Is it time ? Maybe not ?

[cobraman]

Since my last birthday ( I turned 68 ) I have been thinking more and more about my Cobra collection. I have been collecting for 20 years and have a little north of 775 of the darn things. Have plastic, die cast, pewter, crystal, wood, crayon ect. What will happen to them when I leave this earth ? I don't really care except for the burden it put on my wife and daughter. With that in mind I have been thinking of starting to list them on ebay. But I am having trouble doing that. Why do I have such an attachment to these stupid things ? I don't think that is normal, I may be sick ! ?

[Ace-Garageguy]

I dunno, Ray. I'm older than you, and I don't see any need to start offing things I'm attached to yet. Hell...I'm not even completely retired, still have to move everything I own out West, and plan to be building real cars and models for as long as I can pick up a hammer...and see what I'm hitting. 

Being attached to things is entirely normal for folks who love machines or models or whatever. Don't question your involvement.

I have acquaintances who just can not comprehend my love for models, old cars, fast cars, trains, airplanes, tools, etc., and why I still want to do the stuff at my "advanced age". But my real friends understand completely...except the ones who don't, but accept that my love of this stuff is an integral part of me.

If you still enjoy your collection, why get rid of it?

EDIT: Maybe do something like go through your collection and make a list of everything you've got, so if someone else needs to liquidate it, the hard work is already done. Maybe number each piece unobtrusively too, and key the number to the list, with a realistic value noted as well.

 

Edited September 6, 2019 by Ace-Garageguy

[Jantrix]

2 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

If you still enjoy your collection, why get rid of it?

EDIT: Maybe do something like go through your collection and make a list of everything you've got, so if someone else needs to liquidate it, the hard work is already done. Maybe number each piece unobtrusively too, and key the number to the list, with a realistic value noted as well.

I was going to add both points. 

[High octane]

3 hours ago, cobraman said:

Since my last birthday ( I turned 68 ) I have been thinking more and more about my Cobra collection. I have been collecting for 20 years and have a little north of 775 of the darn things. Have plastic, die cast, pewter, crystal, wood, crayon ect. What will happen to them when I leave this earth ? I don't really care except for the burden it put on my wife and daughter. With that in mind I have been thinking of starting to list them on ebay. But I am having trouble doing that. Why do I have such an attachment to these stupid things ? I don't think that is normal, I may be sick ! ?

Over the last few years I've been "thinnin' the herd" of unbuilt kits as I know realistically I'll never build them all or even half of them. Yes it's hard to choose which ones to get rid of as when I bought them I had plans to build them. Sighhh.

[Bucky]

3 minutes ago, High octane said:

Over the last few years I've been "thinnin' the herd" of unbuilt kits as I know realistically I'll never build them all or even half of them. Yes it's hard to choose which ones to get rid of as when I bought them I had plans to build them. Sighhh.

I'm doing the exact same thing with my stash. I had over 850 unbuilt kits when I started listing them on eBay. Now, I'm way down to 825!! Got a ways to go. 

I bought them with the intentions of building them all, but that's not gonna happen at 5 or 6 builds per year! LOL

[Jim N]

If you still enjoy them Ray, there is no reason to start getting rid of them.  Bill made a great point about cataloging them.  I suggest placing a value on them as well.  Some are obviously worth more than others and this will help your heirs not get taken if they choose to sell the collection.

I have a rather small collection of inbuilt kits (compared to some) at about 150.  I cannot part with them; although, I know many will never get built.

[NYLIBUD]

Snakes??????

[cobraman]

All food for thought. I do plan on keeping the ones I like but I think I will thin my collection out. Outside of colors or options all Cobra's are pretty much the came. Thinking maybe just start listing a couple of the unbuilt ones.

[Modelbuilder Mark]

Until you NO LONGER get joy out of having them, I would not get rid of them. I may control that impulse to add more, but not get rid of. My dad used to say, if it is not in the way, and it is not costing you anything to keep it, why get rid of it. If you are in a financial bind, or they are a burden, that is a different story.

Having said that, I do have a plan in place. 

If I precede my wife into that dark night, she has instructions on what is to be done. It always saddens me to see estate auctions or garage sales where you KNOW someones passion is being piddled away at pennies on the dollar of it's true value. 

First, my completed models are to be offered to my father (if it is still alive) and my children to pick from. I doubt my wife will want to keep any, but she surely can.

Next, my tools and supplies (of which there is enough to start a small hobby shop) are to be offered to my sons, one who is just now starting to show an interest in figure modeling (always hoped he would be a car guy, but is is 26 now, so not likely), my middle son who has little to no interest, and my youngest who at this point is still too young to build full glue kits, but loves cars and has built several snappers. (huge age gap between oldest and youngest)

Finally, the kits. I do not have quite the stash that some folks here have, as I was not always in a position to simply buy to add to the stash, and I really only bought what I thought I would build, or could kitbash/take parts from. This still leaves me with 300+ kits. First, let my boys have their pick. Anything that remains, are to be given (that's right, given) to a fellow modeler that I have known for years (should he still be alive) that I have a great deal of respect for. He is not aware of this. If he is gone, or chooses not to take them all, the remaining are to be donated to something like the Cub Scouts, or a youth club, where they may have some impact.

Keep in mind tho...I DO still plan on none of the above happening, me living a VERY long life, and building ALL my models. ? But you know what they say about plans....

 

[Tom Geiger]

I will turn 61 in a few weeks.  I am counting down the time to retirement and being able to build a lot more.  So I'm not selling anything!  

The one change I did make a while back is that I started to use the "saving for someday" kits and supplies.  Well, it is that someday!  How much longer should I have saved them?

Bill offers sound advise.  If the collection brings you joy, keep it!  Either make the list as suggested,  or make plans to have it all delivered to a Cobra museum upon your departure.

[cobraman]

I do like the donate to a Cobra museum if they would want them but I do have a fair amount of money invested and would rather my wife had some extra cash. Maybe a better coffin ? ?

[Tom Geiger]

12 hours ago, cobraman said:

Maybe a better coffin ? ?

Once you're gone you'll never know that your wife went cheap and had you cremated, but did go for the large coffee can for your remains!   ?

[LDO]

Wow. I had no idea Cobra and Ace were 68 and 68+. ? 

[cobraman]

Yup, 68. Been building models since I was 10 on and off. You would think by now I would be better but, NO !

[OldTrucker]

Thinned mine way down over the last 10 years.

Now sorry that I let some of them go!

But I know I'll never finish them and to be honest I don't think I'll be fretting over what happens after I am taking that long dirt nap!

[Bucky]

7 hours ago, cobraman said:

Yup, 68. Been building models since I was 10 on and off. You would think by now I would be better but, NO !

You guys are WAAAAAAAAY older than me!!! I'm only 64!! Been stickin' these things together since 1963.

[89AKurt]

I'm still young at heart, less than 60 but it's approaching fast!  Cataloging the collection, that will give you time to reflect on each one, perhaps start different piles based on value and quality.  I would dump the Crayon ones, sounds like a fire hazard. ?  Pricing them is a completely objective thing, but would note the valuable rare ones.

I've been giving more thought along these lines too.  Have sold some, but for some reason more show up, just different. ?  I would rather sell my house and get an RV, travel around, and build at night, to piddle away my last days.  Later.....