This 2 auctions are examples of what condition and having the box can
do to the price of an otherwise pleasant sounding but otherwise modest
performing radio. (neither of them are mine)

Bids:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...8815 258&rd=1

No Bids:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tegory=15 051

The Rf-5000a is a big transoceanic size radio with really pleasant
audio. Music on strong shortwave stations is an absolute delight. It
sounds like radios used to when they came in big wooden cases and it
just looks impressive in person. While it can decode ssb finding
specific frequencies is a challenge. It will be interesting to see
how serious the collectors are with this one. I remember one in this
condition going for well over $1,000 a couple of years ago.

I owned one for about a year, but sold it because it was really
insensitive to other than powerhouse signals.