Advice Needed- Friend acquired huge collection 3 3

[ChrisInBaltimore]

So one of my friends came into a pretty extensive collection of comics. It’s a lot of books from the late 70s on up. Mostly Marvels. I’ve done a cursory look through it and most major keys are gone, but a lot of smaller key books are there.

My buddy wants me to help him organize and catalog the books. I’m all for it and am excited as my involvement in the hobby has wavered the last few years. He is not a comic guy but he likes collecting. 
 

Advice: what would people ask for in return for helping? We are talking about sorting upwards of 3000 books or more. We already found some pretty nice books so it’s clear he’s gonna make some serious money. I’m looking forward to helping, but also understand the amount of work it is going to take. His idea is to let me close my eyes and grab a couple books at the end. I’ve looked and there isn’t any Spidey books so I’m not really trying to get first dibs on anything. 
 

Has anyone been in a situation like this and how did they handle it? 

[faster friends]

Depends on how much work you put into it. I sold a collection for a guy one time and asked for 40%. But I did ALL the work.

[Funnybooks]

50/50 after expenses

 

 

[KPR Comics]

Could just do it as a friend (don't read any judgment into this).

[ChrisInBaltimore]

On 3/10/2022 at 2:17 PM, KPR Comics said:

Could just do it as a friend (don't read any judgment into this).

Yea I’ve thought about that for sure and that’s sorta what I’m doing now. I’m just looking at all the hours it’s gonna take. I mean bag/boarding all these books alone is going to take hours. 
 

Plus he’s also brought up compensating me and keeps asking me what I want. I really don’t know what to say. 

Edited March 10, 2022 by ChrisInBaltimore

[KPR Comics]

Maybe do an hourly wage thing but with payment in the form of books.  $20/hour for 10 hours - take $200 in books of your choosing?

[ThothAmon]

Your time and expertise are your stock in trade. 50/50 after expenses and he’s getting off cheap. 

[kav]

On 3/10/2022 at 10:53 AM, ChrisInBaltimore said:

So one of my friends came into a pretty extensive collection of comics. It’s a lot of books from the late 70s on up. Mostly Marvels. I’ve done a cursory look through it and most major keys are gone, but a lot of smaller key books are there.

My buddy wants me to help him organize and catalog the books. I’m all for it and am excited as my involvement in the hobby has wavered the last few years. He is not a comic guy but he likes collecting. 
 

Advice: what would people ask for in return for helping? We are talking about sorting upwards of 3000 books or more. We already found some pretty nice books so it’s clear he’s gonna make some serious money. I’m looking forward to helping, but also understand the amount of work it is going to take. His idea is to let me close my eyes and grab a couple books at the end. I’ve looked and there isn’t any Spidey books so I’m not really trying to get first dibs on anything. 
 

Has anyone been in a situation like this and how did they handle it? 

do you have to help him sell on ebay?  what is the full extent of your help?  If its going thru every book and pointing out the valuable ones I'd say $400.   If its showing how to list each book and explaining all the details of what to write in the listing and how to pack then 60/40.

[Mr Sneeze]

On 3/10/2022 at 2:19 PM, ChrisInBaltimore said:

Yea I’ve thought about that for sure and that’s sorta what I’m doing now. I’m just looking at all the hours it’s gonna take. I mean bag/boarding all these books alone is going to take hours. 
 

Plus he’s also brought up compensating me and keeps asking me what I want. I really don’t know what to say. 

Remember, your time is valuable. Especially to you.

Edited March 11, 2022 by Mr Sneeze

[Galen130]

I’d do it for the fun of it…and to stay busy.   It is still a hobby to me, so I get enjoyment out of things like that…though no one has asked me yet.

They would pay all expenses, i.e. new bags, boards, and storage boxes (if needed).  Then, if they wished to ‘donate’ something to me for my efforts, I would be obliged to accept. 

