Tubes, Tubes and more Tubes...

dill,

they did have a methodology to their madness. All the used tubes have a penned "X" on them or have the tube type written over the original printed box. I've opened roughly 20 of each to see that the pins are visibly discolored and the silkscreening is not perfect on the X'd ones and the non-X'd ones have no heat discoloration on the pins and the silk screening is great. 

And "NOS" doesn't mean never used. It's a marketing term for a tube that "tests" good. How are the tubes tested? At high voltage? Good luck doing this on your own unless @dill is suggesting he can do this and handle marketing. 

I buy quality tubes- I'm picky, I don't buy used up tubes- it's getting harder to find true never used NOS of desirable tubes. The OP will have to decide what amount of time and effort he wants to put into the process and how much return he expects. I'll pay for the right tube. Some are pretty much unobtanium on the open market. Or you pay through the nose for them. 

If gear can use a modern production tube and sound good, more power to you. 

500 tubes can be listed on ebay "sold as is" and get you good cash.

Finding a dealer to sell them all at once will get you much less.

Buying a tube tester and list them with readings will get you much more.

Depends on rarity of tube, your time spent and how professionally you want to do it.

Hi Dave -

This is from personal experience, which I don't believe you have heard from yet.

My dad had a repair shop that he opened up following his return from the Army in 1947.  His stock in trade was TVs, Radios, and all Appliances.  The business name was Chief Radio (a play on the military rank of Radio Chief).  The store was in Brooklyn.  That's me with the Chief in my name photo.

When we liquidated the business, there was a wall of tubes in boxes to contend with.  Every manufacturer you could think of.  Plus drawers full of used tubes.  From the smallest tubes to the largest tubes.  Had to be a few thousand.  

NO ONE (let me repeat NO ONE) wanted this stock at any price, plus I would have to pay shipping costs, if I would give them away for free.  It wasn't just tubes.  I went through similar with the Major Appliance Makers' In-House Museums (GE, Whirlpool, Kitchen Aid) as I had several dozen new in the box household appliances that I wanted to donate.

Several issues with tubes.  It is expensive to store & grade & catalog & value all your tubes to eventually sell.  Also, it was a popular practice to re-shelf tubes that were not completely spent.  What you think are NOS, are unfortunately not NOS.  Everyone realizes this.  You are not the first one to deal with this situation.  Also, most tubes were made for TVs, not audio.  Unless you wish to make this your new career, it is as though you just acquired a new albatross.

I held on to the stock for several years.  At one point, I invited Art Dudley (Stereophile) over to the shop.  I had a number of larger raw speakers that I gifted him, along with some old wooden radios.   He shook his head with the tube task in front of me.  Also had Gary Dell'Abate (Howard Stern) over for some old microphones and radios.  Contacted just about every tube dealer that I could identify ... no bites.  

I eventually tossed everything.  Bothered me greatly.  Also had to exercise caution as I was throwing out glass and cardboard, both recyclables.  

This is only my story.  Others may disagree.  Hell, most may disagree with what I did.  You have the problem now.  Good luck.

Rich