Hard to tell from the microscopic photo, but my gut tells me the answer is "yes" to your thread title question. I'd be surprised if anyone would get $500 for even the mintest of MIJ kits. And that's even on the high side. Typically, these sell in the $100-300 range.

Youre correct, $975 is more than double what they are worth on the open market, and that is factoring in the Zildjian Hi hats.

What is the wrap color, btw?

Just found the ad. So yes, it's a nice kit, it's in great shape, almost all original heads, original cymbal arm and percussion mount. Rare wrap. 8-lug bass (not too rare, but indicative of a higher end kit), but even more rare, an 8-lug 14x14 floor tom.

If it were in mint condition, I could see offering $400, maybe $500 if I really, really had to have it. As is, I think $350 is a fair price. Whomever it was that sold the 20/16/12 for $750 made out like a bandit.

Can you provide us with a link to see the kit, or at least tell us how to find it? $975?!! Personally, I don't care how rare a finish, or what condition its in, it is still an MIJ kit with a value of no more than $500 tops! I would need proof about the kit that sold for $750.

For all of us that monitor the selling of MIJ kits on eBay, it has become increasingly popular to price them for much more than they are worth. The same holds true for 60's MIJ snare drums. The sellers are asking ridiculous prices. Checking "Sold" items is the only way to see what these drums are selling for. OK, my rant is over!

-Mark

Crazy HIGH^^ but that said, the 100.00-300.00 range for something real clean and complete and out of the ordinary

is hard to stay within as a buyer

not to mention shipping, especially when a seller is unable to pack and nest the drums to save on the cost

If it is a cool wrap, and pretty complete even with some mods or other imperfections

before they land at the door, you are somewhere between four and five bills on them

Yes, this is what I keep going back to. I don't want to post a link to the auction out of respect for the OP in case he's considering the purchase, but no way would I ever drop more than $400 on this kit (shipped). I have a soft spot for MIJ sets, but asking nearly a grand for one is absolutely ludicrous. At the end of the day, no matter how pretty it is and how decent it sounds, it's still a cheaply constructed luan kit with vertical plies and cheap, unreliable hardware.

Edit: just saw he dropped the price to $750 (+$100 shipping) just this afternoon. Better, but still unreasonable.

Vater,

+1 with everything you've said.

Here are a few pictures of a Whitehall (Pearl) kit I sold some years back to a forum member. It was listed on eBay and sold for only $300. Definitely a very nice 1968 MIJ example. Add a rare finish and MAYBE it would have sold for $100 more. For my money, one of the most rare, and beautiful, finishes would be Pearl Fantasia.

-Mark

Speaking of Pearl Fantasia...Ok everyone else likes to call it Fantasia Pearl!

I looked back through my saved pictures and found this kit, offered through Steve Maxwell, that sold for $950 back in 2012. However, that is the EXCEPTION and NOT the norm!

-Mark

As a collector, I can see that someone might pay that price for those particular drums

a minty mint center lug pearl fantasia Star kit badged for Kent and with double toms and a 14" FT too..JEEZ!