To sell or to keep?

[backguard]

As jb143 said, I should just ask what would this collection be worth in 18 years? What percent would it grow (or decline) at overall?

As background - I just found out that my wife is pregnant with baby #1 --- among my first thoughts (after oh sh&t) was should i get rid of my collection and put it in a college fund. i've always thought of my collection as being something of an investment, but now it actually needs to be an investment or turned into cash and invested.

i've put up a link to a spreadsheet of most of my collection - around 3500 games and 100+ systems - my guess is a value of 20k.

any thoughts would be much appreciated!

http://myfreefilehosting.com/f/bf242811f2_0.26MB

Lastly - if I sold this, I would just sell everything.

[maxlords]

This is kind of one of those questions you already know the answer to...but...

I just found out that my wife is pregnant with baby #1 --- among my first thoughts (after oh sh&t) was should i get rid of my collection and put it in a college fund. i've always thought of my collection as being something of an investment, but now it actually needs to be an investment or turned into cash and invested.

any thoughts would be much appreciated! i've put up a link to a spreadsheet of most of my collection - around 3500 games and 100+ systems - my guess is a value of 20k.

http://www.turboupload.com/files/get/elJg3Z884s/collectionlist.xls


I haven't looked at the list (about to crash) but that sounds like a low price unless it's 95% commons. I've got my collection figured at around 100K and I'm only around 750 games. But that's if I sell it piece by piece for high value.

If nothing else, sell part of it, and keep part of it. That way you're contributing to the college fund but not sadrificing your whole hobby. Pick a percentage...say 20 or 40% and then go through and cut X number to reach it per system. Then sell em and stick that in a fund and keep the rest unless ya need it. If you make even 10K, it'll add up fairly well by the time the kid reaches college.

[theChad]

I haven't looked at the list (about to crash) but that sounds like a low price unless it's 95% commons. I've got my collection figured at around 100K and I'm only around 750 games. But that's if I sell it piece by piece for high value.


Unless my math is way off, that puts each game at $133. What in holy hell are you collecting?

[SpaceHarrier]

Do what you gotta do for your baby, backguard; but I'd agree that you should keep some of the sentimental favorites in terms of both games and systems. 100 systems and 3500 games is pretty massive, I'd say. You can afford to hold on to a couple systems and a few games, can't you? It will stifle that big feeling of loss you are gonna get by selling off that huge collection of games/systems. I mean, it's not like just because you sell everything that your passion for gaming/collecting has gone away, right? And selling absolutely everything vs. just selling mostly everything won't yield you that terribly much more to invest.

This is a huge step for you and your family, I don't mean to diminish that fact. Congrats on your baby! If you don't play games much anymore or mostly collected to collect, then why not sell them all? But given that you are posting here on an avid-collector/gamers' forum, it seems to me that gaming is a part of you. Hold on to what really means something to you. Let the rest go.

[Pantechnicon]

While I appreciate the whole "I'm going to be a dad so I've got to grow up now and stop playing/collecting all these video games" mindset, please think about a few things here:

1. You don't have to give up everything in your collection.

2. Is $20K what your collection is really worth or what you want it to be worth?

3. Assuming your collection is worth that much, it would probably take you by the time your child is ready to go to college to earn that much as you'd probably have to sell it off piece by piece.

4. There are a lot of things you're going to need for a baby before the college fund. Are you in decent enough shape, financially speaking, to handle those?

[Eric Dude]

I dunno, man... I really think this is the sort of thing that is best handled with a marriage counselor. Your child's future is at stake!!!

[Haoie]

Whoa.

I thought you meant to sell or the keep the baby for a second.

[Eric Dude]

Whoa.

I thought you meant to sell or the keep the baby for a second.

I don't like the fact that he didn't even consider that option. Not much of a real gamer, in my eyes.

[MrSparkle]

most people only buy sealed mint condition babies this one could have some label wear which would explain why selling the baby never came up. If you sell your collection make sure to point us to it so we can have a crack at it. ;)

[carlcarlson]

Unless my math is way off, that puts each game at $133. What in holy hell are you collecting?

Seriously.

[jb143]

A better question might be to ask the serious collectors around here what they think your collection might be worth in 18 years.

[backguard]

A better question might be to ask the serious collectors around here what they think your collection might be worth in 18 years.

I guess you are right. I'll edit the question.

[maxlords]

Unless my math is way off, that puts each game at $133. What in holy hell are you collecting?



Was sleepy when I posted that. It's a list for insurance purposes though, and based on current market highs. There are a LOT of $100+ titles in my collection though. Also, prices in Canada for rare games are exponentially higher for some reason.

[The 1 2 P]

i've put up a link to a spreadsheet of most of my collection - around 3500 games and 100+ systems - my guess is a value of 20k.



I think thats alittle low too. I have alittle more than 700 games and only about 15 different systems, but I have enough factory sealed games and uncommons to get to atleast $10K in sales. Yours should be closer to $50K if not more.

[GreatBazunka]

Unless my math is way off, that puts each game at $133. What in holy hell are you collecting?

Here here!! I thought the same thing. I have felt that my collection is also an investment, but unless i got some ubsurd (<---check spelling) amount, like $100,000!?!?!, selling is not even a thought. I guesse it has to do with how into the hobby you are, but i have woked to hard to gather my games and to me it is just something to pass along from generation to generation and to tribute the woderful games of the past.

