It's really hard to sell

[handyjack]

I keep telling myself to sell my collection. My kids have no interest in it and I'm not geting any younger. I feel I should sell it off to save them the trouble when I'm gone. It is really alot of work to sell individual books on ebay and on other sites. I don't think they will get what they should and besides I never read the actual comics anyways as I have the trade collections when I feel the need.

 

I have my books safely stored away in boxes and I never really look at them.

Yet, just the fact I know I have them makes me feel good. It's like I have this emotional attachment to them. Everytime I pull a book out to photograph and list I can't seem to follow through so I put it back in its box abd leave it there until the next time I say I am going to sell it.

 

Then I start to worry that if i sell it I am going to regret it, even though the books are easily obtained, there seems to be plenty of them listed everyday on the bay that I could always buy them back. Or I could flip the money into a mega key and really excite myself except I still wouldnt have my precious collection, only a single slab or two.

 

What is wrong with me? I must be sick in the head. Am I the only one who feels this way?

 

I can come up with plenty of reasons to sell them but the feeling of dread overwhelms me.

 

Sheesh!

 

Any therapist here on the boards?

[ChrisInBaltimore]

Just hand on to them and leave 'em for your kids. It sounds like your brain is saying sell while your heart is telling you not too.

[comicwiz]

This is a dilemma for many collectors. I have been thinking about this a lot more in the past year, especially because of the size of my collection and the variety of different collectibles I've accumulated over the years. I have no real solutions for you, except that curating the collection little by little over several years might give lead to more financial gain. I think the concerns you share regarding your collection someday overwhelming your family is certainly a valid one.

[Passport Comics]

I've done what you describe for many years. Finally I just had to say - too much is too much, time to trim it down.

[mkkiller]

I just recently did the same thing they are out the door tomorrow into the hands of someone who will appreciate them and has the space for them. I held onto my good ones and are planning to get some new books aswell, Rinse repeat, Only keep what you think is meaningful to you.

[comicdonna]

Once you start, it gets easier.

[Buzzetta]

If I die tomorrow then the following:

 

a) I don't have to go to work on Tuesday, although I have joked that my boss would prop me up at work like "Weekend at Bernie's" in order to keep the status quo.

 

b) Whatever happens to my stuff is the least of my concern.

[porky]

as long as you have the room to store then without looking like you belong on Hoarders and can afford them, just enjoy having them. sell a few, buy a few. it's fun.

[warburger]

If I die tomorrow then the following:

 

b) Whatever happens to my stuff is the least of my concern.

 

The OP is thinking exactly the opposite, saving his family the trouble of thinking what to do with his collection.

[spidrvacc]

This sounds like me many times over the years. I have gone as far as to sit down for hours and break my collection into 2 list -Sell and Keep. But I always wind up not selling anything and actually buying more. When i was 25 I told myself I would sell my collection when I turn 45. I turned 45 last year and said 55. I figure at 55 I will say 65. I do plan on selling at some point most of my comic collecton. Keeping maybe 100 comics but again I think that may be 55 now.

 

Have to add that part of the reason is similar to yours. My son jumped from comics to sports cards. He has some interest in comics now but not like he used to . (Still have hope he gets back into it) I have no friends who care about comics. Makes it hard to hold onto a huge collection when you have no one to share it with. Back when I was 25 I had a few friends who collected and coworkers who did. Had some great conversations about comics etc Again I'm selling at 55 now.

[shadroch]

Sell some of the stuff, and spend part of the money on your kids. They'll appreciate it and encourage you to sell more.

[fastballspecial]

Think of it like this.

 

If you plan to keep your books then make a comprehensive list of your books, value, notes, etc.... This is done for your family when you are gone. This way they have some idea of what your books are and what they are valued at. Because your family usually wont know the value of your collection or the quality.

 

If that is easier then follow that route. If not then go the selling route slowly over time if you must.

 

Another route is to sell some and roll them into Mutual Funds or 529s depending on your kids age and situations.

 

[mrmyst]

Or roll them into logs, and enjoy a good fireside chat with the fam.

[miraclemet]

So handyjack, what do these comics mean to you, if anything?

