Selling Cards You Didn't Want To Or Have To?

[T206Collector]

Anyone ever get an offer on a card that was too good to refuse that you took it even if you didn't need the money or want to lose the card? I could use a few anecdotes on this topic.

[arexcrooke]

Originally Posted by T206Collector

Anyone ever get an offer on a card that was too good to refuse that you took it even if you didn't need the money or want to lose the card? I could use a few anecdotes on this topic.

Just recently I did. I had a card up on ebay for above the highest VCP sale of the card in the grade. The card was a 57 topps Aaron with no snow and great picture quality. I didnt really want to sell it but the buyer met my price and so I let it go. Even then I didnt really want to but I knew I could look and would be able to find one as nice but better centered.
So as soon as it sold I began being on the lookout for another one!

[4815162342]

I've made offers on several cards and other items I've found in old Net54 posts. Some made a deal, some didn't. Did I overpay? I probably did, though I still haven't seen any of them for sale elsewhere.

[Bicem]

Yes, irreplaceable stuff too. I regret it.

[Jacklitsch]

More regrets that I can count.

One that stands out is a 1915 Zeenut McMullin. Another is a Rose Matty.

I could go on but won't.

[T206Collector]

Ugh! I was hoping there would be less regret stories as I already regret the deal I just made. More on that after the transaction is official and complete.

[philliesfan]

Yup. Every T206 I sold on ebay over the years.

[vintagehofrookies]

Originally Posted by T206Collector

Ugh! I was hoping there would be less regret stories as I already regret the deal I just made. More on that after the transaction is official and complete.

unfortunately I agree with what others have posted as I have been in that situation more than I'd like to remember and almost always regret it, but it was because I needed the money.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by T206Collector

Anyone ever get an offer on a card that was too good to refuse that you took it even if you didn't need the money or want to lose the card? I could use a few anecdotes on this topic.

Many times, especially back when I was accumulating T206 'errors'. I would actually have collectors beg me to sell them a card and I would give them a number, telling them I felt guilty about such a high number (which I did), but that I really didn't want to sell the card. I ended up selling all of them. I won't say I regretted selling any of them, but I didn't actually want to. I used the money to buy other stuff which I probably sold and repeated the process, so no concerns about prices. The lesson I learned is that if you don't want to sell something, don't ever offer it for sale.

Opposite example - I purchased a bunch of cigar boxes just to get at the small EPDG box that I don't think anyone had ever seen before. I had someone contact me telling me that they were a descendant of the man who created the company, that they really wanted the box, but they couldn't afford to pay any more than some very trivial amount. I had no real attachment to it, so I sold it to them for next to nothing, knowing it was worth a lot more but thinking they were keeping it for sentimental reasons. I saw it auctioned less than a year later, and it of course brought a heckuva lot. I'm not real great at listening to sob stories any more when it involves collectibles.

[Bicem]

If it's no longer core to your focus, I don't think you'll miss it.

[Exhibitman]

I've never sold anything at my price that I regretted. If I don't want to sell it I set a really, really high price and don't budge from it. If someone wants to meet that price, fine, I will sell the card without remorse. After all, it's just stuff. I've very much regretted what some of my things sold for at auctions. A couple of times I've gotten lucky and bought them back for less than I sold them for.

If I had to pick a card that I regret selling it would be the 1954 Aaron rookie I had in PSA 7. I sat on it for about ten years then finally sold it for a fair, negotiated price...before the run up in prices. When I look at the VCP most recent prices I throw up a little in my mouth.

[ValKehl]

Originally Posted by Bicem

If it's no longer core to your focus, I don't think you'll miss it.

Jeff, what you said makes much sense. This said, I still wish that I hadn't, in a moment of weakness on May 26, 2011, traded this jewel, even though I still had a card of a common player from this set to serve as my type example (hence, I rationalized that this card wasn't "core" to my type-card focus) - but, it helps a bit to know that the Net54er I traded this card to (hi Ted!) truly treasures it:

[Jobu]

That is a beautiful Mantle and I can see why you might be conflicted. I hope that you land one of your top cards with the money so you never have to think twice about this decision.

Val, I wish I had been around when you traded that Matty! That is one of my top three favorite cards, absolutely incredible. Take solace in knowing that it resides in one hell of a collection.

[Bicem]

Don't even worry about this, relatively easy to replace anytime you want. Parting with the irreplaceable stuff that still fits your collection is what pains you forever.