following up on a string of messages below, here is Wikipedia, on the subject of "New Old Stock". I first heard the term when restoring a 1971 de Tomaso Pantera, and learning that some NOS parts remain available.
For the watch collector, the ultimate example might be walking into the small jewelry shop, and seeing the square, red box, with the "Heuer" logo, in the corner of an old display case, with the proprietor complaining about this crazy looking square watch that he was never able to sell!!
Jeff
New old stock (abbreviated NOS) refers to merchandise being offered for sale which was manufactured long ago but that has never been used. Such merchandise may not be produced anymore, and the new old stock may represent the only market source of a particular item at the present time. Although not an officially recognized accounting term, it is in common use in the auction and retail industries. For example, owners of antique vehicles seek NOS parts from specialized vendors that are needed keep their automobiles, motorcycles, or trucks operational or in factory-original condition. eBay uses the term on their auction website.
Another example is a business catering to vacuum tube enthusiasts [1] that defines NOS as, any stocked item which is either A: out of production; B: discontinued from the current line of product; C: has been sitting on a stockroom or warehouse shelf for some time; or D: any combination of the above.
While damage to the original packaging is common, damage to its contents is generally not acceptable in determining if an item is NOS, as it should be presentable in the same form as when new.
Some people also refer to such merchandise as new obsolete stock to further indicate that the parts have not been manufactured for several years. This describes parts that are used in obsolete equipment or the like.