 

Cause they are just paper, ink and staples. All easy things to get rid of. And they are relatively easy to liquidate (depending on if your goal is least amount of effort, or most amount of income, or somewhere in between).

 

So whats the barrier? There's no wrong answer. I have some books that I had as a kid and they are tangible ties to very real memories and emotions. I have some that are tied to the thrill of the "hunt" and the "big score". And there are others that are meaningless to me that on occasion I've stacked in a grocery bag and left as "free reading" at the MARTA station.

 

So what do your comics mean to you? Cause putting words to it can help you decide if that's something more valuable than the idea of selling them off to make things easier for your family down the road.

[handyjack]

Oh Boy, thanks guys.

I'm feeling better now. I did put the books back in their boxes.

Most of them were purchased by me starting some 40 years ago and continued to the end of volume 1. Tales of Suspense and Iron Man. Over time I just filled in a few of the blanks and had some of the keys graded. So it's a complete run. When the movies started coming out I got real excited and started thinking if I was ever going to sell them now would probably be a good time.

So emotionally I guess they mean alot as I have had them for so long.

As someone earlier stated, my brain says sell, but my heart says keep.

Its like the devil on one shoulder and the angel on the other.

I think once I sell the first one it will get easier. And besides, my kids don't care about them, but when I'm gone I'm sure they'll be fighting over them.

So why put them through that, right?

[Semicentennial]

Oh Boy, thanks guys.

I'm feeling better now. I did put the books back in their boxes.

Most of them were purchased by me starting some 40 years ago and continued to the end of volume 1. Tales of Suspense and Iron Man. Over time I just filled in a few of the blanks and had some of the keys graded. So it's a complete run. When the movies started coming out I got real excited and started thinking if I was ever going to sell them now would probably be a good time.

So emotionally I guess they mean alot as I have had them for so long.

As someone earlier stated, my brain says sell, but my heart says keep.

Its like the devil on one shoulder and the angel on the other.

I think once I sell the first one it will get easier. And besides, my kids don't care about them, but when I'm gone I'm sure they'll be fighting over them.

So why put them through that, right?

 

I'm going through the same thing. My boys aren't at all interested in comic books. I've debated turning them into cash but have now looked at them more as another sources of income when I reach retirement age. My biggest concern is if the books were given to my kids when I'm gone that they won't care enough to do the research and then wind up selling the books pennies on the dollar just to get rid of the books.

[slym2none]

I keep telling myself to sell my collection. My kids have no interest in it and I'm not geting any younger. I feel I should sell it off to save them the trouble when I'm gone. It is really alot of work to sell individual books on ebay and on other sites. I don't think they will get what they should and besides I never read the actual comics anyways as I have the trade collections when I feel the need.

 

I have my books safely stored away in boxes and I never really look at them.

Yet, just the fact I know I have them makes me feel good. It's like I have this emotional attachment to them. Everytime I pull a book out to photograph and list I can't seem to follow through so I put it back in its box abd leave it there until the next time I say I am going to sell it.

 

Then I start to worry that if i sell it I am going to regret it, even though the books are easily obtained, there seems to be plenty of them listed everyday on the bay that I could always buy them back. Or I could flip the money into a mega key and really excite myself except I still wouldnt have my precious collection, only a single slab or two.

 

What is wrong with me? I must be sick in the head. Am I the only one who feels this way?

 

I can come up with plenty of reasons to sell them but the feeling of dread overwhelms me.

 

Sheesh!

 

Any therapist here on the boards?

 

If you love them and don't have to sell them, don't.

 

All I can say...

 

 

 

-slym

[Hamlet]

Do you have a collector friend that you could have your kids contact in the event of your death? Basically someone that could help them sell the collection without getting taken advantage of?

 

My wife knows that a certain close friend of mine could help her with my collection in the event of my death.

[MagnusX]

 

[font:Book Antiqua]Maybe one possible solution.

 

Keep the books that you really enjoy

and give to your wife or family

the name and contact information of (at least)

3 dealers and 3 board members that you completely trust.

 

That way in case that something happens to you

they have a way to appraise and maybe sell the books

and have a fair deal...[/font]

 

[Bills Comics]

If it would make things easier for you , you can send them to me .

You could just think of it as having to give away a family pet .

Just think of me as the farm where your collection can live out its days .