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What should I tell my wife?

Started by jaeldubyoo,

69 posts in this topic

jaeldubyoo

jaeldubyoo

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Posted

I know it’s been discussed before, but the search function here is next to useless. I’m putting together instructions for my wife on how to dispose of my collection if something happens to me. I want to lay out the different options for her. She has absolutely no interest in comics. I just hope she doesn’t dump it or give it away. She’s a shrewd woman and if I can communicate to her how much she stands to gain, I’m sure she will follow what works best for her.

 

Any advice?

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revat

revat

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If you have a friend who you trust, ask your wife to ask him to help you get rid of it.

 

But a quick fairly easy way depending on your value of collection is to toss it up to an auction house (comiclink or heritage) or maybe mycomicshop. Just send them the whole collection.

 

If its just a bunch of 90's comics, just donate to good will and take the tax writeoff against your estate, you'll do a lot better.

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sufunk

sufunk

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Mine specifically go to my children. 95% of them go to my son and there is about 1 CGC boz of slabs going to my daughter that i bought for her as investments. My wife aint getting her dirty paws on my comics even when i'm 6 feet under!!! :sumo:

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miraclemet

miraclemet

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I'd include in your instructions how she should go about determining current value of the books. (GPA, completed ebay sales) or you can just keep a current value of the books in a file and leave her instructions on where to find that file. You can also tell her what an "acceptable" purchase price would be for the collection (ie from a dealer) so she can decide if she wants to "dump" them at once to a dealer for less, or parse them out for more total $$.

 

If you have a trusted friend in the hobby make sure you leave her his/her contact information so they can help her deal with your collection.

 

also dont forget to clear your browser history.

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comix4fun

comix4fun

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I know it’s been discussed before, but the search function here is next to useless. I’m putting together instructions for my wife on how to dispose of my collection if something happens to me. I want to lay out the different options for her. She has absolutely no interest in comics. I just hope she doesn’t dump it or give it away. She’s a shrewd woman and if I can communicate to her how much she stands to gain, I’m sure she will follow what works best for her.

 

Any advice?

 

 

 

Make as detailed a list as you can of what your key items are, their value, the date of that valuation (so she knows if it's out of date), and keep updating it every three months.

 

Also give her the name of three to five people to go to when the time comes to attempt to dispose of the items. If you have any trusted friends, speak to them ahead of time about helping your wife through the process and to give advice on any offers she receives. Do not rely on one outlet for disposal, give her some options to maximize what she gets.

 

The lists/spreadsheets you leave with her will be the best initial guidance. Even if the numbers are out of date when the time comes she will know those items were key and treat the disposal process accordingly.

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Dick Pontoon

Dick Pontoon

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I’ve dealt with too many deaths in my immediate family. Having to sort through belongings and/or clear out an estate is not an easy task and can be grueling, especially when dealing with loss.

 

My wife knows who to call to sell it off if I should pass away unexpectedly. She’s always supportive of my hobby and takes an interest, but expecting her or anybody who doesn’t collect to deal with selling off a loved one’s collection properly isn’t all that realistic.

 

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Bird

Bird

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I once got advice about this myself: sell before you die! You are generally giving people a problem, not a valued collection. Pare down as you get older unless you want relatives to just dump it or give it away for next to nothing. No on wants to look at spreadsheets or pages of archived information after losing a loved one. They want to get rid of the stuff, or maybe just let it sit in a pile. If they want to do it right, it is more headache than it is worth to them.

 

Just think of selling your favorite uncle's: Beanie Babies, spoon collection, duck decoys, weathervanes, or anything else collectible that people like and everyone else thinks is junk. I have 5-10000 doowop and old R&B records "left" to me and I would give them away now almost 10 years after acquiring them. I do not think the original owner wanted that, but that is why they sit. Can't toss them out of memory/respect but I don't want them either.

