Just aquired a collection/shop inventory!

arex

And have started the arduous process of going through and organizing etc
The collection is from a closed store near Paducah Kentucky and has a lot of stuff in it. The range is from late 1980's into 2001 when the shop closed. There is a nice mix of football, baseball, and basketball. There is also about 350 sets, probably 90% basketball. Most of the basketball sets are 1997-1998.
All in all there is a lot of work to do but im not in any hurry to burn up eBay just yet
There are 90ish two row shoe boxes in top loaders that are a nice balance between baseball, football, and basketball with some racing mixed in as well. These are primarily from the mid-late 90's.
Ive got a question to the members here:
What do you do with 150-200+/- 3200 count boxes of late 80s-late 90s commons/semi stars/stars. Some are sorted, some arent but these are not exactly big money cards.
Is there a bulk price that people purchase this stuff at? I see people on eBay selling large count boxes of unsorted cards and I am cool doing that but it will take a nice long time to do it that way.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Arex

lostdart58

You have a fireplace?

You should be set for the winter!!

itzagoner

hmmm. only got 40+ monstrosity boxes of that stuff propping up the man cave walls. but sunglasses are required for viewing.

esquiresports

Depending on your tax situation, donations to schools and not-for-profits could be a beneficial move while doing something good at the same time.

WhiteTornado

<< <i>Depending on your tax situation, donations to schools and not-for-profits could be a beneficial move while doing something good at the same time. >>



In the late 1990s, I donated a few thousand late '80s baseball commons to a local Boys & Girls Club. I didn't require a receipt, but they'd probably give you one if you asked.

arex

I'm not in a position to donate any of the boxes although I do like the idea.

Bosox1976

Sounds like a huge buy, volume-wise (and mucho heavy lifting). Hope you get plenty of nice finds in there.

Stone193

Good luck Arex - hope you find some gems.

larryallen73

Assuming you aren't in the phaseout you can get a nice charitable deduction. You can write off up to $5,000 (or so) of "value" without an appraisal. It's very easy to price guide those commons to $5,000. It's not worth selling. The deduction will be worth more to you very likely. Talk to your local tax pro. Oh ya, and have fun.

bighurt2000

Arex PM Sent.

James

Dboneesq

Not really sure what you are going to be able to do with the commons that was not already mentioned. I'm not a modern collector, but from what I have read on here there are some good inserts from the 90s that could bring some decent bucks. GOOD LUCK!

frankhardy

PM sent.

byronscott4ever

For commons, doesn't Burbank buy them in bulk? If you do that, I'd go through and sort by big names and/or teams and see what you can get that way or offer them all up on Craigslist so that someone else will haul them around.

WinPitcher

Sounds like you can have a lot of fun, good luck!

GB5HOF

Don't let people get you down about your buy...just take a look at what's happening on that Will Clarke thread...some of that 90's early 2000 stuff is starting to sell. Of course the majority of the commons aren't really worth much...but you should have some fun digging. Good luck!

jfkheat

<< <i>Assuming you aren't in the phaseout you can get a nice charitable deduction. You can write off up to $5,000 (or so) of "value" without an appraisal. It's very easy to price guide those commons to $5,000. It's not worth selling. The deduction will be worth more to you very likely. Talk to your local tax pro. Oh ya, and have fun. >>



I did this several years ago. I donated about 250-300,000 cards to the Shriner's Hospital and about 150,000 to the local children's hospital. I claimed the $5000 on my taxes.
James

LarkinCollector

To sell them in bulk on eBay, your best bet is to have them sorted by set and fill up medium/large flat rate boxes with cards from the same set (i.e. large flat rate box of 1989 Topps BB BIN @ $25 or Auction @ .99 + enough in shipping to cover actual cost & fees). Don't expect to get a lot more than shipping/fees for them, but they'll at least sell that way eventually.

