Topic: Troubleshooting for collectors trying to sell

[zangetsu468]

A couple of years ago I posted this in the CVD https://castlevaniadungeon.net/forums/index.php?topic=8461.msg187997#msg187997 ... It was basically about my disdain for game trading stores which tried very hard to under-value rare collectibles, but worse than that, sometime after I wrote this post that very vendor was selling N64 games (boxed) for roughly $300-400 AUD. (Suffice to say they're no longer operating this side of their business, obviously something wasn't working for them, but that's another story for another day).

Lately I've been thinking about selling some of my collectibles. There are certain cards and comics I have in mint condition from the 90's which I may never realistically use again. I'm at the stage in life where certain priorities are taking precedence over all, and although I like my collectibles there's no longer the attachment to them I once had when I was still a passionate collector.

I re-iterate two years later that I'm frustrated... There's literally one card trader in the CBD who gives the same spiel that trading cards aren't worth much (not even $1 AUD each, because 90's cards were made by the millions..) but then tells me I should bring them in anyway(?.. Why?) I didn't bother to ask how  given products are churned out harder than they were in the 90's, nor do I bother asking how their store turns a profit. To top it off, same shit different smell about the "Japanese" items; Dragon ball cards and Street Fighter cards made by Bandai that hardly anyone is selling online these days. However apparently they're not worth much because they're not connected to current sets.... *sigh*

Basically nothing is worth shit. I turn one way, I'm being offered pennies on the dollar, I turn the other way, people advise me that ebay fees are far too high, yet at least products on ebay fetch a modest return IF one is able to sell them.

Which way does one go when selling? Anywhere local will try and take the piss and completely blackball you only to sell your items themselves at an inflated price. I don't really want to have a garage sale because this stuff isn't junk, it's been kept in plastic ultrapro binders within individual acid-free plastic sleeves. I guess - Help???

[Shiroi Koumori]

I think you should find a fellow fan who can agree to meet you personally and will buy your stuff at a fair price.
Since reality is far from the ideal scenario, keep them for now?
Or maybe when you get even older, donate them to someone (I got a lot of hand me down MTG cards that are useless in the 2nd hand market) who might appreciate those.

[zangetsu468]

I think you should find a fellow fan who can agree to meet you personally and will buy your stuff at a fair price.
Since reality is far from the ideal scenario, keep them for now?
Or maybe when you get even older, donate them to someone (I got a lot of hand me down MTG cards that are useless in the 2nd hand market) who might appreciate those.

Yeah I think you're correct. I think I may just list them on Ebay when there's a special on, and leave them in case - not expecting to be sold.

The issue with being a collector in Australia is that the retail sector for these items is such a tiny slither of actual collectors out there. It's not worth the effort to bring in my collection, have some guy tell me they're worth 29c each and proceed to bend over with a palm-full of KY... I always find it funny, they tell you the likelihood is your goods are worth zero, yet they say you should bring them in so they can inspect them and tell you - so why would they bother looking through them if they're worthless?? I'd like to see the statistics that say this merchandise was made by the millions.

[Shiroi Koumori]

The issue with being a collector in Australia is that the retail sector for these items is such a tiny slither of actual collectors out there. It's not worth the effort to bring in my collection, have some guy tell me they're worth 29c each and proceed to bend over with a palm-full of KY... I always find it funny, they tell you the likelihood is your goods are worth zero, yet they say you should bring them in so they can inspect them and tell you - so why would they bother looking through them if they're worthless?? I'd like to see the statistics that say this merchandise was made by the millions.

Yes. it is hard if the collectors market is small. I really love the collection thing in Japan, it's so amazing!
In the Philippines, if it is not mainstream, don't bother selling. So, I have a lot of niche stuff stashed in boxes in my house. hahaha.
Maybe it's changing now a little bit, but I'm no longer interested in going to local cons whose entrance fees get charged higher each year. And I'm getting old and lazy to sell stuff online. Meh....