-0196
Grading Standards for Used Collins Amateur Equipment
The Condition of Collins Radios
The Sunday 20-meter technical and swap net is an official
function of the Collins Collectors Association. In consideration
of the privilege to participate in that net, CCA members and
non-members alike are encouraged and expected to follow these
equipment grading standards when describing the condition of
listed equipment. Honesty and integrity cannot be legislated.
However, when both buyer and seller use the same terms to
describe a piece of equipment, the chances for misrepresentation,
innocent or intentional, are greatly reduced. All transactions
made on the Collins Collectors Association nets are the sole
responsibility of the buyer and seller.
Mint Condition
Mint condition is defined as the same condition in which the set
left the factory when it was manufactured. A set in mint
condition will be functioning perfectly, there will be no damaged
or missing parts, no signs of wear and tear, and the cabinet
finish will be perfect without a single sign of use. A mint
condition Collins Radio will be accompanied by its original
operating manual and may have the factory shipping carton as
well. Mint condition radios may or may not have service bulletins
incorporated. If so, the bulletins must all be those approved by
Collins and the workmanship must be equal to that of Collins. No
other components, other than tubes, shall have been replaced. The
phrase "mint condition" is a very over used one when describing
the condition of radio equipment. There are very few Collins
radios which actually qualify as "mint".
Excellent Condition
Sets in excellent condition are completely functional, have no
missing or damaged parts, show only minute (nearly undetectable)
signs of wear and tear, and the cabinet and front panel will be
nearly perfect, without scratches or dents and there is minimal
dust on the chassis. Original RCA and type "PJ" jacks are in
their proper position and show no signs of wear. The material
from which certain parts are made may show physical age - for
example, plastic parts may change color with age. The radio may
have had components replaced but will have no modifications
installed which were not approved by Collins and the workmanship
must be equal to that of Collins.
Very Good Condition
A set in very good condition will be completely functional, there
will be signs of wear and tear and the front panel may be
minimally scratched. Damaged or missing parts may have been
replaced. White insulator materials in RCA jacks show definite
signs of wear and tear. The cabinet finish will have only minor
damage (a few small scratches or signs of wear but not into the
metal) and dust may be expected in the chassis. The cabinet may
have been repainted, quality equivalent to original but it shall
be identified as a repaint.
Good Condition
A Collins radio in good condition will be either fully functional
or easily repairable, there may be a few minor missing parts
which are relatively easy to obtain, there will be signs of
normal wear and tear, and there may be extra holes drilled in the
chassis and cabinet. Panel scratches may exist but are not
extensive and the cabinet finish may have scratches into the
metal which will require touch up or refinishing. There may
be minimal corrosion on the chassis in places. The radio may have
had components replaced but will have no modifications installed
which were not approved by Collins. Workmanship may not be equal
to that of Collins, but still of good quality.
Fair Condition
Collins Radios in fair condition will usually not be completely
functional, but it will be repairable with considerable labor.
There may be a few missing parts which may be difficult to
obtain. There will be signs of excessive wear and tear and lots
of chassis grime due to prolonged use. The cabinet and front
panel will probably require refinishing and the chassis may have
age related corrosion as a matter of routine. Non-Collins
modifications may have been installed in the radio.
Poor Condition
A set in poor condition will probably not be functional and will
probably require excessive labor to repair. There will probably
be several missing parts which are difficult to obtain . There
will be signs of very excessive wear and tear which will probably
be impossible to completely repair. The cabinet finish will
probably have heavy dents and scratches which are difficult or
impossible to repair with refinishing.
Bad Condition
The proverbial "basket case." A Collins radio in bad condition is
usually good for parts only. Critical components will probably be
burned out or damaged beyond repair, rendering the set
permanently non-functional. There will probably be missing parts
which are impossible to obtain. There will be irreparable damage
and abuse. The cabinet may be missing or damaged beyond repair
Restored Equipment
It is necessary to evaluate the condition of Collins radios on
the basis of this scale to determine if it is worth more or less
than the value specified. "Mint," "excellent," and "very good"
sets are worth more than the prices stated. Of course, "fair,"
"poor," and "bad" sets are worth much less. When a set has been
properly restored, it may move to a much higher condition rating
and its value can increase accordingly. However, it must be
represented that the set has been restored. A poorly done
restoration will greatly reduce the value of an otherwise rare
find.
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This Home Page was created by wa3key, Tuesday, August 12, 1996
Most recent revision Tuesday, August 12, 1996