What to do with player collections - keep or sell???

[Ferrian1]

So I've been thinking about this on and off for a while and a post by Ernie triggered it again. Bottom line is the player collections aren't my biggest joy anymore. I've done a lot more trading for my sets, and I do enjoy the trading (I've probably only traded for about 5 player collection cards in the last year, seems cash always ends up king). Regardless, I've got a few player collections that I'll likely just cap and hang onto, but I was curious as to what people think they may be worth, as in real attainable value if I sold them off (and obviously if you're interested drop me a line, but no chance am I selling off individual cards). This isn't a cry for cash, I'm just wondering if I never intend to add to them should I just keep them locked away or flip collection and use the funds elsewhere.

Also note in all cases I'd be keeping the true RC's for my Sens RC collection (which I do enjoy)

So here's the info:

Hossa - collection capped at end of 04-05 (when traded from the Sens)

886 of 1059 cards with total BV $10,655.90

There are 81 cards with no BV, consisting of:
22 autographed cards
3 patch cards
28 parallels
3 one of one's
2003-04 Topps Pristine Press Plates Black 57
2003-04 Topps Pristine Press Plates Magenta 57
2003-04 Upper Deck BuyBacks 100


Havlat - collection capped at end of 05-06 (when traded from the Sens)

511 of 603 cards with total BV $5,769.05

There are 89 cards with no BV, consisting of:
21 autographed cards
8 patch cards
5 Auto Patch cards
25 parallels
5 one of one's
2005-06 UD Artifacts Auto Facts Blue AF-MH
2005-06 UD Artifacts Frozen Artifacts Patches Autographed FP-MH
2005-06 UD Artifacts Frozen Artifacts Patches Pewter FP-MH
2005-06 UD Artifacts Gold 72
2005-06 Upper Deck Printing Plates - Yellow 381


Spezza - likely to cap at end of 06-07 (not where I want to be directing hobby funds)

705 of 997 cards with total BV $19,049.20

There are 174 cards with no BV, consisting of:
39 autographed cards
40 patch cards
8 Auto Patch cards
25 parallels
some 06-07 that doesn't book yet
6 one of one's
2003-04 BAP Ultimate Memorabilia Jersey and Emblems Gold 15
2003-04 BAP Ultimate Memorabilia Jersey and Numbers Gold 15
2003-04 ITG Used Signature Series International Experience Emblems Gold 7
2003-04 Parkhurst Rookie Road to the NHL Emblems Gold RTNE-2
2004-05 SP Authentic Buybacks 76
2005-06 Black Diamond GemoGRAPHy Onyx G-SP

I'm interested to hear what everyone has to say, I know that Nathan had no luck selling his Bergeron collection whole, and there's no way I'm breaking these ****ers up, so I just want to know thoughts on a whole dump.

 

[BergyShines03]

The way to make a profit on these types of cards is to list them on ebay.When I broke up my Thornton collection I made a very nice profit but as for someone selling it as a whole lot you would suffer a signifigant loss.just my two cents

 

[newfiecomicguy1]

I would wait until a .05 - .20 cent list day and throw it up with a decent price on it. You might hook someone or at least find someone interested. Note in the description that the items will be sold individually if not sold as a group. You will probably get some hard core collectors contact you. Hossa and Havlat may be easier to sell as lots because they are with new teams. They might have a new collector looking for an instant collection. Spezza might be harder due to the size and dollar amount of the collection. Who knows for sure but good luck with it.

 

[Ferrian1]

Good idea, on the whole collections on a cheap listing day, hadn't thought of that, thanks!

Any suggestions as to what to put the BIN at if doing that are welcome. I'd be kind of thinking a % of BV, plus what I consider "fair" prices on the no BV stuff. Again comments welcome.

Also I understand splitting it may make me more cash, but as mentioned that's not really what it's about, and when you consider the incredible lack of spare time, and effort to sell that way, it's just not worth it to me - as stated I'd rather just keep them.

 

[DredJAw]

This is something Josh and I have both been chatting about.

Some people say that selling them individually you can make a higher profit. I don't know if thats necessarily true if you consider time as money.

Lets pretend you sell the entire collection for $5K in one shot (just for sake of argument). Nice and easy, 1 shipping partner, 1 trip to the post office, 1 listing etc.

Even if doing things individually means $6K, your talking about hundreds and hundreds of listings which will take hours upon hours (days, maybe weeks), numerous trips to the post office, trips to top up bubble mailers, potentially problems with 100+ shipping partners (chargebacks, never received), weeks/months to collect money, etc. It starts to become a real problem.... I'd rather take the quick and painless $5K right away then work for 2 months every night for something thats likely not even worth the extra $ in the end.

