Passing on or selling micro armor collection advice

[Mike ENG]

Folks I have seen some post on folks selling their collections, and I think I remember one post talking about not wanting to burden there daughter with it if they passed on. Well I am asking for advice on how to handle my collection because I have stage 4 colon cancer. I have been fighting it for a couple of years and I will continue to. I am just trying to figure out things so if I need to sell my collection to cover expenses, or if my wife needs to upon my passing I have a tentative plan in place for her. I don't want to add stress for her at a stressful time so I am trying to have a plan in place that she or my brother can execute. Neither of them understand the models or there value just that I enjoy building them. My children are too young and not really into micro armor yet. Ideally my son 10 will start getting into micro armor and models but right now he is more of Lego person.

1. What is the best methods and forums to sell collections?
2. Is it better to sell in small groups 10-15 or as a whole collection?
3. Is there a region of the US that it is easier to sell them in? We currently live in northern Virginia but are trying to move back to the south in Florida or Alabama.
4. Are there conventions that I can go to try and sell them in part or as a whole?

This is just me thinking ahead I don't plan on selling them right now. I still enjoy tinkering with them and they help keep my mind active in a positive way.

I appreciate any recommendations or advice you may have.

Mike

[chrisswim]

Mike,
First, I am sorry that you are facing colon cancer! That is difficult and sad. I hope, I prayed for healing, comfort and God's Peace. Shalom!!
I hope to read future post by you that you are getting in some good gaming.
A friend of mine was selling his collection, we used to game in the 1990s, In the last decade he wanted to sell his micro armor. He reached out to me for the 7000 vehicles, wanting about a $1 each. I just did not have $7k lying around above me liquidity need. He ended up going through a store. Sold a lot on ebay, about $1.50 each in smaller groups. They may have sold some on other mediums: in the store, FB, TMP, etc. As I recall, it took over a year to sell off.
I hope that this might be helpful in someway.

[Tanker Mike]

1. What is the best methods and forums to sell collections?
2. Is it better to sell in small groups 10-15 or as a whole collection?
3. Is there a region of the US that it is easier to sell them in? We currently live in northern Virginia but are trying to move back to the south in Florida or Alabama.
4. Are there conventions that I can go to try and sell them in part or as a whole?

First off Mike, I am so sorry to hear of your battle with cancer. My heart goes out to you and your family.

1-I have not seen many sales in this forum. There might be some members here who are looking to expand or know someone who wants to expand their collection.

2-Selling all of them at once is the best for you but depending on the size, I suspect to would be difficult sell an entire collection at once. If you look on eBay, most sales are less than 20 vehicles and the large ones seem to be up for auction forever. Some people do a poor job of bundling the items for sale and that slows sales down. Try and keep things grouped together. German Opel trucks with German Opel trucks if that makes sense. I have had good success selling GHQ stuff on eBay in lots of anywhere from 4 to 20+ vehicles. Just do some searches on eBay. There are e-stores on eBay that look like they do buy collections.

3-No idea on that one.

4-That is a great idea. Head over to I-94 Enterprises. I seem to think they attend conventions and would be able to help.

All the best,
Mike

[redleg]

Very sorry to hear about your battle with cancer, Mike. We are praying for you.

Just a thought - do you have any estate sale people near you? We consolidated households a few years back and we had an estate sale person come in and get rid of a house's worth of stuff for us. She would have specific items or collections that were from other sales that she would hold on to and just add to estate sales. Maybe someone like that could handle your entire collection and make it relatively hassle free.

[7.62]

Dear Mike, Wishing you and your family all the best.

I can not add much more to what has already been posted. I did sell well on Ebay but that was a few years ago now.
My recent transactions have mainly been swaps with other forum members.
Pewter is the bonus commodity.
The two really important ones we all need to use wisely everyday are, Time and Love.

Mick.

[ww2navyguy]

Hi Mike. I am also very sad to hear about the cancer you are facing. I will say a prayer for you. I did want to share something I did to sell a large collection of WW2 AFVs, but in 15mms (aka Flames of War products). I attended multiple HMGS South conventions (occur each year in late April and late September in Orlando, Florida) and bought a table in their flea market. I was selling painted 15 mm AFVs for $12 each or 5 for $40, and I did pretty good. Each time I sold items I would take home between $350 to $450. I also sold other pieces and kits that I didn't need anymore, including boxed games. The table only cost $30 for the flea market and the sale would last about 1 to 1.5 hours. I found it a great way to get rid of unneeded items and you don't have to wrap up items to mail or be concerned they might break during shipping. If you are near any conventions, they are a great way to off load unneeded items. I hope this helps and I hope you keep your strength and health. God bless...

[BurtWolf]

Mike, I’m sad to hear what you’re going through and wish you strength and composure as you fight through it.

I buy off of eBay and I think numerous smaller lots seem to move more quickly and easily - plus they generate more revenue.

My hope is that our community can come together and help when/if you need it.

[Hoth_902]

Mike,

I am really sorry to hear about your battle with Cancer. My mom passed from cancer, over a year ago and those wounds are still fresh. I want to add, to the others reaching out, that you have my prayers and hope that you will make it through this and recover. My thoughts are with you. As for your question, I struggle with even chiming in, the thought of having to disovle a collection that someone has put there heart and sole in, just does not feel well. My only thought is for you to put together a list of people from the forum that might be able to help your family if become necessary. That way they can reach out to someone that understands the value of what you have. I think there are people on this site that would be willing to help.

Keep fighting and again, my thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family.

Mike.