I cannot think of doing anything less kind to my son that passing on my collection to them. The real joy in collecting is in the assembly, the stories and the people you meet along the way.
I liquadated the collection of a friend last year. It was a joy to be of service to his family. He died at 51 and the extra money will help his daughter (14) in college. It was a whole lot of work and took the better part of a year (eventually netting around $50K for the family). Sometimes I think I could have done a little better, but given the economy, I think I did fine. I fear I have no good candidates to do the same for me so I may thin the herd over the next few years. I fully suspect I have another 30 or 40 years on this earth, but I would like to have more marketable chunks and less random cards. It is just easier to sell a 1961 Topps set than an accumulation of random cards or equal value.
I have given my son some rudimentary instruction on extrapolating reasonable value, but honestly it would be hard right now.
I heard one the other day that I think sums it up for most of us on this board...My greatest fear is that I might die unexpectedly and my wife would sell my baseball cards for what I told her I paid for them.
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