[GreatBazunka]

While I appreciate the whole "I'm going to be a dad so I've got to grow up now and stop playing/collecting all these video games" mindset, please think about a few things here:

1. You don't have to give up everything in your collection.

2. Is $20K what your collection is really worth or what you want it to be worth?

3. Assuming your collection is worth that much, it would probably take you by the time your child is ready to go to college to earn that much as you'd probably have to sell it off piece by piece.

4. There are a lot of things you're going to need for a baby before the college fund. Are you in decent enough shape, financially speaking, to handle those?

agreed. And just think of the fun your child will have with all of those games around. I mean, how many people do you know that have huge collections like that. It is something that sets you apart from joe next door so that when you are both mowing your lawns and he says "well im going in for a beer and the game" you can say "see ya later, im going to kill the red falcon with my son/daughter... AGAIN ;)". It is something that you can pass on to the future and show generations what games used to be. Its a uniquesness that you have and a collection of something that is not the sports paraphernalia that every one else has. unless you arent really into that whole idea, then sell it all and assimilate with the lemmings.

[Bojay1997]

Not to be critical of your desire to be a responsible parent, but there are lots of ways to finance a child's education that don't require $20K in a college fund. For example, if your child does really well in school, they could get a scholarship or several. If they choose to join the military, they could get a free education at an academy. If they choose to go to a publc school, they could work on campus to pay the relatively inexpensive tuition. There are also grants and loans. I guess I'm a little selfish about this whole thing because I worked my way through college and got away debt free, without a college fund. You have 18 years to save in any event, so putting away a hundred or so a month might be a better approach than cashing out immediately.

[Geddon_jt]

most people only buy sealed mint condition babies this one could have some label wear which would explain why selling the baby never came up. If you sell your collection make sure to point us to it so we can have a crack at it. ;)

This sounds like a brand new baby, so he should have no problem selling it. You just have to look closely and make sure the horizontal seam on the back is intact.

Personally, I'm fine with collecting loose babies. I don't see the point in paying a massive premium for brand new babies - babies are meant to be played with, after all!

[MrSparkle]

This sounds like a brand new baby, so he should have no problem selling it. You just have to look closely and make sure the horizontal seam on the back is intact.

Personally, I'm fine with collecting loose babies. I don't see the point in paying a massive premium for brand new babies - babies are meant to be played with, after all!

NO, BABIES ARE MEANT TO SIT ON SHELVES! Mainly for conversation pieces. I for one personally slab and grade the babies through the baby grading association (BGA).

[eskobar]

Games are just games ... there are much more important things in life.

You may not see a few games on your collection for sale again, but keep those great games and collection as a fond memory.

Collecting is very fun, as it is to play those games; you can start again a collection if you need ;D

[The 1 2 P]

Games are just games ... there are much more important things in life.



Like what:????

[Cornelius]

I'm a parent of a 2 yr old, and I didn't start collecting until after he was born. I'm a stay-at-home dad, so my situation is a bit different than most, but I still don't see why you have to quit collecting or sell your stuff.

I think there is a misconception among people about to have their first kid (and sometimes 2nd, 3rd) in the way that it will change your life. No doubt it does change your life, but it doesn't change who you are, like a lot of people seem to think it will. Those two overlap to some extent, I suppose. And for some people I'm sure it totally causes them to re-tool their whole identity. But for me, I was surprised how little I changed... more like adding on to myself on every level (intellectual, emotional, spiritual, etc) with very little demolition of the existing structures.

Likely you'll have a lot less time to spend with your collection, but if it is important to you at all (as its size suggests), you'll still find/make time for it. Maybe downsizing would make sense in that case. For me, I'm still upsizing whenever the good deals allow me to!

[backguard]

This is why I love this site...such great people here. You all bring up some great points that I need to keep in mind as things set in!


I'm a parent of a 2 yr old, and I didn't start collecting until after he was born. I'm a stay-at-home dad, so my situation is a bit different than most, but I still don't see why you have to quit collecting or sell your stuff.

I think there is a misconception among people about to have their first kid (and sometimes 2nd, 3rd) in the way that it will change your life. No doubt it does change your life, but it doesn't change who you are, like a lot of people seem to think it will. Those two overlap to some extent, I suppose. And for some people I'm sure it totally causes them to re-tool their whole identity. But for me, I was surprised how little I changed... more like adding on to myself on every level (intellectual, emotional, spiritual, etc) with very little demolition of the existing structures.

Likely you'll have a lot less time to spend with your collection, but if it is important to you at all (as its size suggests), you'll still find/make time for it. Maybe downsizing would make sense in that case. For me, I'm still upsizing whenever the good deals allow me to!


agreed. And just think of the fun your child will have with all of those games around. I mean, how many people do you know that have huge collections like that. It is something that sets you apart from joe next door so that when you are both mowing your lawns and he says "well im going in for a beer and the game" you can say "see ya later, im going to kill the red falcon with my son/daughter... AGAIN ". It is something that you can pass on to the future and show generations what games used to be. Its a uniquesness that you have and a collection of something that is not the sports paraphernalia that every one else has. unless you arent really into that whole idea, then sell it all and assimilate with the lemmings.