Sell Your Model Kits in the US

Used model kits in the US typically sell for $11 to $110. Unbuilt kits are the collectable item; once built, value depends entirely on the quality of the work.

What model kits are worth in the US

Condition	Typical	What it means
New with Tags	$108	Unused, tags or seals intact
Like New	$92	Barely used, no visible wear
Good	$70	Light signs of use, complete and working
Fair	$48	Heavily used, or a described fault or missing part
For Parts	$27	Not working or incomplete, sold as seen

Guide ranges converted from sterling at the 2 August 2026 rate, not quotes — sellers set their own price. Grades are seller-declared; WishThrift does not inspect or verify them.

What lifts the price

Sealed, unbuilt kits with intact sprues
Complete with decals, instructions and parts

What pulls it down

Yellowed or cracked decal sheets
Common kits still in production

Selling model kits in the US

Peer-to-peer payment apps dominate private sales, and buyers will usually offer one before they offer cash. Sales tax does not apply to a private sale between individuals.

USPS, UPS and FedEx all cover the country. USPS Ground Advantage is normally cheapest for anything under a few pounds in weight; above that the gap narrows quickly.

Two practical things shape a US sale. Shipping is priced by dimensional weight as well as actual weight, so a light bulky item can cost far more to send than a heavy small one — measure the box before you quote. And meeting in person is common enough that many police departments now run designated safe-exchange areas in their car parks.

Working out what yours is worth

Confirm every sprue is present and still bagged
Note the kit number and scale

Getting it ready

Count the sprues against the instruction sheet, and look for any part that has been cut off.
Keep the instructions with the kit. A sealed kit without instructions is worth noticeably less than one with.

Photograph

The contents in the box as they are, showing whether bags are sealed
The decal sheet flat, close enough to see whether it has yellowed

Put in the description

Whether sealed, opened but complete, started, or part-built
Whether the decals and instructions are present, and the decal condition

Manufacturer, subject and scale: “Tamiya 1:35 Sherman Tank, Sealed” or “Airfix Spitfire 1:72, Started, Decals Intact”. Scale is a hard filter for modellers, and the word sealed carries a real premium — so it must be true.

Steady year-round with a lift before Christmas. Out-of-production kits from established manufacturers sell within days when correctly titled; current-production kits compete with retail and move slower.

It costs nothing to list

There is no listing fee, no selling fee and no commission, so the $108 a buyer pays is the $108 you keep. You and the buyer settle up and arrange the handover between yourselves; WishThrift does not hold the money or ship the item.

Where in the US

The United States is a big place and what sells well moves with it. These are the parts of the United States with their own page for model kits.

Common questions

Where can I sell model kits in the US?

List it free on WishThrift and deal with the buyer direct. There is no selling fee, so the whole amount stays with you. Peer-to-peer payment apps dominate private sales, and buyers will usually offer one before they offer cash. Sales tax does not apply to a private sale between individuals.

Is it sealed?

Answer precisely. Sealed means the inner bags are unopened, not that the box has been closed again. Modellers will check on arrival and the distinction is worth real money.

Why do decals matter?

They yellow and crack with age, and replacements are rarely available. A good decal sheet is a real part of the value.

Should I sell a built model?

Yes, but value depends entirely on build quality, and it is judged as a finished piece rather than as a kit.

More: how to sell model kits, what model kits are worth, or Toys & Games across the United States.