It's really hard to sell

[Ryan.]

You sell your items of value (emotionally and monetarily) to fill your bank account, but, unless you have specific plans for the money you receive for them, it will eventually just get evaporated into general life expenses, and poof it's all gone.

 

This just happened to me. I sold off a handful of books because I decided I needed $1000 in play money sitting in my Paypal account. I reached the thousand figure but couldn't decide what I wanted to spend it on and, fast forward 3 weeks, that figure has dwindled to like $80. Having a specific plan for the money seems to be the way to go.

[Aweandlorder]

I had the same problem, and it happened for 2 reasons:

1. I (and I believe any collector in his infant stages) paid full cover price for comics and that basically eliminates the tactic of selling the ones you dont want - youd get nothing for them and lose money.

2. I had an emotional attachment to all of them.

Now, I dont know how big your collection is but mine is around 5000 books. So you knnow what I did, I ended up buying and selling, and thats what I do till this day.

I'd never sell my original collection, it's priceless to me. The funniest thing is, I buy books that are sometimes 10 times rarer than the average key in my collection and I have NO PROBLEM getting rid of them. No attachment- no loss- strictly business!

This may not solve your problem if you have a HUGE collection though

[GeneticNinja]

I usually take stock of my collection every few years and sell some stuff. Some I'm happy to get rid of. I remember I was happy when I finally sold my early Spawn issues. Of course, no where near 90s prices. But I still got fairly decent money considering what comic stores offer.

 

I traded a lot to some comics shops before in the early days of Internet comic trading. Back then you could get good amounts for comic trades.

 

I might sell some stuff that's just sitting around for key comics. But even something modern like my run on Star Wars Republic. It can't be worth much. But few good things came from the prequels. And these are pretty good.

[gradejunky]

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.

 

 

[Kevin.J]

I do feel the need to sell ( never do )

I do feel the need to stop buying ( never do )

My problem is that if someone were to say to me " do you have this issue" I want to be able to say yes, the crazy part is no one in my real life even knows I collect comics to say it

 

My collection is getting back up to silly amounts and I really need to stop.

I have sold twice on the boards when boardies PMd me asking me for specific books.

No one in my family knows, or cares anything about comics and I also think about someone like Silver Acre getting his mitts on my books for next to nothing when I am gone

 

I know the answer is to sell

I dont know what the answer is

[gradejunky]

I buy all my stuff at cover which makes selling my dupes for a significant loss unreasonable to me. Though, the store I frequent does do a stamp card system, which helps save some money and get comics for free once in awhile. I also scour $1 bins for the sole purpose of selling. Buy good stuff for cheap, sell for more, and keep what I really like/want.

 

I have the same problem about letting go sometimes. Even though I might not be attached to certain books/runs, I keep them hoping they will get their day in the sun so to speak. I have sold quite a lot of my dupes only when they gain some heat/attention, and I can make some good coin. For instance, I just sold my dupe set of Annihilation:Conquest for $100. If I would have sold these a couple years ago I would have had to give them away, literally.

 

In the end though, when I do let books go, once they leave my hands I don't really feel bad at all. They are someone elses space hogging problem now. This makes it easier in the end. Just my .

 

Try selling off some dupes or singles you don't really care about that much and see how it makes you feel. If it is not that painful, repeat the process until you are satisfied with the size of your collection.

[Kevin.J]

I dont even sell my dupes, in fact I am in the market to buy more of comics I have 10 times over

[passion4comics]

Your PM box must be overflowing by now!

 

I was thinking the same thing. He's about 2 hours from me and from other stuff that I've bought, that's in my backyard.

[handyjack]

My pm box is empty, probably because I havent decided what I'm doing. It's really hard to sell. I may try one or two at first and see how I feel. Thanks all for your understanding and it's nice to know I'm not the only one who feels as I do.

[AJD]

Once you start, it gets easier.

 

Absolutely true. I've sold stuff that wasn't 'core' to my collection and I felt conflicted about it - up until the point where I put them in the mailbox. After that it just didn't matter that much. After all, for 90+ percent of stuff, it's easy enough to buy it again if I ever feel the need. (Pretty sure I won't.)

