Question about selling a collection of a certain comic

[Filament]

I read and hear a lot about considering to sell as an entire collection, but it doesn't look like anybody on the web does that. This includes private individuals. Why is that? I wouldn't think it's having two of some issues. There's always a chance that the one you just bought is in better shape than the one you already have. Greed? What the hell, posting on the web is free, may as well give it a shot?

[namor]

I really don't have a clue as to what you have said...

[Canucked]

Give it a shot. If the moon comes down tomorrow then the sun will still go sideways. I mean, can you really tell what is "up" in space? A full collection of Batman, that's what.

[Hellboydce]

Give it a shot. If the moon comes down tomorrow then the sun will still go sideways. I mean, can you really tell what is "up" in space? A full collection of Batman, that's what.

I think you've nailed it

[Filament]

I really don't have a clue as to what you have said...

I will try again. I read and hear of people advising to sell a collection of one title as a collection and not separate issues. However, I do not see on the internet that people are doing that. Why is that?

You do not have to respond if you don't care or are want to be obtuse. You do not have to respond to the thread if you think it is a waste of time. By responding that you feel that way, you are only taking up more message board space. I don't give a whit what you post or what somebody nailed.

[Dark-Flux]

People sell collections on ebay and craigslist and the likes all the time...
Or to local stores who are looking for back issue inventory.

[JJ87]

A guy from Mexico had a complete Amazing Spider-Man collection (#1-700, plus Amazing Fantasy 15, annuals and minis) listed in MercadoLibre (kind of a latin-american eBay), but every single comment told him not to sell it, explained how much of a treasure it was, or simply congratulated him on having the whole series, without bidding or making an offer.

I guess collections do pop up once in a while.
A serious and responsible collection buyer, now that might be rare.

[Judge Dredd]

I will try again. I read and hear of people advising to sell a collection of one title as a collection and not separate issues. However, I do not see on the internet that people are doing that. Why is that?

You do not have to respond if you don't care or are want to be obtuse. You do not have to respond to the thread if you think it is a waste of time. By responding that you feel that way, you are only taking up more message board space. I don't give a whit what you post or what somebody nailed.

I have bought so many full series on Ebay, people sell them all the time.

[codystarbuck]

I've seen people selling their entire collection and complete runs of titles. However, it is hard to find a buyer. The asking price is often higher than most are interested and, usually, those collections have more numbers than actual value. Things like the Church collection were very old collections bought by a dealer, from a private individual, for far less than they were worth. They were instances of a family member unloading the possessions of a dead person, without regard to their true worth. The speculator boom kind of ended that kind of naivete, as well as the availability of info, on the internet.

It's far easier to sell individual books than multiples, as you can get the best price. With a collection, you are going to do far more haggling. You also have to factor transportation into the equation. Buyer's might pay for shipping a dozen books; but, the cost of shipping dozens of long boxes is far higher than the likely worth of the contents.

Personally, what I have seen in a lot of collections advertised is a lot of people who had either poor taste as a kid, or vary narrow interests and much of it from an era where the books aren't scarce or strongly desired. It's rarer that you find someone who had really broad interests and over a sustained period of time. That's an adult collector, who spent years accumulating things, and they don't part with them easily; or else, they make sure they get their investment out of it, by selling specific things, trying for the best price for each.