How do you decide if and what to sell?

[rainier2004]

So Im kinda being indecisive at the moment, cant decide between selling my collection, keeping 'em all or something in the middle (In 29 years of collecting I have never thought about selling my entire collection). At a bit of a fork in the road with life, no health concerns and my family is as strong as ever so no real emergency. I just haven't felt strongly about my collection lately, actually took every bb card down, packed them up and put them away to see what it would be like...the room is awfully bare and bothers the wife.

So back to the question, what is the deciding factor? Is it always money based? Is it always funds for another project? What if the card hasn't seen the light of day in a decade? New hobby? Does anyone have any factors simply based on what the card(s) represents to them? I have read lots of threads that conclude most people never regret selling an item after its gone. I would never sell my childhood cards, but they make up only about 2% of my collection as most were sold in my teenage years. Im in no rush, just looking for some input or any advice.

[g_vezina_c55]

If you don't need the money for another project or hobby or emergency my advice is keep it away in storage and when the card collecting bug hurt you again in 1 year or 5 years you will be a verry happy guy when you will open your storage box and see all these candy red cards

On my side i didn t buy cards since couple month.. my interrest is still present but i have a low interrest in it since couple time... i put it away in my safe until the bug hurt me again. I don't need money so i don't sell the cards.

[conor912]

Wow. What a bomb to drop, Steve. I've always thought your collection is one if the nicest on the board.

I would say wait until you have another use in mind for the funds. There is no use in selling just so the money can sit in a savings account. Take a break from collecting and after a while you will have one of two realizations...1) you miss collecting and want resume or 2) you really don't miss them at all.

[PowderedH2O]

Agreed. I've HAD to sell on a few occasions. But, the one time that I sold because I was sick of collecting was the one time I regretted it later. Stick your stuff in the attic and mark down the date. Check back in one year. If you haven't had any desire to pull the stuff down during that entire time, then maybe selling is the best thing to do. But, don't make a quick decision.

[vintagetoppsguy]

I agree with the previous two posters. Just put them away for awhile, forget about them and come back to them a few months or even a year or so down the road.

Once you pull them back out, if the passion comes back you'll be glad you didn't sell them. If you still feel the same way, then sell them to put the money elsewhere.

[rainier2004]

I appreciate the responses, Im also smacked in the face with the nice simplicity of the advice. Maybe Im just overanalyzing this, and there definitely will not be a quick decision made.

[jcmtiger]

I have been collecting since the early 1970's. collected everything. In 1996 I sold all my complete sets 1968 thru 1995, my 150 or so vintage bobbers.

Last year I sold all my Hartlands, complete original baseball set, some football and Westerns. So at that point I only had Detroit Tiger items.

I sold my Tiger yearbooks 1955 and up, sold my Tiger programs, Tiger World Series Press pins, etc.

Now my collection consists of Detroit Old Judge, T206 Tiger set and many misc Ty Cobb items. And a few othe things.

I never thought I would sell any Detroit items, but really lost interest in lots of the items.

Just happens I think.

Joe

[Touch'EmAll]

#1 - when I need money
#2 - when a card is overgraded
#3 - when the wife starts to rant

[bcbgcbrcb]

If you ultimately decide to sell and can afford to do it over time, take a look at what's hot in the marketplace periodically and sell those types of items. Things go in cycles and you should maximize your return that way.

Best of luck with whatever you decide to do.

[steve B]

I hardly ever sell stuff that's not something I have more than one of. I've done a bit lately, and of course while I was doing general antiques on Ebay I'd sell stuff I had no intention of collecting.

The few collection items I've sold lately were either things that really belonged in another collection, or really didn't fit in mine.

My collection of bikes is pretty wide ranging, but it's mostly team used aerodynamic bikes from roughly 1983-2000. I picked up a very nice tandem a few years ago, rode it once and found out my wife and I just couldn't ride a tandem. I sold it recently to a cyclist I know who is really into tandems, and regularly rides them with his wife. He's happy to have it, and really likes it. I'm glad about that, and my wife is happy that it's not blocking up the back hallway anymore. (Me too, just don't tell her )

Over the years I've taken short breaks of sorts from collecting different things. Since I usually go for inexpensive stuff I don't really worry about selling. Maybe if I'd spent more I'd be more inclined to sell it in favor of other stuff.

Even Museums occasionally go through their holdings and sell or trade items that don't fit their collections, or aren't likely to fit into any future displays.

I think the storing stuff for a while might be good. You'll probably find that in a couple months there's a few pieces you miss seeing displayed. Those will be the keepers, after that it's just figuring out what the focus will be if any.

Steve B

[Zone91]

I have been through many debates like that in the past...I say do not sell wait till the hobby draws you back in...I have always regretted selling any of my collectibles.....and have learned from the past no matter what you may think right now you will be back to collecting one day down the road.

Life becomes a real bore after a while when one stops collecting....don't make the mistake of selling!!!

Post # 2

[ullmandds]

Adrian...I know french is your 1st language...and english is weird..but...I have been..."through" this before...and I had a ball...and I "threw" it!

[Zone91]

ullmandds

Thanks!!

Post # 3

[DHogan]

My wife said she would never want me to sell any from my collection. No matter what. Not that my collection is worth much. She said it makes me happy. I have a great wife.

[timber63401]

Like the other poster said, with a collection as nice as yours just put them up for a year. If the desire is still gone sell the easiest to replace stuff first and go from there. Ive got out of this hobby 4 or 5 times the last 20 years last time was a divorce but Im just now getting back now and always seem to find my way back thru out the years.

[timzcardz]

Perhaps sell a few things and see how it feels.

[conor912]

On another idea, the CJ book launches in August. If there is ever a nice time to unload those, it might be shortly after that.....

[dstudeba]

However remember that if you do need to sell for another project quickly you might not have as much of a decision as to what you sell. I like Phil's idea of selling what is hot. I am not sure what you have in your collection, but there are many cards that are pretty easy (and fun) to replace. I have built and sold off the 1954 Wilson Franks set a few times.

[rhettyeakley]

Sometimes the things I collect almost take on a life of their own and get too large and I have thought of narrowing my focus at times as well. Does anyone really need 500-600 different E121 like cards in their collection? While they are far tougher to find than the different T206 backs I just have a hard time seeing people flocking to that niche (although to me it is way more interesting as they include candy, bakery, caramel, etc companies)

Usually when I decide to sell one of the items in my personal collection it is entirely to put towards another project that has become a higher priority. Over the past few years I broke up and sold my player pinback collection and then put the money towards other stuff, with that particular collection I was always a little worried living in a very dry climate that the pins might start to crack a little. It never happened to me but it would be tough to swallow pulling out your cameo pepsin pin of Cy Young and finding a crack right through his face that wasn't there before!