Selling 80% of your collection for ‘52 Mantle - would you?

[donmuth]

While the idea of liquidating a bunch of cards to get a really big pickup, like the '52T Mantle, or any other big card may be tempting... I don't think I could do it.

I've spent 38 years working very slowly on the T206 set and many 1950s-1970s sets, plus adding to my HOF collection. Over 95% of my collection is raw/ungraded cards too just because I prefer them that way. So selling them may require getting a bunch graded to help maximize the return... so that would take time and upfront $.

There are so many great players. I would like to have cards of all of those great players, versus one (or even a few) high valued cards of a much fewer number of players.

Yes most of those other cards could be replaced over time. Maybe in collection 2.0 I could re-focus and target higher eye appeal cards or whatever. It would take a long time though... probably not 38 years... but several years at least. And some of the cards, while not rare are irreplaceable because they are tied to the memories of purchasing them (my first Mantle - a '65T bought back in the last 1980s) or getting them autographed in person (Willie Mays '69T, Richie Ashburn '52T, etc.).

Good luck on it if you decide to do it though!