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I Have Finished Reducing My Collection
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Started by Math Teacher,

51 posts in this topic

lizards2

lizards2

Posted
Posted
On 12/13/2021 at 3:18 PM, Buzzetta said:

I’m sitting here at a bar finishing my dinner.  I’m three Blue Point ales in and have to make a decision as to whether I want to bid on auctions on CLink or Comic Connect or do some paperwork.  
 

Im proud of myself for just being able to get that gif using my phone. 

You need to move on to the whiskey if you want to lose your inhibitions and bid stupid.

It works every time for me.

Wild Turkey 101 (2020) – Rare Bird 101

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Buzzetta

Buzzetta

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Posted
On 12/13/2021 at 6:41 PM, lizards2 said:

You need to move on to the whiskey if you want to lose your inhibitions and bid stupid.

It works every time for me.

Wild Turkey 101 (2020) – Rare Bird 101

The first and only time I spent over $20k on old newsprint I can attest to the fact that I had a few shots of whiskey before I bid.

Best decision I ever made.  I would have been too nervous to not bid. 

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lizards2

lizards2

Posted
Posted
On 12/13/2021 at 3:53 PM, Buzzetta said:

The first and only time I spent over $20k on old newsprint I can attest to the fact that I had a few shots of whiskey before I bid.

Best decision I ever made.  I would have been too nervous to not bid. 

I looked at the current prices of the books I bid on at clink, and there isn't enough whiskey in the world to bid that s t u p i d.

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Buzzetta

Buzzetta

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Posted
On 12/13/2021 at 7:08 PM, lizards2 said:

I looked at the current prices of the books I bid on at clink, and there isn't enough whiskey in the world to bid that s t u p i d.

This was back in 2012. 

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chrisco37

chrisco37

Posted
Posted
On 12/13/2021 at 4:03 PM, Math Teacher said:

Beginning in May of 2020, I decided to reduce the scope of my collection.

Prior to May, 2020, my collection consisted of:

ASM #1 - #700.5, along with annuals
Fantastic Four #1 - #611, along with annuals
Daredevil #0 - #548, along with annuals
Spectacular Spider-Man #0 - #263, along with annuals
Web of Spider-Man #1 - #129, along with annuals
Flash v2 #0 - #247
Star Trek #1 - #18 (Marvel)
Star Trek v1 #1 - #56 (DC)
Star Trek v2 #1 - #80
Close to 200 TPBs, Showcases, Essentials, Archives, Masterworks, Omnibuses, etc.
Atom #1 - #45
Hawkman #1 - #27
Metal Men #1 - #56
Numerous slabs that didn't fit into a particular series, such as SC #55.

I finally said to myself, "Self, you know darn well that you are NEVER going to read any of these issues. Have you looked at the pile of books that are currently in your 'To Read' pile?"

So, I sold the last piece of my collection yesterday, and now, my collection consists of:

ASM #1 - #400, with Annuals #1 - #5
FF #1 - #300, with Annuals #1 - #6
Daredevil #1 - #200, with Annuals #1 and #4
Atom #1 - #45 (still missing a few issues)
Hawkman #1 - #27 (still missing a few issues)
Metal Men #1 - #56
Numerous slabs that didn't fit into a particular series, such as SC #55.

I can now get my entire collection of comics and Stephen King hardcovers into a single bookcase that I had built back in the early 1980s. I still have my slabs in boxes, as they won't fit on my shelves. No more TBPs, Marvel Essentials, DC Showcases, DC Archives, Marvel Masterworks, Marvel or DC Omnibuses.

And you know what? I don't miss ANY of it. I was able to remove a desk, a large bookcase, and a small bookcase. My room looks so open now.

I did not give the proceeds to the Sisters of the Poor. I used them to purchase books like Avengers #1 - #16 and X-Men #1 - #16, along with books like Journey into Mystery #112, along with many others.

If you find yourself in my previous situation, I would recommend purging your collection using books that you know you will NEVER read again. It gave me a great deal of satisfaction to get all of that clutter out of my room.

Of course, your mileage may vary!

Good for you.  It’s still an incredible collection.  I culled the vast majority of my collection early this year.  It’s quite liberating.

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onlyweaknesskryptonite

onlyweaknesskryptonite

Posted
Posted
On 12/13/2021 at 6:08 PM, lizards2 said:

I looked at the current prices of the books I bid on at clink, and there isn't enough whiskey in the world to bid that s t u p i d.

 

On 12/13/2021 at 6:09 PM, lizards2 said:

First, don't drink 151. :p

Second, don't drink Bacardi. :p

:gossip: see my post on "252" above.. 

Also..

Spoiler

Agreed .. 

 

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Math Teacher

Math Teacher

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On 12/13/2021 at 4:02 PM, Mecha_Fantastic said:

I just can't help but think that while ASM 400 is a perfect point to stop, FF 300 is terrible. The book was awful at that time. While not great and highly personally variable, you've cut the DeFalco/Ryan run, but 400 isn't terribly satisfying as an endpoint either, unless you're happy to leave things with Reed dead, and 400 showing us his funeral. My as well just see volume 1 out to its original endpoint of 416.

I guess I just like round numbers, and I wanted to make sure that I had the entire Byrne run in my collection.

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Math Teacher

Math Teacher

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On 12/13/2021 at 7:16 PM, Albert Thurgood said:

@Math Teacher - congrats. What did you find was the best method to sell off your excess books? I am thinking I should sell off most of my BA books and magazines but wonder if it would be worthwhile.