 

[Ferrian1]

I'm definately with Ern on the time is money call, especially when that may be time with the kids.

So that said, c'mon someone offer Ern and I big money for the whole lot of Hossa, Havlat, Spezza and Lecavalier - we can ship it all together!

 

[jaywings19]

This is something Josh and I have both been chatting about.

Some people say that selling them individually you can make a higher profit. I don't know if thats necessarily true if you consider time as money.

Lets pretend you sell the entire collection for $5K in one shot (just for sake of argument). Nice and easy, 1 shipping partner, 1 trip to the post office, 1 listing etc.

Even if doing things individually means $6K, your talking about hundreds and hundreds of listings which will take hours upon hours (days, maybe weeks), numerous trips to the post office, trips to top up bubble mailers, potentially problems with 100+ shipping partners (chargebacks, never received), weeks/months to collect money, etc. It starts to become a real problem.... I'd rather take the quick and painless $5K right away then work for 2 months every night for something thats likely not even worth the extra $ in the end.

The problem is finding someone willing to dump a sum of that amount in one shot. At least with breaking it up, you have many suitors that can tailor their bids/purchases to the cards that they need/want. I doubt that you will find someone who doesn't have many of your Lecavalier cards to just up and give you $5K (or whatever price).

If it's anyone giving you a price on the whole lot, then it would be a dealer who would look to do the legwork on breaking it up after the purchase. However, then they would be looking for a more significant discount up front for taking the entire thing off your hands.

 

[DredJAw]

The problem is finding someone willing to dump a sum of that amount in one shot. At least with breaking it up, you have many suitors that can tailor their bids/purchases to the cards that they need/want. I doubt that you will find someone who doesn't have many of your Lecavalier cards to just up and give you $5K (or whatever price).

If it's anyone giving you a price on the whole lot, then it would be a dealer who would look to do the legwork on breaking it up after the purchase. However, then they would be looking for a more significant discount up front for taking the entire thing off your hands.

Oh I understand definitely what your saying, and I agree. I was just arguing against the idea that individually means more money. If you can find the right buyer, its well worth saving your time even if it means a nice discount.

 

[jaywings19]

Oh I understand definitely what your saying, and I agree. I was just arguing against the idea that individually means more money. If you can find the right buyer, its well worth saving your time even if it means a nice discount.

The time it could take you trying to find said bulk buyer could be spent selling the cards individually.

Six of one... half dozen of another.

 

[hugo416]

LOL Only Sell When The time is right

 

[peacefrogdog]

I think you shoudl sell individually. I'm a fellow Spezza collector, but I couldn't justify spending that much on one lot. Maybe somewhere in between? Selling lots of a few cards at a time?

 

[frankiefives]

I'm definately with Ern on the time is money call, especially when that may be time with the kids.

So that said, c'mon someone offer Ern and I big money for the whole lot of Hossa, Havlat, Spezza and Lecavalier - we can ship it all together!

I'll take the Spezza and Lecavalier collection for 20 bucks if you guys send it insured

In all seriousness though, selling entire collections is almost impossible. Most people don't want to spend that kind of money in 1 shot. I wish you both luck with it but that's just my opinion

 

[meatmancgy]

I've read several of these in the past couple months... Ernie... Josh... Nathan... etc., and I'm in the same boat... my Curt Ridley collection is about 88.9% complete (8 out of 9 total cards!!!!! ), which is pretty wild... and it totals a whopping $13.15! I'm not sure if I should break it up or sell it as a whole...

Ok, I digress... honestly, I'm with most of the group here... while selling the thing in bulk would be ideal for time spent, breaking it down and selling individually garners more return but takes more time. I don't think people put enough value on their own time... and when you really think about it, selling in bulk is the way to go... provided you can find the buyer, which Frank and Jason have both discussed is extremely difficult if not impossible... it's a catch-22 boys... dontcha wish you had a player collection like my Curt Ridley one now??

 

[Nathan7070]

I would also say break them up. I tried the whole lot thing at first and had some mild interest and one offer that was decent but still not close to what I wanted if I had to ship everything.
I have made a decent amount of coin from the ones I have sold individually. I contacted some rivals of mine from ebay that also collect Bergeron and told them I was breaking up the collection and my biggest rival has purchased over $1,000 and was very fair in the offering because some of the one's he needed were very rare.
But, now I still have 80-90% of my Bergeron collection and maybe 50% of my Kessel collection. Since nothing is doing here I am planning on putting them on ebay come the new season. That should take a lot of time but I am in no hurry to put them all up at once....maybe 20-30 at a time since like everyone said, personal time is more valuable.
Good luck with whatever you choose!
Nathan