Edited March 10, 2022 by Galen130

[ChrisInBaltimore]

On 3/10/2022 at 2:38 PM, kav said:

do you have to help him sell on ebay?  what is the full extent of your help?  If its going thru every book and pointing out the valuable ones I'd say $400.   If its showing how to list each book and explaining all the details of what to write in the listing and how to pack then 60/40.

He’s a bit all over the place sometimes, but he wants to try and avoid eBay. He was even saying he might try and buy a table at Baltimore to sell some. I would imagine that yes I’d help with eBay listings and stuff. He also wants to send some off for grading so I’d help with all that too. 
 

I would literally be bagging/boarding, cataloging and pricing, and helping to sell them through some different avenues. 

[wombat]

I would take payment in books. Especially since he is pushing it on his end. 

[seanfingh]

On 3/10/2022 at 1:53 PM, ChrisInBaltimore said:

So one of my friends came into a pretty extensive collection of comics. It’s a lot of books from the late 70s on up. Mostly Marvels. I’ve done a cursory look through it and most major keys are gone, but a lot of smaller key books are there.

My buddy wants me to help him organize and catalog the books. I’m all for it and am excited as my involvement in the hobby has wavered the last few years. He is not a comic guy but he likes collecting. 
 

Advice: what would people ask for in return for helping? We are talking about sorting upwards of 3000 books or more. We already found some pretty nice books so it’s clear he’s gonna make some serious money. I’m looking forward to helping, but also understand the amount of work it is going to take. His idea is to let me close my eyes and grab a couple books at the end. I’ve looked and there isn’t any Spidey books so I’m not really trying to get first dibs on anything. 
 

Has anyone been in a situation like this and how did they handle it? 

Buy in for 1/2, split 50/50, and if he wants some type of comp for being the guy who scrounged the deal (which he deserves) give him a nice run of something he always wanted to read and a couple of the minor keys.

[MattTheDuck]

I generally agree with the "take it in books" sentiment, but there has to be something in there you would want that is whatever you value your time at or what you think is fair for the time you'll spend.  I'd wait until you've done 100 percent of any pre-sale work (bagging, boarding, valuing, etc) before deciding what's fair.  Make sure to assign the raw values when choosing your compensation. Tell him up front that's what you're going to do, rather than taking compensation right now before doing very much work and that he might owe you another book or books if you're expected to help a lot with any sales work.

[shadroch]

I'd do it for books, but get an agreement hammered out now, in writing.  

[Transplant]

On 3/10/2022 at 2:01 PM, seanfingh said:

Buy in for 1/2, split 50/50, and if he wants some type of comp for being the guy who scrounged the deal (which he deserves) give him a nice run of something he always wanted to read and a couple of the minor keys.

It's not fair someone is so sexy and so smart at the same time.  This. 

[badback83]

Since he’s a friend, you guys would be hanging out anyway.  Maybe some sort of “finders fee” type payment.  It’s not quite the same, but I recently brokered 2 sales for a friend of mine between him and a dealer I know.  He is my best friend and I would’ve done it for free.  The first sale was 20k and the second, 15k.  He gave me a grand each time.  I told him no, but he insisted.  Maybe like 10% of the proceeds for you helping?  Maybe that and a book or two that you like.

[THE_BEYONDER]

On 3/10/2022 at 3:01 PM, seanfingh said:

Buy in for 1/2, split 50/50, and if he wants some type of comp for being the guy who scrounged the deal (which he deserves) give him a nice run of something he always wanted to read and a couple of the minor keys.

What the ginger said 

[Bird]

On 3/10/2022 at 3:01 PM, seanfingh said:

Buy in for 1/2, split 50/50, and if he wants some type of comp for being the guy who scrounged the deal (which he deserves) give him a nice run of something he always wanted to read and a couple of the minor keys.

yeah, this is the best approach!

[Turnando]

It it were me I'd provide advice and instruction and then let him do it.  He can board/bag/inventory 3,000 comics after you give him some tips.

If he would like you to take care of it then that is different.  I don't think that would be very fun after about 1/2 day.  After that it is work.  After that you can give him a buddy deal on taking care of it... Maybe 50% of what a stranger would pay someone to deal with it.