Do You Ever Think About... (GASP!) Selling Your Collection?

[Wee67]

Watching the show American Pickers, they regularly come across older people who have decided to sell off their decades of collecting. The senior usually says they do not want to make their spouse or kids deal with the collection when they die. It made me think about when I might decide to sell off my collection. I have to admit, I've thought about it once or twice, but there's always something that reignites the fire.

I know a few folks here have sold their stuff and then started again. Have you ever thought about selling off and getting out of the collecting game?

[rche]

After I moved, I expected to make a collecting room or a display area, but it has never happened. So, I think about thinning a lot. Not necessarily getting rid of all of my collections, but focusing and concentrating more and using the monies from a thinning purge to support the collection that stays. The most difficult aspect about that is finding the time to organize for a sale. That is daunting thought, and I can see why folks use services like auction houses, or sell in bulk to pickers.

[Nostalgiabuff]

all the time. but I am rather lazy when it comes to doing it. I occasionally sell things if someone on here puts up a want post and I have it, AND know where it is. I just hate the whole selling stuff rigamarole. taking photos, listing, shipping etc

[Brue]

I am. I sold off the 90's toys first. Why dd I get them in the first place? It was fun. Then I sold off all of my 80s superhero stuff and Star Wars other than from THE Star Wars movie. Then I sold off My Megos except WGSH, Trek, Apes. Then The Apes and some Trek.
In the past year I have been selling my WGSH and remaining Megos.

For now I am hanging on to a handful of Megos, original loose Star Wars stuff, and a few select other figures.
If it isn't on display - it is for ale.

I just got to a point that I decided I didn't want to spend money on them and I only wanted ones that brought me joy.
Because I can let go completely, I decided I would buy new Mego Monsters found at retail or in person for retail price. (I have 2)

[Hector]

I’ve done it several times.

I’ve sold all my high priced comic books. Still have four boxes left, but they are not the high end ones. I sold all my Megos (except Superman related, but I’ve been selling those too as of late). I have sold half my Superman collection as well.

I’m all about ALIEN stuff now...

Has there been any regrets? For the most part, no. But a few still bother me to this day...selling Superman #2, Detective Comics #38, and Hulk #181. Funny, I don’t regret selling Giant Size X-Men #1, Fantastic Four #1, and Spider-Man #2 for some reason. I also regret selling my 1973 Datsun 240z back in the 90s, argh. I loved that car as much as my current 65 Mustang...but at the time, I drove and commuted to work 60 miles round trip...and badly needed an economy vehicle back then....again....argh...

My point, If you need to sell your collection, sell the most you can, but keep the very few you really, really love...

[PNGwynne]

I've thought about this a bit, particularly since I've entered my fifties. Space is an issue, and I"m much more selective about what I collect--though Imaginext requires a lot of room. I still actively buy vintage stuff, too--I'm hankering for a Kenner SMDM collection, and Mattel Mazinga and Godzilla. I could see selling off some '90s stuff, but not my whole collection.

Still, I wonder who will end up with my stuff--I'm not ready to part with my Megos or Joes. The Megos in particular were hard-won and I can't now afford to replace them. My partner is supportive of my hobby but not truly a fan. Sometimes I think I'd like to donate some things to a museum.

In ten years I may feel differently...

[Nostalgiabuff]

if nothing else I figure if I fall on hard times, unemployment etc, I can always sell it all to help pay the bills

[Nostalgiabuff]

ironically, at one point in the early 2000's I did start selling stuff, sold almost all of my vintage Kenner SW ships and playsets. I had almost everything too. all I have left now are most of the figures and the larger ships because they were too damn big to ship, lol. I don't regret selling any of that. I also sold off a lot of my loose Mego and Joe stuff that I had at that time and some of that, I do regret because when I started actually displaying and building a loose collection, I needed and still need, some of those parts. but that is life

[Mr.Marion]

There are pieces I would prefer to hold on to (mainly loose complete WGSH ) but other things can come and go as far as I'm concerned. If a grail of mine pops up for a deal I can't turn down, I will list a couple items to offset the cost.

[hedrap]

I've sold pretty.much my entire collection. The hardest thing were selling my Bandais and remco monsters. No real choice at the time.

In that sense the entire point of collecting has changed to me. Instead of being completist buys, its what's the appeal and is there a residual value?

[cjefferys]

As I get older, I've thought about it a lot, especially recently. I've always cycled through my collecting hobbies (right now it's buying record albums) but always keep most of my other stuff, even if I'm not currently adding to the collection, but I'm getting older, don't want to leave all my crap for my family to deal with if something happens to me, and a lot of things seem at peak prices now that won't last forever as our generation starts getting old and dying off (Ouch, I know! ). I'll always keep my dozen or so pieces that I've had since I was a kid (eg. Mego KISS dolls, Shoguns, large size Boba Fett, etc.), they are way too sentimental to me, and some of the really tough pieces that I'd have a very hard time replacing if I changed my mind. But the rest, I am giving some thought about, at least some of it.

[Brue]

I’ve done it several times.

I’ve sold all my high priced comic books. Still have four boxes left, but they are not the high end ones.

Same here.

Has there been any regrets? For the most part, no.

same for toys and comics

My point, If you need to sell your collection, sell the most you can, but keep the very few you really, really love...

True.

[Mikey]

Bingeing and Purging is the life-blood of being a healthy happy collector

Think of it like this, if it collects dust it's overdue for recycling back into the collecting community

[Brue]

Yep. I have an 84 year old friend with cancer who is trying to unload his NASCAR car collection. I am selling it for him, but it is mostly 90's stuff that doesn't have much value. I sold some locally. Just started to post on eBay.

Very sure he is done collecting.

You are right that we have an ebb and flow in collecting. One day we think it makes no sense, the next we buy it all up again or shift direction in collecting. Nothing wrong with that.

[rykerw1701]

Once I hit 50, I started thinking about thinning the herd of collectibles. I could easily part with 1/3 of what I have and not miss it at all, it's narrowing down all my crap into that 1/3 that's daunting. And getting rid of that 1/3 would make me face the fact that almost all of it isn't worth squat. Playmates Trek or Simpsons, anyone?

At this point, I'm pretty selective about what I bring into the house. I suspect within the next year or two I'll have a major sell-off, but I'll always have some amount of collectibles.