Office fire...smoke damage to publications
 

I accidentally posted this question in the baseball card forum...so I apologize for the double post.

I am about to evaluate the cleanup of my collectibles with the adjuster following a fire at my office.Can anyone point me towards sources that can opine on how smoke smell affect the value of a collectible. Altho nothing was "lost" I am sure my publications will have a slight ozone and musty (smoky) residual odor. No water (only foam) was used, but framed pieces showed smoke under the glass, and I suspect some humidity I am sure existed. If I want to argue that a $1000 NM 1942 All Star program for instance, has lost value...are there sources I can cite?
In my attempt to save a buck, I cancelled my policy with CIA, but they kindly pointed me towards the Heritage (I'm near Dallas), My contents insurance includes a rider for collectibles up to $25,000 (which is a little less that it's value) but before they pay for an appraiser we'll determine if there is damage and I was hoping to go armed with freely (emphasis on free) support of what smoke and ozone treatment does to cards and publications.
Thanks

So it seems the value deduction would be between what someone would pay before and what someone would pay after the damage. That being said I can add a poll with percentages, to this thread, or the thread on the main board (card side), to get feedback. Then you can point an adjuster to the poll. In other words I can lock this thread, we can do it in the other to get more responses, then you will have empirical data...as much as you might be able to get. I could phrase a question something like....

If you were to buy a publication, how much less would you pay for it if it had moderate smoke smell/damage to it?

no less
1% less
5% less
10% less
20% less
30% less
40% less
50% less
60% less
70% less
80+% less

I think there can be about 10 options...

You can make the question or adjust the percentages. Just a thought.....Good luck (btw, I am near Dallas too)

My experience with smoke damaged goods, including paper products is that no one wants them.

I have taken baseball gloves and left in hanging in a ventalated garage for a year to get out smoke smell and as soon as I sell it and ship it to a person they always come back because the smoke smell come back in the box.

Paper the same, no one wants it

if it were a scarce publication, desirable item that is few and far between, people would want it, smoke damage or not.

i know a guy who only needs 1 joe louis program to complete his set of about 25.


its gus dorazio versus louis and he doesnt know if it even exists, no one has ever seen one.

searching 20 plus year and if he ever found one, he wouldnt care if it smelled like smoke, the price would be the same sky high price either way due to scarcity.

now if the program were plentiful, then people would go with the no smoke version, obviously. but scarcity cures all so to speak.

Thanks Leon, but I'm not sure there is that much interest in this issue:)
FWIW, I see that Justask.com has appraisers who monitor questions and if I wanted to pay $30 for "not urgent" to $50 for "urgent" I can poise my question.. . Today I spoke to the adjuster and he thought that might be a good/cheap opinion.

All my Sporting News from 1929-1963 were in archival boxes and were fine:)
The framed pieces were already in boxes and I didn't inspect them but based on framed prints in other parts of my office I'm assuming they would have smoke under the glass. The adjuster and I plan to deal with conditions when we have the office up and running.

Are the items replaceable? If so, they shouldn't have a problem giving you FMV, and you can repurchase. As stated above, they are damaged beyond repair. Not damaged beyond display necessarily, but you can't fix what's wrong. You would most likely have to relinquish the item. I'm pretty sure they would be far less likely to prorate the loss of something like that. Unless your policy specifies that?