Getting out of collecting? HELP!

[redsguy]

Hi all,

I've spent many hours on this site and now I'm looking to potentially unload a majority of my collection. I have 98% baseball cards and almost every Topps complete set from 1975-2015.

My biggest question is, what does one do these days when liquidating a collection? I believe I have anywhere from 35,000-45,000 single cards from the 80s through mid 2015s. I've got plenty of 50s-70s cards as well, but thats not the majority. The majority of them are sorted and stored in a chest that was built specifically for card collecting. My grandfather and I built it in high school. It's really a neat piece of furniture, but its currently sitting in a storage unit and I would love to get some value from it and have it in the hands of someone who can use it.

Just curious if anyone here has thoughts on how to go about breaking up a collection like this, or selling it as a whole?

I'm sure the most valuable part of my collection is the nearly 300 unique Ernie Banks cards that I have. Many game-used, autographs, original Topps from 50s & 60s, etc.

Check out the chest:

 

[biggun61]

Hi I Collect Auto's What Do You Have in Cubs and Ernie Banks? PLMK Jeff

 

[mm1sub]

You could reach out to one of the auction houses. For very large collections that may be your best bet.

 

[metsman1986]

I would agree with the auction house route..........Not sure you'll get top $$ but you can liquidate it all in one shot.........Crazy, I grew up in Springfield, OH, went to Greenon HS, which I think is gone now......

 

[SymphonicMetal]

Wasn't Springfield heavily in the news during the 2024 election for having a ton of Haitian immigrants?

You might want to fill out want lists for some of your older issues. You might make more money that way at least early on. Looks like you have quite a bit of vintage from that video which caught my interest

 

[PRosefan1]

You will usually always get more money for your collection if you piece it out. But, If you just want them gone in one fell swoop auction house like the other members suggested. Another idea is to post what you have here and maybe there would be some interest from other members.

 

[metsman1986]

Wasn't Springfield heavily in the news during the 2024 election for having a ton of Haitian immigrants?

You might want to fill out want lists for some of your older issues. You might make more money that way at least early on. Looks like you have quite a bit of vintage from that video which caught my interest

Yes, they said they were eating the geese and wildlife in the city parks..........Plus cats and dogs.........I don't think it was true, my brother still lives there and said the Haitian population is dwindling........He has renamed it "Sprinkletown"......

 

[PRosefan1]

Yes, they said they were eating the geese and wildlife in the city parks..........Plus cats and dogs.........I don't think it was true, my brother still lives there and said the Haitian population is dwindling........He has renamed it "Sprinkletown"......

Ive had goose. Didnt think it was all that good. Squirrel on the other hand...... As for cats and dogs, Ive eaten at the local Chinese restaurant and there are no stray cats or dogs in the neighborhood so who knows.

 

[metsman1986]

Ive had goose. Didnt think it was all that good. Squirrel on the other hand...... As for cats and dogs, Ive eaten at the local Chinese restaurant and there are no stray cats or dogs in the neighborhood so who knows.

Squirrels? Man, I'd think that was like eating a rat with a bushy tail..........To me, deer isn't that good, gamey or something........The craziest thing I've chewed on is octopus in a sushi roll, and I love raw oysters, so go figure.........Not to get off topic, right?

 

[Kirbyfan34]

Squirrels? Man, I'd think that was like eating a rat with a bushy tail..........To me, deer isn't that good, gamey or something........The craziest thing I've chewed on is octopus in a sushi roll, and I love raw oysters, so go figure.........Not to get off topic, right?

to me squirrel was kinda gamey. Rabbit on the other hand...

 

[metsman1986]

to me squirrel was kinda gamey. Rabbit on the other hand...

My Mom use to make hasenpfeffer when we were kids and rabbit was the main ingredient........Like the "Bugs Bunny" cartoon.........A traditional German dish.........

 

[Dashcol]

Good luck to you! I have been getting out of the hobby for a year now, and here I am….

I would try to separate the vintage cards and Banks cards. Sell those separately, either here or eBay. Then let an auction house sell all the sets. You could be surprised what you get for 40 years of complete Topps sets.

To me the most valuable piece is the chest you made. That is a very unique way of storing cards, I would like having something like that.

 

[89Giants]

Good luck to you! I have been getting out of the hobby for a year now, and here I am….

I would try to separate the vintage cards and Banks cards. Sell those separately, either here or eBay. Then let an auction house sell all the sets. You could be surprised what you get for 40 years of complete Topps sets.

To me the most valuable piece is the chest you made. That is a very unique way of storing cards, I would like having something like that.

If its taking you so long to get out of the hobby, which you seem the need to add to every thread you make weekly, why would he take any advice from you?

 

[Dashcol]

If its taking you so long to get out of the hobby, which you seem the need to add to every thread you make weekly, why would he take any advice from you?

That is a fair point.

I was eluding to it being a long process to do it unless you sell everything all at once, which most people will low ball an offer because of the size, and the amount of work it would take them.

Also, so they could have advice from someone who went for 50,000 cards to under 100 in a year, so I could have offered lessons learned from that.

I am sorry if I seem to have upset you with posting about getting out. I will remove it from all my threads, and never mention it again. The point to me of mentioning it, was to emphasize that I was motivated to trade in everyone’s favor, but clearly I was just upsetting people.

 

[Tony Kozelichki]

I would be interested in vintage Banks, especially the oddball or inserts from the 50s-70s. I already own the regular Topps issues.

 

[horfin]

My advice and take it from someone who left trading and then came back. I understand your desire to liquidate and I'm not talking you out of it. However, you may be wise to your future self to keep some of the stuff that you really like. Just in case..... 10 years from now your not saying I had "...... and I wish I never sold it." Maybe keep 100 to 1,000 cards or maybe even 1 card.

Thanks!
Bill