What Is Your Exit Strategy? And How You Value Your Collection?

There is most definitely no "one size fits all" answer. It depends upon the scope, quality, individual items values and so on. An accumulation can be sold without a lot of background detail but higher value individual stamps, especially ones with certs, require spreadsheets and a good compilation of value data. A lot of collectors need a hybrid approach because they likely have a mix of both types. A good dealer or auction house will break it all down properly and obtain the most value both for the collector as well as themselves through a higher bid premium amount.

Of course that's if the person/s they are left to wish to liquidate the collection. Definitely agree with the hybrid approach. My ideal world would be to part with the covers and documents and just keep the stamps and will them to the kids and let them figure it out. This would be a type of payback for their smart mouthing my hobby for years.

Interesting discussion, and one I'm thinking about more as my collection expands. I've already told (warned) my son that he will inherit the "good" parts of it. Then it's up to him but knowing his personality, even if he's not interested in collecting himself, he'll keep it and look for a member in the next generation or two to pass it onto.

What I really need to do however, is to separate out the wheat from the chaff, so to speak, so he doesn't have to guess as to which is which when the time comes...

A very interesting thread and it's good that people are thinking about the topic.

My estate plan is very simple; no muss and no fuss. Anything resembling "cash" goes to several charities. No direct heirs, but have a trustworthy law firm. All stamps and related stuff goes to the Rocky Mountain Philatelic Library.

While I live my truck and my stamps are my personal property to enjoy...we had a 90 some year old woman in our club and she said she would like to give her stamps to our stamp club...we said "no way" we will auction your stamps at the club at 20 percent of catalog and the proceeds either go to yourself or your daughter. We ended up giving the lady or her daughter almost $4,000...Way more than a dealer would have offered. I have no objection about my stamps going that way. We have an income only trust...so everything is in the kids names and I assure you they do not want to be bothered with the stamps. They will have enough problems clearing out the house.

My first exit strategy was to stop collecting new issues effective 1/1/20. That coincided with my final Mystic album being filled.

A couple of years ago while knocking on death's door in a hospital bed I did think to myself for a moment what is Robert (my hubby) going to do with my room of stamps (literally a room full of stamps)

Luckily I survived that episode in my life and still get to enjoy my collection.

I Like philb's idea a lot and I think that is how I would want it done. I am not certain yet if my grandkids will have an interest in philately as they are still too young but in a couple of years I hope to get them started.

For now I going to keep enjoying my collection for what it is to me; a hobby that I love to work on and share with my fellow collectors and friends.

Dianne

Very enlightening thread

Lick and stick, free postage for life for both kids.

Well documented that 99% holds no value. The 1% is documented and a true and honest expectation of return is noted. Much lower than I would suspect most people would project.

Everything does go to my youngest daughter who collected along side me from age 7 to age 16. She knows she can do anything she wants with them. I suspect she would keep the good stuff and donate the rest to someone.

Plan might have to change now Floortrader.

Vince is getting out of the game

The responses to this thread quickly came and went! Perhaps we don't want to be reminded of our mortality?

I have a LOT of stamps from around the world (read: short attention span), so creating an inventory list is out of the question. The good news is that I'm organized enough to at least organize countries, topics and eras into their own binders, making it less complicated to consolidate things. And while a have a lot of "good" stuff, none of it would be worthy of the major auction houses. My plan is the same now, as it was when I was much younger - let my family dispense of it in whatever way they see fit; ebay, local stamp club auction, or take over collecting is all on the table.

Brian

donate.

News like this seems to be coming fast and furious lately.

What is to become of Sandafayre?

ZENDO 59 --- Thanks for that update ,only respond would be to find a new place to make plans with .

EXIT STRATEGY ------Depends on the value of the collection .

Don't be offended if the people you contact want to ask a few questions and details ,then decide not to come out or request you just sell it locality .

Somebody should write a long piece about how to prepare a collection for sale and how to inventory it so to keep the guess work down .