Sell or use the one-offs vintage components?

[RoGeorge]

For personal projects, would you rather use a $20/pcs NOS component you already have sitting in the scrap boxes, or order whatever 20c/pcs might be used instead, then wait for delivery?  Maybe sell the few $20 a pop NOS? 

Asking because it feels like a waste to use a $30 part from decades ago in a random project, when a nowadays part can replace that NOS while being 100 times cheaper, new, and with better specs.

For example, I was needing a few 7 segment digits.  Found some NOS miniature 4 digit 7 segments magnified in the scrap box, DL-340M, looking like this https://duckduckgo.com/?q=dl340m+led+display&iax=images&ia=images.  While searching for a datasheet, noticed that they cost about $30 on ebay?!?

I don't have an ebay account, and probably won't take the effort to sell 1pcs anyway, but now I know it costs a lot, so it feels like a waste to use those 7 segments in some random project.  And I have no "epic" project for a very small 4 digits 7 segments from the '80s display. 

[globoy]

If you're not going to sell them, then you might ask yourself what the people who will deal with your estate will do with them when you die.  Probably these parts will end up in the trash.  So if you never will sell them, then use them up!  Give them a life outside your storage bins.  At least you can appreciate them every time you use the gadget.

[simba15]

I would use them, esp if you wont sell them.

Make a nice hosing and make it a conversation piece.

[AVGresponding]

When I score NOS parts, it isn't to flip them or look at them, it's to use them. The current project I'm building uses NOS transistors (I do prefer metal cans), reclaimed parts (some things are just too expensive to buy), and cheap ebay stuff...

[RoGeorge]

The plan was to use that little 7 segments display to make a minutes timer, so to measure the capacity of 5V USB powerbanks.  A rarely used timer is not worthy enough for a $30 display.

Had to come up with something else as a timer, here's the substitute for the $30 display:


https://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/verylazylogger-(measure-usb-powerbank-capacity)/

Measures time very well.

[Infraviolet]

If I had an expensive part lying round versus cheap alternatives I could buy:
1. If the expensive part had higher performance than the cheap ones I'd save it or situations where that performance increase would count and buy the cheap ones. If this is a matter of visually appealing older parts then that would mean saving the old part for use in a project whether it would be visible, something with a clear casing or such nd not using it up to be buried deep inside something.
2. If I was making something I might make several copies of I'd buy the cheap ones, rather than base any designs around something I couldn't get more of.
3. If the expensive part didn't offer anything the cheaper one couldn't do, and I wasn't going to make several of the things it was going in I would go ahead and use it then rather than buy the cheap parts.

[exe]

I used to keep expensive/rare parts for a "special case", but those cases never happened... So, I decided to use my stock and enjoy it.

[retiredfeline]

If you are not going to sell them anyway then the current price is irrelevant. You might as well use them and then brag to viewers about how much they would cost as NOS. 

[Wallace Gasiewicz]

Perhaps offer them to repair/restorer persons at a reasonable price

If you know what they were used in you could offer them on the appropriate forum.

For example some HP parts are offered on the groups.io HP/Agilent group

Especially with some of the displays, most folks would prefer to use original parts to preserve the "look"

[Haenk]

The listed price is something to consider, but being offered at a certain price does not mean a) it's a fair price and b) there is a regular demand aka purchaser.
I commonly find some obscure parts which list for insane prices on ebay - but are probably never sold, at any price.
Some spare vintage display might find a new (old) home though...

[rhb]

I think the operative question is can you buy new?  As an example, look at the price and availability of air variables.  Personally I'm indifferent to age.  Functionality is the deciding factor.