I sold some TPBs and some other comics here on the board. I also sold a few things on Instagram. But, for the most part, I just used Ebay. Some of my Ebay sales were just awesome (for example, I sold my X-Men Omnibus #1 for $500+, but even more were stinkers). Well, at least I got all those issues sold. And I certainly got more money from Ebay than I would have from a local dealer. Perhaps I might have gotten more if I had been very selective about the issues I chose, but I just wanted to get rid of it all. As I said, it took about 20 months to get everything sold.

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KCOComics

KCOComics

Posted
Posted
On 12/13/2021 at 9:56 PM, Math Teacher said:

I sold some TPBs and some other comics here on the board. I also sold a few things on Instagram. But, for the most part, I just used Ebay. Some of my Ebay sales were just awesome (for example, I sold my X-Men Omnibus #1 for $500+, but even more were stinkers). Well, at least I got all those issues sold. And I certainly got more money from Ebay than I would have from a local dealer. Perhaps I might have gotten more if I had been very selective about the issues I chose, but I just wanted to get rid of it all. As I said, it took about 20 months to get everything sold.

Congrats Joe! 

Curious, did you sell in lots? Or all individually? 

I'm thinking my 2022 project will be too thin about 4 short boxes of BA. 

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Math Teacher

Math Teacher

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Posted (edited)
On 12/13/2021 at 7:16 PM, Albert Thurgood said:

@Math Teacher - congrats. What did you find was the best method to sell off your excess books? I am thinking I should sell off most of my BA books and magazines but wonder if it would be worthwhile.

I generally sold TPBs, Showcases, Masterworks, etc., separately. Once I got into selling issues, I tried selling issues one at a time, but that was just TOO much time and work. I then went to selling lots in groups of 10 - 25 comics.

Here's two examples:

Daredevil #338 - #359 and Amazing Spider-Man #661 - #670. Moderators, I am NOT trying to sell anything. I am just linking to some lots that I had previously sold.

I put a few things up for auction on Ebay (such as my X-Men Omnibus #1), but the majority I sold by just using, "Buy It Now." One of the toughest things to deal with was the ebb and flow of sales. I could go over a week with no sales, but then there would be a day when I made five sales. I found it hard to pack up and ship five orders within three days.

And I know one thing for sure: the worker at the front desk of my local USPS is going to miss me. I weighed and paid postage for all my books at home; I just went to the Post Office to drop them off, so I could get a receipt.

Edited by Math Teacher
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Galen130

Galen130

Posted
Posted
On 12/13/2021 at 2:03 PM, Math Teacher said:

Beginning in May of 2020, I decided to reduce the scope of my collection.

Prior to May, 2020, my collection consisted of:

ASM #1 - #700.5, along with annuals
Fantastic Four #1 - #611, along with annuals
Daredevil #0 - #548, along with annuals
Spectacular Spider-Man #0 - #263, along with annuals
Web of Spider-Man #1 - #129, along with annuals
Flash v2 #0 - #247
Star Trek #1 - #18 (Marvel)
Star Trek v1 #1 - #56 (DC)
Star Trek v2 #1 - #80
Close to 200 TPBs, Showcases, Essentials, Archives, Masterworks, Omnibuses, etc.
Atom #1 - #45
Hawkman #1 - #27
Metal Men #1 - #56
Numerous slabs that didn't fit into a particular series, such as SC #55.

I finally said to myself, "Self, you know darn well that you are NEVER going to read any of these issues. Have you looked at the pile of books that are currently in your 'To Read' pile?"

So, I sold the last piece of my collection yesterday, and now, my collection consists of:

ASM #1 - #400, with Annuals #1 - #5
FF #1 - #300, with Annuals #1 - #6
Daredevil #1 - #200, with Annuals #1 and #4
Atom #1 - #45 (still missing a few issues)
Hawkman #1 - #27 (still missing a few issues)
Metal Men #1 - #56
Numerous slabs that didn't fit into a particular series, such as SC #55.

I can now get my entire collection of comics and Stephen King hardcovers into a single bookcase that I had built back in the early 1980s. I still have my slabs in boxes, as they won't fit on my shelves. No more TBPs, Marvel Essentials, DC Showcases, DC Archives, Marvel Masterworks, Marvel or DC Omnibuses.

And you know what? I don't miss ANY of it. I was able to remove a desk, a large bookcase, and a small bookcase. My room looks so open now.

I did not give the proceeds to the Sisters of the Poor. I used them to purchase books like Avengers #1 - #16 and X-Men #1 - #16, along with books like Journey into Mystery #112, along with many others.

If you find yourself in my previous situation, I would recommend purging your collection using books that you know you will NEVER read again. It gave me a great deal of satisfaction to get all of that clutter out of my room.

Of course, your mileage may vary!

Well done…and nice stuff that you added!!  It’s not easy to reduce a collection.  I’ve been reducing a large collection of Modern raws since 2017.  Out of 20 long boxes, I still have 16. :whatthe:

I have, however, stopped sending books in for grading AND I use my proceeds from sales to buy CGC SS stuff that I want to keep.  So I’m still a collector, just smarter about it.

If I can open up my wife and I’s kitchen floor where all the boxes are, she’ll be happy.  She’s not happy with how long it’s taking to sell, and she won’t be happy when I croak before her and there are still 10 or more boxes to go. :pullhair:doh!

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