[vaultkeeper]

If your not ready to sell your collection, (and you sound to me like your not) than don't. What's the hurry? If you miss out on the oppertunity to liquidate your collection because of your early demise, your family will have no problem selling them. Don't live life with one foot in the grave.

 

I plan on selling my collection when I'm 88 with chest pains.

[KRS_SD]

So at what age do you guys start feeling the need to sell? Im 37 and already contemplating.

[jerome34]

My major collection is DC, but over the years I built a reasonable

Marvel collection, a big bunch of GA (not DC or Marvel), and a

bunch of modern books.

 

Early on, I became a part time dealer so I could: a) get in the show

early to find books for my collection; and b) sell dups (from

upgrading) and stuff from collections I bought to get X books

although the collection had a lot of Y and Z books.

 

After 25 years, I found that I no longer have the endurance to

set up at shows. The books I am looking for now are also ones

that rarely show up at the shows I set up at.

 

Recently, I sold my con stock, my Marvel and modern collections,

2/3 of my GA (non-DC) collection and some miscellaneous

stuff (SF hardcovers, paperbacks, and pulps). Payment will

be spread out and consist of mostly books I am missing

in my DC collection. Looking at my notes, I see I spent a long time

completing titles A, B, and C and then sold them without

having read them (which was the reason for building the complete

runs).

 

All in all, the volume sold was approximately the size of 100

long boxes. Except for a small area in one room and space

in the garage, it is hard to tell that anything is gone.

 

For the most part, I am happy with the transaction. I am getting

some great comics for my collection. I wish I had read some

titles before selling them but I have a lot left to read. My kids

will now have a lot less to deal with if I die.

 

Works for me, maybe will for others.

[asr0462]

I've been selling my stuff on eBay for the past two years in order to cut down. I think it's inevitable that we'll all do it at one point.

 

[vaultkeeper]

So at what age do you guys start feeling the need to sell? Im 37 and already contemplating.

 

I have 10 years on you and I'm collecting more than ever. There are many bordies over the age of 60 that still collect. There's no real answer as to "when to stop". It's all up to the individual. [shrug]

[DR.X]

So at what age do you guys start feeling the need to sell? Im 37 and already contemplating.

 

Feeling the need to sell? You should just be getting warmed up.

[KRS_SD]

So at what age do you guys start feeling the need to sell? Im 37 and already contemplating.

 

Feeling the need to sell? You should just be getting warmed up.

 

Ive been hoarding copper keys since I was 10 and the market for it has never been so hot. Ive sold but only to recycle the $ for other books. Thx, knew I was crazy for thinkin it.

[DR.X]

So at what age do you guys start feeling the need to sell? Im 37 and already contemplating.

 

Feeling the need to sell? You should just be getting warmed up.

 

Ive been hoarding copper keys since I was 10 and the market for it has never been so hot. Ive sold but only to recycle the $ for other books. Thx, knew I was crazy for thinkin it.

 

I've sold lots of things in my life that I regreted ten minutes later, and haunted me the rest of my life. My 1969 Z-28 was one of them.

[Comixroc]

I've sold a few items that I wish I had not. Sold a couple that I never missed. My advise? Never give up the hobby, but i think your brain is telling you it's time to make an adjustment in regards to how you collect.

 

Perhaps trim your collection or start spending a bit less.....

[thehumantorch]

My pm box is empty, probably because I havent decided what I'm doing. It's really hard to sell. I may try one or two at first and see how I feel. Thanks all for your understanding and it's nice to know I'm not the only one who feels as I do.

 

One other thing to consider. If you sell your collection now it's gone. If you keep the collection for another 20 years and then sell it you'll likely get a similar monetary return but you'll have owned and enjoyed it another 20 years.

 

I could blow my money on hookers and peanut brittle but the next day it's gone. I get a great deal of enjoyment out of my collection and it isn't depreciating or disappearing.