What a fair price looks like
Condition on WishThrift is described by the seller against five grades, and nobody inspects it on your behalf — so the description and the photographs are what you are buying on.
| Condition | Typical | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| New with Tags | £250 (~$333) | Unused, tags or seals intact |
| Like New | £212 (~$283) | Barely used, no visible wear |
| Good | £162 (~$216) | Light signs of use, complete and working |
| Fair | £112 (~$150) | Heavily used, or a described fault or missing part |
| For Parts | £62 (~$83) | Not working or incomplete, sold as seen |
Sterling guide ranges with an approximate US dollar equivalent at £1 ≈ $1.33 (July 2026). Sellers set their own asking price; these are a starting point for judging an offer. All five grades explained.
The checklist before you pay
Fungus and haze inside lenses, sensor dust, and shutters near the end of their rated life. None of it shows in a normal product photograph.
Run through these before money changes hands — they are the things that decide whether a telescope is worth what is being asked:
- Fungus or coating damage on mirrors and lenses
- Flimsy mounts that cannot hold the tube steady
- Missing eyepieces and finderscopes
- Collimation so far out that it needs specialist work
And the things worth paying more for, because they hold their value:
- Larger apertures, which drive most of the price
- Solid equatorial or computerised mounts
- Clean optics with no fungus or coating damage
- Eyepieces, finder and original tripod included
Common faults and fakes
Counterfeiting is rare; misdescription is not. ‘Tested, working’ often means it powered on rather than that a photograph was taken and reviewed.
Ask for a photograph taken with the camera that day, and for a shot of the lens with a torch shone through it from behind. Ask for the shutter count on a digital body.
WishThrift does not authenticate, inspect or grade anything, and no marketplace check replaces your own. If a seller will not answer a direct question about condition or origin, that is the answer.
Questions to ask the seller
These are the three that get asked most often about a telescope, and the answers tell you most of what you need:
Look through the tube toward a light and check. Fungus spreads and etches coatings permanently, so it is the fault buyers most want disclosed.
Be honest. A good tube on an inadequate mount is unusable at high magnification, and experienced buyers judge a scope on the mount first.
List focal lengths and barrel size. Eyepieces are a real share of the value and buyers add them up.
Also worth establishing before you commit:
- Note the aperture and focal length from the tube
- Inspect the optics with a torch for fungus and coating marks
- Check the mount holds position without drifting
Photographs to ask for
If the listing does not already show these, ask — a seller who has the item will send them in minutes:
- The telescope assembled on its mount, whole
- The optical tube with the aperture and focal length markings
- All eyepieces and accessories laid out together
- The mount head and tripod, plus any fungus, scratch or missing part
Details to confirm before you commit
- Aperture and focal length, and the optical design
- Mount type, and whether it is motorised or has a tracking drive
- Every eyepiece and accessory included, with focal lengths
- Optical condition, including any fungus, scratches or coating damage
Live telescope listings
Nothing matching is listed at the moment. Browse cameras & photography for what is live now, or everything on the site — stock changes daily and new listings are free to post, so it is worth checking back.
When to buy
Lifts sharply from September to December as nights draw in and around Christmas. A good scope listed in autumn sells within a fortnight; summer listings are slow.
Prices move against that cycle for a buyer: the cheapest time to buy is when sellers are listing most, not when demand peaks.
Paying and collecting safely
WishThrift does not process payments, hold funds or offer buyer protection — you agree the price and the method with the seller directly, which is what keeps the platform free on both sides. Meet somewhere public where you can, inspect before you pay, and keep the conversation on the site so there is a record of what was agreed. Be wary of any seller who wants to move the conversation elsewhere before you have agreed anything.
Selling one instead?
If you already have a telescope sitting unused, it is free to list and there is no commission — the price you agree is the amount you keep. Read how to sell telescope for what to photograph and how to price, or what telescope is worth at each condition grade.
Frequently asked questions
What should I pay for a used telescope?
Around £26 to £162 in good condition, more for barely-used examples and less for anything with a described fault. Compare against the seller’s photographs rather than the grade alone.
How do I check a telescope before buying?
Ask for a photograph taken with the camera that day, and for a shot of the lens with a torch shone through it from behind. Ask for the shutter count on a digital body.
Is buying a telescope second hand safe?
Yes, with the ordinary care any private sale needs. WishThrift does not authenticate, inspect or hold funds, so inspect before you pay where you can, meet somewhere public, and keep the conversation on the site. Fungus and haze inside lenses, sensor dust, and shutters near the end of their rated life. None of it shows in a normal product photograph.
See also: all buying guides · telescope value guide · selling telescope · Cameras & Photography · condition grades.