How Much Is My Singer Sewing Machine Worth

Did you ever think to your self, “Hmm, how much is my Singer sewing machine worth, anyway?”. Like anything else the value of your machine depends on many different factors.

Many vintage tea towels were hemmed on an old machine like this.

When someone wants to know what their sewing machine is worth it is usually in context of what another collector would pay for it.

As with any sort of collectible or antique the value depends on the condition of the item. Nearly every collectible is broken down into one of the following categories:

• Mint – This means it is like new. The item is in the same condition as when it left the factory.
• Near Mint - Sometimes called “Excellent”. Although the item has been used, the wear is minimal and only obvious to someone who is looking very carefully for it.
• Very Good - No obvious wear, major flaws or damage. The machine is in completely useable condition.
• Good – Small flaws, scratches, or other signs of use may be present, but all parts and intact and working.
• Fair – Obvious signs of use are present and there may be some damage. Machine may need some small repairs to work correctly.
• Poor – The machine is not working, has a lot of wear and is really only good for parts unless there is significant historical value.

The next factor is the desirability of the machine. How popular is it among collectors? Just because a machine is old, does not make it a valuable antique.

Very desirable antique Singer sewing machines will have some detail that attracts the collector. It may be the design, a unique color, certain stenciling, or any number of other factors.

Another factor is location. Certain machines are just more popular among collectors in certain areas. The best way to find out what your machine is worth in your area is to talk to collectors and appraisers. They will have an idea of what the various Singer sewing machines are selling for in your area of the country and can also probably tell you about the value in other areas.

Most sewing machines on the collectible market today will not have any real historical value. The machines that get sold for thousands of dollars are generally rare items that belonged to an important historical figure or were significant in sewing machine history. The latter machines are mostly going to be museum quality sewing machines from the mid 1800s.

The value of your sewing machine to a collector is not the only value. There are other values in which you may be interested:

• Insurance value – how much it would take to replace the item with a similar one.
• Estate value - the value levied on the item by the Internal Revenue Service in order to figure estate taxes. It is based on an average of the price that similar items sold for at recent auctions.
• Retail value – the price you would pay for that item at an antique shop.
• Sentimental value – the non-monitary value of the machine to you for some reason such as the previous owner.
• Auction value – the price that your Singer sewing machine might go for at an auction. This is based on the sales price of similar machines at auctions.
• Fair market value – the price that you and a buyer would agree upon without there being a store, overhead, pressure from another bidder and so forth.
• Wholesale value – the value that an antiques dealer would actually pay for your item when he intended to resell it. This would be about half the sales price of the item when sold in the antique shop.

All of that still doesn't tell you the value of your machine. Here are some prices found on eBay in 2009.

As you can see, the values are all over the board and the age of the machine is not necessarily the main factor.

Ask any appraiser, “How much is my Singer sewing machine worth?” and you will likely get a slightly different answer - The ultimate value of your sewing machine is only what someone will pay for it.

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