Sacrificing a significant portion of your collection for one of your “Holy Grails”

[markf31]

I'm on the verge of doing just that. Over the next week or so I have the opportunity to hopefully acquire what I would consider my collection's "Holy Grail". I might acquire pieces in the future that are just as rare and important to my collection but as of right now this would become far and away the most important, valuable and rarest item in my collection if I can pull it off.

Given the rather small collecting budget I allot as "fun money" I'm going to have to liquidate a portion of my collection to fund the acquisition. All of these items are moderately easily to re-obtain in the future should I wish to, so there was not really much of a decision.

Anyone want to share their stories of having to sacrifice portions of their collection to allow for the procurement of one of your "Holy Grails". I hope in a week or so I can post a reply celebrating my acquisition.

[JoeyF1981]

Originally Posted by markf31

I'm on the verge of doing just that. Over the next week or so I have the opportunity to hopefully acquire what I would consider my collection's "Holy Grail". I might acquire pieces in the future that are just as rare and important to my collection but as of right now this would become far and away the most important, valuable and rarest item in my collection if I can pull it off.

Given the rather small collecting budget I allot as "fun money" I'm going to have to liquidate a portion of my collection to fund the acquisition. All of these items are moderately easily to re-obtain in the future should I wish to, so there was not really much of a decision.

Anyone want to share their stories of having to sacrifice portions of their collection to allow for the procurement of one of your "Holy Grails". I hope in a week or so I can post a reply celebrating my acquisition.

Whats this holy grail youre talking about if you dont mind sharing? Good luck with your acquisition.

[markf31]

Originally Posted by JoeyF1981

Whats this holy grail youre talking about if you dont mind sharing? Good luck with your acquisition.

Thanks! I'm going to hold off on mentioning it at this time. Maybe its partially superstition, don't want to "jinx" it.

[ScottFandango]

Originally Posted by JoeyF1981

Whats this holy grail youre talking about if you dont mind sharing? Good luck with your acquisition.

why? are you gonna clip it from under him and then offer to sell it for double?


try to add something meaningful in your posts JoeyF....
also, we are not your free authenticators....

[milkit1]

Quantity first
Quality a distant second

[JoeyF1981]

Originally Posted by ScottFandango

why? are you gonna clip it from under him and then offer to sell it for double?


try to add something meaningful in your posts JoeyF....
also, we are not your free authenticators....

Lol...scott if you have some sort of grudge against me then maybe we can have a sit down with you, me and dr phil and hash it out. I simply asked him to share his new future purchase and in no way pressed him or in any way attempted to "clip" anything. And what do you mean by meaningful? Just like your post was meaningful to totally disregard the op's thread and start attacking me???? Good one! Now if you have a problem then we can talk about it but in the mean time stop ruining peoples threads with meaningless crap

[SikSyko]

I would dump all my collections to get the Joe Jackson autograph that is now on in the goodwinandco.com auction. It would be close to what I think it would go for.

[ullmandds]

I just would have a hard time going from having a collection...to having 1 card!!!!! It seems like you're going from collector...to investor of sorts?!

[JoeyF1981]

Originally Posted by SikSyko

I would dump all my collections to get the Joe Jackson autograph that is now on in the goodwinandco.com auction. It would be close to what I think it would go for.

+1

[atx840]

I'm currently starting the process Mark, tough to let some of these little things go

[MattyC]

Did the exact same thing back in May. Sold off a huge chunk of my cards, even some that will be tough to replace-- but by and large they were "condition rarities" in PSA 10. Never been happier with a decision (except for when I sold my one Registry Set).

I also found that the cards I sold that I thought were replaceable were all replaced quite quickly-- and once I replaced those condition-rare 10s with solid 9s, I did not miss the 10s at all; it was like looking at the same cards again. But now I also had my most desired piece alongside them.

Very excited to see what you acquire!

[midwaylandscaping]

I've done it myself with cards and comics, with the understanding in my mind of "never looking back". There are many instances where that one "grail" is worth more to a collector than what is being moved collectively to get that grail.

[vintagecpa]

I sold most of my collection to get my Holy Grail about 4 years ago. I have never regretted it. You can always slowly replace the smaller-value cards. I say go for it and good luck.

[DeanH3]

I too have sold off cards to acquire rarer pieces. I have still been debating whether or not to continue with that formula. There are a few cards out there I'd like to pick up but i'm having a tough time deciding what I would sell. I figure best route is to take my time and make sure I don't do anything I regret. Good luck in your decision.

[ullmandds]

i've kinda been downsizing my collection in favor of fewer higher quality items...and am very happy with the decision. But as my collection gets smaller...it gets harder and harder to get rid of any of it!

[MattyC]

Interestingly, one definitely reaches a point where you have sold a grouping of lesser pieces and bought a more major one enough times-- and now you are left with all cards you'd rather not part ways with for one larger piece. That's the tough part, when you gotta start dipping into new cash! That's where I am right now. There are a few big cards I want, but I look at any pieces I'd have to part with to get them, and I just can't do it. Which means I just gotta make more $!

[g_vezina_c55]

i think it is a good move .
good luck and i am impatient to see this holy grail !

[Sean]

I had a chance to do just this about 11 years ago. I had a chance to get a T206 Plank, and I decided not to do it. I regret that decision to this day. So I say: go ahead, get that one big item. You can rebuild your collection later, but you may never get another shot at your Holy Grail.

PS- I did eventually get a different Plank.

[4815162342]

I know of at least one board member who owns my dream card. The problem with what I collect is that almost every card is a grail, so it would be excruciating to start over.

If you can replace your collection fairly easily in the future over time, I say go for it!

[MBMiller25]

Originally Posted by MattyC

Interestingly, one definitely reaches a point where you have sold a grouping of lesser pieces and bought a more major one enough times-- and now you are left with all cards you'd rather not part ways with for one larger piece. That's the tough part, when you gotta start dipping into new cash! That's where I am right now. There are a few big cards I want, but I look at any pieces I'd have to part with to get them, and I just can't do it. Which means I just gotta make more $!

+1

[tbob]

I have done this before but it goes against my grain as I am a set collector generally, a type collector occasionally. There's just something about having a nice T205 set, for instance, instead of a nice E90-1 Jackson. I guess I am in the minority...

[Vintageclout]

It is always tough to part with the cards you "broke your back" to obtain, but I am convinced obtaining a MASSIVE cardboard brick is more than worth it!

[T206Collector]

Sold 400+ T206s to buy Lionel Carter's Eddie Plank. Have never regretted it.

It was hard at the time, but I have not missed virtually any of those cards, which frankly are easy enough to find again if I want.

[atx840]

To me, quality doesn't necessarily mean high grade.

Lately I would prefer to have one really nice/tough error example vs five minor ones. One HOF rareback vs three common w/ rarebacks.

I also fully appreciate having the most unique examples one can to admire....that was me up until just recently

[Kenny Cole]

Mentally, I've been moving in the direction of selling off lots of my pre-war commons and lower grade items in order to fund the purchase of some of my whales for quite some time. That would make sense because I've always been a star/negro league/HOF card collector at heart. Physically, I haven't done a damn thing to get it accomplished. Every time I think about it, I find a reason not to get into my safes and start getting it accomplished.