I have just been looking over ebay to get an idea of the value of my Leica equipment, so I can update the insurance I have. I must say how staggered I am at the prices being asked for some of the items - none of which I would consider as exotic.
Any ideas as to why 35mm Summicrons and particularly 50mm Elmars are so dear?
Even the items I regarded (until now!) as "cooking models" are apparently getting big money, such as the 35mm Summarons and 90mm Elmarits.
Make sure you are looking at prices of things that have SOLD. I see a lot of people putting various insane prices up for photo gear --- you can ask whatever you want, but you may not get it.
Prices in general are up - but ebay is perhaps the VERY WORST place one could go to get an idea for the value of an object. There are after all people asking $900 for domiplans. Even if you check completed auctions you will find a lot of price variation because of all the factors involved in selling in an online auction, and you'll never have one wit of an idea about how honestly described the items were if you're not the one who is buying them.
I'd check KEH and compare their instant quote offer to buy your equipment vs. the price they sell the same stuff for. Realistic private party value should be somewhere in-between those two numbers.
for insurance you really want replacement value/cost, not what you could sell it for, so I'd look at three or four large dealers and average what they are asking, then add 10 percent for the hassle, shipping, etc etc etc.
A lot of lenses are getting a new life. The Summaron because of its size and lens such as the 90mm Elmarit M because it is now recognised as one of Leica's nicest rendering optic's. But you should look at 'completed listings', and make sure you are looking at the correct part of the world, there is an overheated market in Japan and the Far East which doesn't reflect a realistic price in Europe for example.