Advice on selling my entire Star Wars collection...

jadblz · May 2015

Hi everyone…I have a few questions… I’m looking to sell my entire LEGO Star Wars collection as a gigantic lot if at all possible. I’m talking about over 150 sets going from 1999 to 2014, They are all complete with instructions and either loose complete, still sealed in original LEGO bags (but removed from the LEGO box), or sealed in the boxes. They are all adult owned, bought new, never played with. If they were built, it was for display. They are in excellent condition for “used” LEGO.

Now…I have an idea of what I’m looking to get as a complete collection, simply based on how much I’ve put into them over the years. One of my questions was how would you go about trying to put an actual value on them outside of looking up 150 different completed listings on Ebay or Bricklink? I’ve done my fair share of research on them and have established an approximate worth, but I also realize I’m not going to get top dollar for every single set, when sold as part of a big lot. How much should I factor into my asking price to compensate for a potential reseller buying them?

I’ve spent the last few months just selling the Clone Wars stuff set by set, and at this rate, I’ll never finish selling off this collection.

Is there anywhere in particular in the US that you may be aware of that buys entire collections like this?

Thanks for looking…and I’m open to any suggestions or advice you have to offer

BrickDancer · May 2015

Hi @jadblz sorry to hear your departure from collecting SW. But sounds like you had a super collection leading up to this. My advice for getting as much money as possible is to break up the collection into smaller parts. The UCS sets should at least be sold separately due to their high individual values. Then narrow down the offerings to the different eras such as the vintage "Yellow face" era, classic "Basic Flesh" era and then the newer era since. If urgency is an issue, I'd stick them all on ebay in chunks and let the sharks feed, in which case you do not need to assign values as the free market will do it for you. If selling to a Reseller, expect to knock off 25% or more of the value to get interest. Best of luck!

jadblz · May 2015

Thank You @brickdancer for your ideas! Its not a situation where I must sell them off or anything, it's just an attempt at a self imposed collection control lol. Great ideas! Thank You! I was just trying to avoid sending out 50-150 boxes if I can avoid it. Breaking them into smaller collections will be the route I take if need be, was just hoping to avoid it...even if it cost me $. I never ever collected LEGO to make money, I'd be thrilled to simply break even lol

natro220 · May 2015

You may have some takers on here (at least on some of the sets) so you can avoid Ebay fees and problem customers. Brickset buyers are much more trustworthy IMO, way too many scammer buyers on Ebay now a days.

Just list the sets you want to sell and where you are and willing to ship to. You can list prices you wish to get, or accept offers.

ecmo47 · May 2015

Please let us know what state/city your in. A local pickup will save lots of grief! I've had good luck with Craigslist and would try that venue before eBay.

wagnerml2 · May 2015

I would also recommend posting them here for sale. I have had great experiences with bricksetters. I routinely will look at the lowest bricklink price for what I'm selling and try to come in below that. You end up saving the Ebay or Bricklink fees so selling at a discount isn't as big a deal.

jadblz · May 2015

Well I'm from Maryland here in the US....I'd def consider meeting anyone who was serious about purchasing the entire collection. As for the list, well I'm still finalizing it at the moment. I have 90% of the list ready to go...as of now it's 148 sets, 57,000+ pieces and 571 minifigures. I have at least another 20-30 sets to add yet. I tried copying it into this post, but was greeted with a pop up letting me know I had waaaaay too many characters for one post.
I'd love to put this collection into the hands of Brickset buyers (I'm not a fan of Ebay), I'm just not sure if I have the time and energy to ship it out as single sets. I'm also not concerned so much with profit as much as I'd just like to come as close to breaking even as I can lol.

SumoLego · May 2015

You could put the collection into Brickset and then publish the list.

steveomcl · May 2015

jeez! sounds like you could open up your own shop! thats alot of lego! I would be interested in knowing what you have to buy a few sets from you! however I live in the UK it wouldn't really suit us both!

Its humbling that you dont want to make money off them however, you are mad to sell any RARE, DISCONTINUED sets for less than they are worth!

Jedijon · May 2015

Don't

Oh that's not the kind of advice you wanted!

Things like splitting up into sensible smaller lots are a great idea and everyone will tell you that. You said a lot of things...some contradict but if the general idea is really that you don't want to look up prices OR to sell them for egregiously high prices, then you don't really need to ask do you? You can post them here with a "make me a fair offer", or on ebay with real postage [estimate] and a $0.99 opening bid. You'll make what you'll make.

You could also spend a fraction of the time you spent buying them having fun researching, selling, and keeping tabs of your new hobby - which is selling your old hobby. And if you still can't summon that mindset then please be more cautious consuming next time or what's the point??

jadblz · May 2015

Reading over this I should probably clarify a bit...I really am not not trying to "make money" but really simply recoup as much of what I spent as I can on it all... does that make more sense? When I said I'd sell the entire collection in one lot for original retail price, I meant it. That means for every awesome set that you'd get a great deal on...you'd be taking other sets at perhaps above current market value.

My hobby will always be collecting, building, and admiring LEGO, just not purchasing Star Wars LEGO any longer. I collected these sets starting in 1999 and bought every single set in this collection at retail price. I kept up with it year after year, buying just about everything that was ever produced. Striving for a 100% complete Star Wars LEGO collection has been no small task, and with more and more movies coming, the impending sets that come with those movies feel like an impending avalanche to me. By selling this collection...I release myself from trying to keep up with it anymore, while also allowing me some funds to chase after sets I've always wanted.
Speaking of that...anybody have a monorail and wish they had some Star Wars sets instead? lol

steveomcl · May 2015

I'm guessing your recoup value is around 15k -20k I can't see a collector on here that doesn't already have most sets who will have that kind of space or money! Don't get me wrong I'd love to be able to afford a collection like this! And if you really do have every set! My o my you have some amazing and rare sets in there! An MF alone worth over 1k!

I know u want to sell it as one package but you could make a lot of collectors on here happy by selling them individual sets that they need for a fair price if that is what you wish!

You sound like you have a great treasure that could be shared done properly!

SuperTramp · May 2015

^Wheres the list?

steveomcl · May 2015

Sorry poor choice of words from me! I was just assuming what he had in his collection! If as he claims he has every set since 1999! I think an actual list will just make us all jealous that we don't have the cash for it or the space

Final_Sign · May 2015

post a list here and you will likely get some offers . . .

jadblz · May 2015

@steveomcl The recoup cost is far less, I only ever paid retail...never more

As I said in my first post I have been slowly selling off sets. So I no longer have a complete Star Wars collection. I sold the all the technic stuff ages ago. The UCS sets I stopped collecting after the falcon (aside from the sandcrawler which I still have sealed) and sold them off years ago as well. My thinking was to try and stick to only sets (non UCS) with minifigures in them. It was the going through the process of shipping out box after box, day after day, week after week, that lead me to the initial question about selling it off as a collection.

If I'm unable to sell the entire collection as a whole, I'll have to revisit selling it differently, and would most certainly give Bricksetters first pick! Until then I'd much prefer the "lot" option. I'm aware most collectors would never need all these sets, that's why lot option would probably be best suited for a reseller, or maybe someone missing alot of the early stuff.

@Final_Sign, @supertramp - I did try to post a list earlier, but it was too many characters for the post. I'm working on an excel version atm.

I do really appreciate all the interest and ideas you guys have!

SprinkleOtter · May 2015

I'm in the US, and have a policy of "keep some and sell the rest." However, before I can even think of a reasonable offer, I'd need to know what you have.

Advice on selling my entire Star Wars collection...

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