Selling Your Collection
So how do you know if your getting a fair deal on your collectibles? Lets look at a few things to consider.
#1 – Find out what the local markets are offering for your items by making a few simple phone calls. Stick with shops that have been around for a while, are members of consumer based business organizations and have good reviews on the internet. If you’re thinking to get the same prices that some sellers have their items listed for on auction/local websites, think again …. view the true item’s “sold” price, then back off the listing fees/shipping fees/time spent and you may come up with one data point for pricing, then see if this number holds for at least 10 other sales within the same week. If it does, that’s probably a good number, if not, adca-org that price doesn’t hold water.
#2 – Want to get values on site? If you present your items for sale to a local vendor, remember that there’s a difference in what you’ll get paid for the items and what the item will be resold for. Most vendors will give you individual prices for a few select pieces, then a general “offer” for the other items. Don’t expect a vendor to look at each item and give you individual prices on a large collection …. that’s called an “appraisal” and will generally require you to pay an upfront fee. In business, time/operating costs are actually expenses to the local vendor …. be respectful.
#3 – Markets change, continuously! Metal values, premiums, discounts and market demand is always in a state of flux. Today’s offer is probably only good for this moment of time. Before actually selling, get updated values.
Good luck and have fun!