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jaeldubyoo

jaeldubyoo

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I know it’s been discussed before, but the search function here is next to useless. I’m putting together instructions for my wife on how to dispose of my collection if something happens to me. I want to lay out the different options for her. She has absolutely no interest in comics. I just hope she doesn’t dump it or give it away. She’s a shrewd woman and if I can communicate to her how much she stands to gain, I’m sure she will follow what works best for her.

 

Any advice?

 

 

 

Make as detailed a list as you can of what your key items are, their value, the date of that valuation (so she knows if it's out of date), and keep updating it every three months.

 

Also give her the name of three to five people to go to when the time comes to attempt to dispose of the items. If you have any trusted friends, speak to them ahead of time about helping your wife through the process and to give advice on any offers she receives. Do not rely on one outlet for disposal, give her some options to maximize what she gets.

 

The lists/spreadsheets you leave with her will be the best initial guidance. Even if the numbers are out of date when the time comes she will know those items were key and treat the disposal process accordingly.

 

That's sound advice. As well as the other responses. I really appreciate it.

 

I know I have to organize my collection. I have over 40 boxes of comics. I’ve never really kept an accurate inventory of what I have. What can I say, I’m a hoarder.

 

My modest collection (compared to a lot of you) has a book value roughly about $100,000. I know not to expect but a fraction of that amount. Mainly Bronze and Copper; a few Gold, some Silver. Lots of multiples. I bought a lot of keys and semi-keys. Almost all raw.

 

Looks like I have my work work cut out for me.

 

 

 

 

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jaybuck43

jaybuck43

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I created trust instructions which instruct my firm to be the caretakers of a trust for my estate. Upon my death the trust will take ownership of certain listed assets which includes "all comic books currently in my possession". My beneficiary (I am currently single so my best friend since we were kids is my beneficiary at the moment, granted she doesn't know that lol) will be provided with an accounting of all assets and as the trust has a duty of good faith, will determine the best price for those assets. She is then authorized to request distributions of the assets in any amount and frequency she desires. The trust sells the books and gets the best price for them. Thus she does not have to worry about getting the best price. Just my 2c hope it helps.

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mrwoogieman

mrwoogieman

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I once got advice about this myself: sell before you die! You are generally giving people a problem, not a valued collection. Pare down as you get older unless you want relatives to just dump it or give it away for next to nothing. No on wants to look at spreadsheets or pages of archived information after losing a loved one. They want to get rid of the stuff, or maybe just let it sit in a pile. If they want to do it right, it is more headache than it is worth to them.

 

Just think of selling your favorite uncle's: Beanie Babies, spoon collection, duck decoys, weathervanes, or anything else collectible that people like and everyone else thinks is junk. I have 5-10000 doowop and old R&B records "left" to me and I would give them away now almost 10 years after acquiring them. I do not think the original owner wanted that, but that is why they sit. Can't toss them out of memory/respect but I don't want them either.

 

That's some good advice, Bird. Sell before you go!

 

 

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Dr. Balls

Dr. Balls

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Tell your wife to send it to an auction house, with instructions on how to contact them and pack the books (this is what I have done). She is not going to be interested in checking values, subscribing to GPA, reading spreadsheets, determining value, etc.

 

Your job as a man - as well as a husband - is to take care of your family after you're gone. If you are going to saddle them with comic books, beanie babies, old records or any other pop culture garbage - the least you can do is make it easy for them to dump it for cash to make the house payment, car payment or college payment.

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Dr. Balls

Dr. Balls

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You are welcome to PM me and i'll get you my name and number so she will know where to forward the books to, in the event of your untimely demise.

 

Homewrecker!

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conditionfreak

conditionfreak

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My wife has instructions to sell the slabbed books on Ebay. Starting everything at $10.00 and letting the chips fall where they may.

 

The raw books go to my three sons, to do with as they wish. Sell, read, use as coasters, whatever. I'll be dead and won't care much. They have some idea about comic book values. But have no idea about grading. The money that could be obtained from them BY MY WIFE, would not be worth the hassle to her, IMO.

 

Because we all know how OCD and evil comic book collectors can be.

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