To maximize profits (not counting your time):
-Sort all of the cards and inventory.
-Sell "star" lots
-Become familiar with all errors/variations (not just those listed in Beckett) - sell ERR/COR pairs for decent premiums
-Set up a bunch of 'Complete Your Set - pick XX' type listings, either as BINs or auctions
-Eventually realize that the tax writeoff is worth more than your time invested

fur72

Funny the timing of your post. I am currently purging middle 2000's basketball and moving toward tossing thousands of poor shape late 70's to early 80's baseball. Two garbage bags worth of mid 2000's basketball are currently in the garbage can.

There is some sentimental value there for me as I have been carting these things around for a long time. So that blows but its just cards I have kept around for too long. Also tossed a bunch of late 70's hockey and early 80's football (never collected either but someone gave it to me).

In your situation I would follow LarkinCollector's suggestion and toss or donate the rest.

totallyradd

I bought a bunch of cards from a friend for 50 bucks at the beginning of summer. I knew I'd break even on the Tiffany Sets he had, so after that it was house money. I started sorting 3 boxes of 1983 Topps commons, and thought I'd build a set, the cards are all in Ex/NM at best. I'm in the 500's and got burned out pretty quick. I'm looking into the idea of donating, sounds like the best bet. I really don't wanna try to build any sets from 87 and up, might not wanna build any after I finish this 83 one, especially since the condition isn't great.

When I went through a ton of my cards from my childhood (1987-1992), I traded about 10,000 cards to my friends son for a bobblehead I needed. Even though he didn't know the most of the players, he was pretty thrilled by it just sorting through them. Maybe that's an option too.

lahmejoon

The non-cash contribution is not available if the items donated are inventory items of a trade or business.

Stone193

I like the stuff from the 90s.

As I've said in my "perspective" thread - it was an exciting time to be collecting.

Shows were packed. There were "actually" shops to buy stuff and shelves were stacked with the "latest" releases.

We'd run all over the countryside in search of 92F cellos - rookie sensations were on fire!

We waited with anticipation for the newest issue of SCD to hit our mailbox. Some even had them special delivered!

Premium cards were a new thing - starting with 89UD and the full bleed Topps Stadium Club and Fleer Ultra e.g.

The photography was never better and the parallel and inserts sets were all the rave. UD introduced the auto insert - was Reggie the first?

After all, to sit on a rainy Saturday afternoon and sort thru an 800 ct box of 92F Ultra is about as arbitrary as a box of 55Ts. They're both equally fun IMO. Of course, if we factor out value.

I remember completing my 92F set - the last card to find was Pete Harnisch - picked it up at a flea market with my son.

I guess I'm having 90s flashbacks!

Brock21

I was at an estate auction a few weeks ago, and amongst all the furniture, household items, et al were
dozens of 800 count boxes of mostly 90's cards.

They went for $5 each.

Also, a beat up box of beat up 70's football, probably a couple hundred cards, went for $80.

So.... find an estate auction and put them in there,

FootballCrazy

<< <i>I was at an estate auction a few weeks ago, and amongst all the furniture, household items, et al were
dozens of 800 count boxes of mostly 90's cards.

They went for $5 each.

Also, a beat up box of beat up 70's football, probably a couple hundred cards, went for $80.

So.... find an estate auction and put them in there, >>



I agree with this. Whenever I buy a collection that has this type of material I put together 5000 ct boxes and put them in the local estate auction. They generally bring $5-10 each with the auction house taking 15% and I am happy to get that.

Nathaniel1960

I sold about 2000 80's and 90's commons at a yard sale for $5 last week. The buyer thought they had hit the lottery. I was thrilled to see them gone. WIN-WIN

WalterSobchak

If you uncover any '84/'85 Donruss or '85 Topps sealed factory sets in that collection, shoot me a PM. I would have interest.

arex

Walter
There isn't anything like that in there. The sets are almost all mid-late 90s. Unless those sealed sets are located in the big bulk stuff which I doubt. Ill spend the next weekend or two going through and making sure there isn't anything unexpected in the bulk stuff. I've gotten in contact with a person who deals in bulk like I've got.
Then ill start digging through the 90 shoeboxes of better stuff.
Hopefully I've only got two more weeks of parking in the driveway instead of the garage lol