Collecting Advice Pls

[Mike91net]

Hello All,

Long-time lurker, periodic poster here just looking for some sound advice on what to do with a super-collector's Sandy Alomar Jr. collection.

Last night, I picked up a collection, which consists of 3 stuffed binders. Inside each binder are methodically placed cards in sleeves. Just like most super-collectors, there is one card of each which includes base, autos, oddball, serial numbered, game-used, several 1/1's, etc. These are big-boy binders and are awesome (and I'm not an Alomar Jr collector).

I can tell that the super-collector was VERY methodical, put both thousands of dollars and hours into his effort, and to simply put it...it's a beautiful collection. So I have a few choices:

1) Break it apart and sell them individually
2) Sleeve them all up and send to COMC
3) Keep the collection intact and pass it down to my Grandkids
4) Find another Alomar Jr collector and sell it.
5) Inquire with Goldin
6) Other

Just looking for a sensible way to approach this magnificent collection (it is very overwhelming). Also, the super-collector passed over 4 years ago, his immediate family did not want the collection...and it wasn't in his Will either.

If you came across an amazing and in-depth collection similar to this, what would you do with it?

Thank you all - I appreciate your helpful input!

[MiamiMarlinsFan]

It doesn’t sound like you’re looking for collecting advice…

[jduds]

4 is the easiest if you can find one. Selling individually or sending the better cards to COMC will get you the most money, but the cards might sit for a long time, as Alomar isn't the most in-demand guy. Goldin is a bad option for this. I'd sell off the 1/1s slowly in eBay auctions (like 1 a month) and any other high-demand rare cards from very popular sets, and try to dump the rest as a lot.

[tkraft24]

Sandy has a limited collector base and those left that collect him will have the vast majority of his cards. That said, I'd just piece out the rarer stuff. Collectors that need specific singles (rare ones) are likely to pay a premium.

The rest I would just keep for fun or sell in a single lot. I'd have low expectations as far as price goes though.

My brother still collects Sandy. If you consider moving rarer stuff separate feel free to shoot me a PM and I can check if he needs anything.

[here2havefun]

"4) Find another Alomar Jr collector and sell it."
Do this if you're happy to get $0.60 on the dollar, in order to save yourself a ton of time and effort

"2) Sleeve them all up and send to COMC"
Do this if you want to try to maximize value, and be ready to put in a ton of time and effort

For Goldin, I think most of the cards would get zero bids in their auction. Passing down to grandkids, they would end up selling the whole collection for $100 on FB marketplace (or whatever replaces FB years in the future).

EDIT: I would send the legitimately desirable cards to PSA and run them at auction on ebay (1/1's, Credentials, Star Rubies, PMG's, etc). Then the rest of the lot, I would see if I could get $0.60 on the dollar selling the lot in a 90's FB group.

[mjohnatgt]

Any card worth over $3 goes to COMC. Cards from $1-3 get sold in bulk lots by year. Cards worth under a dollar get sold in a giant lot.

[Archangel1775]

A. Find a player collector and see if you can come to a fair price.
B. Auction the rare cards on eBay. Sell the rest as a lot.

[Rooftop]

Who??

[Mike91net]

Thank you all for your kind comments and direction on what to do next. I really didn't think about the Grandkids selling it off on whatever the next platform is! But that's why you all are a great resource for what to do and when.

I have sooooo many of his cards to go through to figure out which ones to send away and which ones to sell as bulk. But you all have helped me decide not to keep them...and my wife says Thank You!

I also thought about maybe posting all the base and variations for that set as a lot. This guy probably went to every National there was for 11 years straight, so those individual stamps and imprints are probably going to force me to get a new set of glasses.

As always, Thank You for all of your input - keep an eye out on eBay for the rare ones. If I'm lucky, I may be able to start listing them in January...

Appreciate you all!

[PuddleMonkey]

Why do you collect Todd Hollandsworth?

[Mike91net]

He and I share the same last name, and he's the only Hollandsworth pro athlete—until this guy named Ty Hollandsworth showed up. Who, of course, is Todd's son.

No relation (at least none that I know of)...

Thanks for asking!

[OhioLawyerF5]

A lot of good advice here. But I will give one caveat. Take out the truly big cards (essential credentials, PMGs, etc...) and sell those privately. My experience is that you can often do even better than an auction by directly reaching a player collector or rare 90s set collector through a facebook group or instagram.

[PuddleMonkey]

He and I share the same last name, and he's the only Hollandsworth pro athlete—until this guy named Ty Hollandsworth showed up. Who, of course, is Todd's son.

No relation (at least none that I know of)...

Thanks for asking!


Who knows maybe there is relation. I didn't know I was related to someone famous until my father passed away and his sister whom he stopped communicating with decades prior reached out to my brother and I and she just happened to have our family history going a ways back. My father never cared about any of that stuff. Anyway, I was curious because I have a game used Hollandsworth bat from his time in Colorado.

[Mike91net]

A lot of good advice here. But I will give one caveat. Take out the truly big cards (essential credentials, PMGs, etc...) and sell those privately. My experience is that you can often do even better than an auction by directly reaching a player collector or rare 90s set collector through a facebook group or instagram.

I like it - reaching out through the available social media channels for the bigger cards is solid advice. Thank you for your input!

Michael

[Mike91net]

Who knows maybe there is relation. I didn't know I was related to someone famous until my father passed away and his sister whom he stopped communicating with decades prior reached out to my brother and I and she just happened to have our family history going a ways back. My father never cared about any of that stuff. Anyway, I was curious because I have a game used Hollandsworth bat from his time in Colorado.

Yeah, my wife is a big Ancestry kind of girl and she's looked for linkage, but to no avail. I have the kind of collection that I'm sure he would probably scratch his head and ask "Why?" lol It's all good, we all have our own personal conquests when it comes to collecting. He just happens to be mine!

I'll continue to try and make a connection though! Thank you - and nice bat! There were probably a couple of HRs hit with it in that altitude!