In terms of eBay prices, the Halo brand of HandPan from Pantheon Steel has always been at the very top of the food chain. Numerous Halo offered up on the auction platform by Pantheon sold for in excess of $10,000, since eBay sales began back in 2011. Reaching a peak in 2014; when their pre-Christmas auction sold for $15,000.
However, around April, 2015, prices for Halo sold at eBay, began to drop significantly. With prices for three consecutive monthly sales falling to around the $5000 mark - reaching an all-time low (to date) in June, 2015, of $4802.
However, around April, 2015, prices for Halo sold at eBay, began to drop significantly. With prices for three consecutive monthly sales falling to around the $5000 mark - reaching an all-time low (to date) in June, 2015, of $4802.
Did the HandPan Bubble Just Burst?
In all likelihood the drop in prices reached at auction for Halo has nothing what-so-ever to do with Pantheon Steel themselves, the quality of their instruments, or even demand for them. Pantheon Steel's eBay auctions have provided one of very few visible insights into the true market price of the more sought after brands of HandPan. And presumably, if more makers sold their instruments within the auction format, this would be having a trickle-down effect across the board.
The original HandPan, the PANArt Hang, was introduced to the world in the year 2000. And remained pretty much the only option for a desperate army of singing-steel hunters to try and obtain for almost ten years. With the first Hang alternatives beginning to appear on the market around 2007 (starting with the Caisa) - with just five known makers offering their wares to the world by the end of 2010.
Fast-forward to 2015 though, and it has been a very interesting year for HandPan enthusiasts. Because while there has been a slow-but-steady stream of new makers appearing over the last few years - in 2015, new makers have been popping up like mushrooms. With known makers now totalling well over the fifty mark - with more coming to light all the time.
So that while demand for the instrument type still appears to be strong - with so many choices, and options, now presenting themselves - for the first time since the birth of the Hang, the HandPan market edges ever closer to becoming a buyers market, instead of the sellers market, that previously, it has always been...
