Would You Sell Your Collection?

[brykasch]

Would I?? In retrospect I would try to sell everything but that.

Before my daughter was born we were not well of financially. We had everything we needed for the baby thanks to family and friends, but didn't have anything saved for when the wife was going to be off work, we planned to but thanks to some bad money management it didn't happen. long story short, I had to sell my s**t but quick. CDX, DC, J Saturn, TG-16, XBOX, and about 40 games (insignificant compared to the collection I have now), but at the time killed me, as I didn't get alot for it, not because it was bad stuff , just had to go the local route as time was of the essence.

Now thankfully we are much better off moneywise, I got everything back I sold (and then some lol) learned better game buying ways(nevery buy new release games being one of them, and only buy stuff your going to play) I would sell all my movies before I would sell games again.

[Simply Dave]

Of course I would sell if I needed the money. You gotta go what you gotta do.

[jdc]

No, no, no. For several reasons. My collection is starting to pick up speed....all of it is in a complete, near-mint condition if it's a cart game...and pristine if it's disc based. It didn't cost me too much to amass if you consider that each cart cost me $2 to $10 over time. I'd get jack for it if I sold it through the normal channels.

I have an almost 3 year old son. When he is ready this little guy has instant access to a library of NES, Genny, 64, Sony PS1/PS2 and Cube. No wishing that daddy would buy him a video game system like other kids have to....he's got 'em already. He's sat and watched me "fight big monsters" and "race vroooms" ever since he was born and sits along side me with an unplugged 3rd party N64 controller in his hands.

[v1rich]

Amen to that. I am keeping my collection for my kids (I don't have any yet but I will one day). If I sell any of it it will be stuff that is easiest to get back first.

[MonkeyWizard]

Maybe, but it'd have to be one heck of a deal. I've spent hours upon hours not only tracking down all my games, but also playing them. So, to see them get taken away right before my eyes would be almost unbearable.

I suppose I would sell them if I really needed the money, but it'd be hard to part with something that has so much sentimental value.

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

you'll always have debt but will you always have something to escape with like a good game?

Selling your $5k collection when you're $30k in debt serves no purpose I can see.

I'm in a position where I'm trying to keep the above words of wisdom in mind all the time.

But yeah, the thought's occurred. I probably would sell off one chunk at a time, a system and its games here, a system and its games there. Really trying not to though.

[jdc]

I'm gonna add something else.

You amass the possession.

You sell or trade the possession away.

You get the money.

You spend the money.

You almost ALWAYS end up wishing back what you sold.

I figure why put yourself through it. Grit yer teeth, lock the collection away and get an extra part time job delivering pizzas until the debt's more manageable. It's the emotional attachment to the stuff that's hard to conquer.

[Ed Oscuro]

you'll always have debt but will you always have something to escape with like a good game?

Selling your $5k collection when you're $30k in debt serves no purpose I can see.

I'm in a position where I'm trying to keep the above words of wisdom in mind all the time.

That's true...if you have to declare bankruptcy they'll take that stuff anyway. Better to "give" it to a relative if you're about to declare bankruptcy ;D

[jhd7]

Certainly I'd sell it. The people in my will don't know the value of the games, so it would be best to sell it all before I die. I can't stand the thought of them ditching my 770-game NES collection for a hundred bucks at a yard sale.

After I find (and beat) Phantasy Star on the SMS, I'll likely sell that entire collection. I've toyed with the idea of selling my CV setup (120+ games, all expansion modules), but there's no Frogger, Gorf, or Purple Dinosaur Massacre on the NES. I'm already wondering why I started on the Atari 7800. My Game Gear collection is available, but it seems to be expecting too much to want to break even.

Jeff D

[Oobgarm]

This is a tough topic to answer.

I dunno, I think selling everything is a bad idea, unless you are completely out of options and have no other way of acquiring funds. Unless, of course, you’re looking to leave the hobby behind entirely. But if you have any desire to keep playing games, selling off everything is a move you’ll regret. Maybe not right away, but you will—especially if you don’t absolutely have to.

Yes. A year ago, I wouldn't have dreamt of it. Ten months ago, I would have pondered it. Mortality has kicked in as of recent, that I've tossed around the idea of selling everything I don't use and step down as a collector and simply just be a gamer. That means keeping nothing but those games that I play or absolutely love.

I was sitting around, looking at everything, and wondering the same thing myself a couple of days ago. I play maybe a quarter of it, and that’s being generous. I yearn for the days that buying and playing a new game was an exciting time, that making a trip to the game store was a special occasion.

[Savedman]

I just filed bankruptcy and I'm still not selling!! Worked too long and too hard to give it up now. Besides, it would break my kids hearts!

[Ed Oscuro]

Gah that sucks! Well, there you go. I had mentioned this before but didn't think it would actually happen to a forumer...good luck getting back on track!

I don't want to ask it but...how are you keeping your stuff from getting repossessed? O_o

[VACRMH]

All depends on the situation.

I'm sure one day I may get rid of some crappy games just to get a little extra cash.

But if a bill is due, it's due. So if I have to sell everything to pay off some bills... sadly i'd do it.

After I sell blood,sperm,hair and any other "useless" organs...who needs a liver anyways?

[Savedman]

Nothing to repossess really. The bank I have my car loan with is a small local bank so I am reaffirming the loan with them but the rest is credit card debt and a ghetto house that I couldn't care less if the bank takes back or not. Satan....er, I mean my ex-wife came home one day (while we were still together) and announced that she spent $135K on a house without discussing it with me so bankruptcy was inevitable. She is somehow keeping that house but the one we owned together is going back to the bank. It's a dump so I'm not heart broken. Now I'm living in one of my dad's rentals until I get back on my feet financially.

[le geek]

If it was sell or not have food or a house for my family I would sell. Start with the stuff I dont play. Then go from there.

As someone who is about to be a home owner with my longtime gf (sans family), I agree.

When I was a freelancer and I needed a new AC compressor in my car Battlesphere Gold found a new home pretty quickly!

I'd hate to get rid of my 2600 collection (my only true collecting system), but I'd rather keep my (future) digs

Cheers,
Ben

[Ed Oscuro]

Satan....er, I mean my ex-wife came home one day (while we were still together) and announced that she spent $135K on a house without discussing it with me so bankruptcy was inevitable.

Wow, that's a nice stocking stuffer in April...

[Arqueologia_Digital]

Maybe in an extreme situation, but...NEEEEEEEEEVERRRRRRRRRRRR

[The Manimal]

This is a good discussion, and deserves a good "bump".

[ianoid]

I have one of the larger collections around, and I wouldn't consider selling it en masse.

If I sold portions of it (1st to the chopping block would be systems like SNES, Genesis, N64), it would be primarily because of space at this point.

Would you sell is a question that reflects quite a bit upon how you bought. I have bought 98% of my collection through local hunting, and many items I can still recollect the exact time in my life that I found it. Not to mention how cool it is to satisfy my urge overkill getting games. It's many faceted nostalgia, and I can't really give up most of the collection for that reason.

Of course, if I had to sell to put dinner on the table, I would. Who wouldn't? I hope things won't get to that.

Space, by far, is now the biggest issue. I mean, how many square feet will I need to house all this stuff, and still have easy access to it?

ian

[Sibs]

I will never sell another game from my collection again! The last few times I did was when I sold my whole NES collection and the system for 60 bucks so I could go get Super Mario RPG for the SNES(about 8 years ago) and the other time I sold a bunch of SNES games and PS-One games so I could pay for car insurance.