Have you ever wanted to just sell your Autograph collection?

[Econteachert205]

I think most hobbyists have gone through some sort of budget issues. I consider myself very good with money, but with so many cool things out there, I can sometimes get overly hungry-eyed. I keep a close monthly budget and sell items to offset purchases. I occasionally take an inventory of my collection and weed out things that no longer speak to me.

[theshleps]

There is a reason other than $ that sometimes makes me want to get out. I had given my son about 200 signed vintage cards to help with his mortgage alittle bit. For the most part sales went fine. They there have been 5 cards which were returned for being "fake". One was a Stengel the buyer sent in and it was rejected by PSA (I felt it was good). I then had a friend take it to JSA who then slabbed it. I just heard that a Durocher and a Gehringer were rejected as was a Faber. I know these guys autographs very well. Can tell the difference easily between a Faber and a wife signed. Not only are some of the companies slabbing fakes right and left but sometimes they reject good ones. And you have collectors who are not well versed trusting these guys as the gospel truth. I am not the expert some of you are but I know a decent amount and I know who to trust if I am unsure but for me the authenticators have ruined the hobby tho I guess they do some good. It was so much nicer collecting in the 1960's. Tempted to sell it all and buy an amazing condo somewhere. I'd probably have to collect something tho as I went from cards to autographs to comic books, to persion Jewish antiques and then back to autographs. No idea what would come next.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by theshleps

There is a reason other than $ that sometimes makes me want to get out. I had given my son about 200 signed vintage cards to help with his mortgage alittle bit. For the most part sales went fine. They there have been 5 cards which were returned for being "fake". One was a Stengel the buyer sent in and it was rejected by PSA (I felt it was good). I then had a friend take it to JSA who then slabbed it. I just heard that a Durocher and a Gehringer were rejected as was a Faber. I know these guys autographs very well. Can tell the difference easily between a Faber and a wife signed. Not only are some of the companies slabbing fakes right and left but sometimes they reject good ones. And you have collectors who are not well versed trusting these guys as the gospel truth. I am not the expert some of you are but I know a decent amount and I know who to trust if I am unsure but for me the authenticators have ruined the hobby tho I guess they do some good. It was so much nicer collecting in the 1960's. Tempted to sell it all and buy an amazing condo somewhere. I'd probably have to collect something tho as I went from cards to autographs to comic books, to persion Jewish antiques and then back to autographs. No idea what would come next.

Personally, I could never stomach the Autographs being real or not unless I got them myself or they were on legal documents (which probably have a very high percentage of being real). It's hard enough on the cards side. But a card that is deemed AUT instead of getting a number still has good value, most times. Not so much with Autos.....I have acquired some autos just because they came with the card, and sometimes I didn't even know they were real!! Still, I know a lot of collectors have fun with autos and it is a great collecting niche. (for others)

[whyconform]

I have been collecting since 07 and from time to time think about it.....

People need to have hobbies, otherwise, they're boring.
I know people who play golf, or own/ride horses, etc...and that can be just as expensive as autograph collecting, BUT my take is that at the end of the day, I still have the investment, whereas a horse owner can't get back board/changing shoes, etc....

But like I said, I do think about listing my entire PC up for a lump sum, just as a feeler. Maybe nobody bites, or I get lowballs, (probably a ton of people hoping I part out) but there might be some rich person that wants to jump in, and maybe just get it all at once.....I don't think I would turn that down......so if you see a massive HOF collection on ebay one day for like 50k or more, lol it might just be me.

[Fuddjcal]

Excellent points Schleprock... except "Tempted to sell it all and buy an amazing condo somewhere"

IMHO, Condos are a complete waste of money especially for investments. A good rule of thumb is, if you ain't buying dirt, it ain't Real Estate. The association fees will kill ya. If it's not for an investment, save up until you have a 25% deposit for your dream home where you want to die. It's really that simple.

As per Fudd, the real estate guy

[murphusa]

3 years ago I took everything and put it in an auction and received about 30% more than I hoped for. Took the money and brought a house at the Jersey shore on the water.

didn't buy anything for a year, then started again but was more specific to what I am buying

[Fuddjcal]

Originally Posted by murphusa

3 years ago I took everything and put it in an auction and received about 30% more than I hoped for. Took the money and brought a house at the Jersey shore on the water.

didn't buy anything for a year, then started again but was more specific to what I am buying

NICE TOUCH Murph!

[baseball tourist]

Originally Posted by Fuddjcal

Excellent points Schleprock... except "Tempted to sell it all and buy an amazing condo somewhere"

IMHO, Condos are a complete waste of money especially for investments. A good rule of thumb is, if you ain't buying dirt, it ain't Real Estate. The association fees will kill ya. If it's not for an investment, save up until you have a 25% deposit for your dream home where you want to die. It's really that simple.

As per Fudd, the real estate guy

Too simplistic of an answer.....if it weren't, I wouldn't have sold my Toronto condo 8 years after I purchased it for a $75K profit after legal/closing costs etc.

In addition, to some (like a City boy such as myself) a high rise condo in a cosmopolitan city is a dream home location. Ticky-tack suburban homes...no thanks! Country living? Nice to vacation to, but to live...no thanks.

To each their own of course, and every market is different.

[perezfan]

Originally Posted by baseball tourist

Too simplistic of an answer.....if it weren't, I wouldn't have sold my Toronto condo 8 years after I purchased it for a $75K profit after legal/closing costs etc.

In addition, to some (like a City boy such as myself) a high rise condo in a cosmopolitan city is a dream home location. Ticky-tack suburban homes...no thanks! Country living? Nice to vacation to, but to live...no thanks.

To each their own of course, and every market is different.

Absolutely correct... it all depends on the geography and specific real estate market in question. Seattle is "gold" right now, and a majority of condo owners are thriving and/or realizing big profits.

[Exhibitman]

It all depends on where/how you want to live. You aren't going to buy 'dirt' in Manhattan or central San Francisco, for example. Also, when you reach a certain point in life having to maintain a house loses its charm. My wife and I have about had it after nearly 20 years. The last major repair [sewer main line at $10K] is the last one I ever want to do.

[Fuddjcal]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

It all depends on where/how you want to live. You aren't going to buy 'dirt' in Manhattan or central San Francisco, for example. Also, when you reach a certain point in life having to maintain a house loses its charm. My wife and I have about had it after nearly 20 years. The last major repair [sewer main line at $10K] is the last one I ever want to do.

I hear ya Exhibit, I spent 60K with remodeling 3 bathrooms, 7 Patio doors, shutters and Blinds already this year...and that's before anything has broke....and you know that's coming.. A house is hardly an investment, but a place to put down roots, hence the word Real Estate. I made $250,000 on a condo that I sold in 2004 near the height of the market. The poor bastard that bought it from me is still struggling to make his money back, so how did that "investment" go for him? I put the money back into where I live now and have never regretted it, despite making 150,000 then losing 300,000, now back up again. I really don't care about the money, It's almost paid. I will reiterate. A condo is NOT an investment. Neither is a home, it's simply a place to live and put down roots. Many people have made 1000's and millions in the "game". They have also lost everything, wit 2007-2009, so I guess I just choose to play it safe. Obviously, there are different opinions on the matter, but this has allowed me to sleep just fine at night, while knowing I'll leave a prime piece of real estate to my heirs.