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As someone who just bought 900 Pokémon cards at an unadvertised estate sale at a roadside Michigan blueberry stand, I can relate. We had just stopped by for blu

As someone who just bought 900 Pokémon cards at an unadvertised estate sale at a roadside Michigan blueberry stand, I can relate. We had just stopped by for blueberries. I happen to see a couple unlabeled sheets of paper tacked up in a corner with grainy scans of cards. I asked the old farmer if she has some for sale and she pulls out this massive binder of cards with many first edition and holo cards in very good condition… they were from her sister’s estate and she didn’t have time or interest to deal with them.

aio2 3y ago
I feel bad for her sister.
Reubachi 3y ago
I hope you offered the proper/perceived value for them, and not the "cardboard" price
- projektfu 3y ago
  I don't know, if someone wants to dump a whole lot on you, you should just take their asking price. They're not asking you to do a valuation. They won't feel the "loss". However, if you go through and tell them what every card is "worth", and buy a couple that you can afford, they will then feel bad if they ever part with them for less than their notional value.
  - User23 3y ago
    My conscience wouldn't let me do that. Don't get me wrong I'd be willing to accept a steep discount for the hassle of potentially grading and listing every card, the time it takes to sell, and the expectation that some won't move in a timely fashion, but I'm not gonna give someone $20 for $10,000 worth of merchandise just because they're ignorant.
    - projektfu 3y ago
      What if you say, "you know, these cards can be worth a lot sometimes, is that going to bother you?". I mean, part of it is that you should also remain ignorant. If you see an expensive card on the first page, yeah, morally you're in a spot if you act like you didn't. But if you just assume that a collector has something of value, but you don't really go through it other than to make sure that it's actually all the same stuff, I think the terms are fine. Just so long as you're actually spinning the wheel as well. I'm reminded, though, of High Fidelity. There's a part of the book (maybe a deleted scene on the DVD as well) where Rob goes to buy a collection and he's seeing all these great items, first editions in pristine condition. The seller is a woman who is going through a divorce and doesn't need the money but her husband does, and he asked her to sell them for him, and she's trying to dump them for very low price to be mean. Rob can't bring himself to buy them, even though he wants some for his collection. So I get where you're coming from. I don't make as much money as I could because I don't fleece people, either. But there's times when people are asking for your expertise and times when they just want to move on, and everyone should be happy in the end.
      - User23 3y ago
        Yeah that’s fair. If the seller is knowingly and intentionally selling below market value it’s moral to buy just as it’s moral to accept a gift (in most cases).
- markstos 3y ago
  I'd say it was a fair price. I have work to do to reach ROI, but after some hours of spreadsheet building, I project a reasonable upside on the investment.

aio2 3y ago

I feel bad for her sister.

Reubachi 3y ago

I hope you offered the proper/perceived value for them, and not the "cardboard" price

projektfu 3y ago
I don't know, if someone wants to dump a whole lot on you, you should just take their asking price. They're not asking you to do a valuation. They won't feel the "loss". However, if you go through and tell them what every card is "worth", and buy a couple that you can afford, they will then feel bad if they ever part with them for less than their notional value.
- User23 3y ago
  My conscience wouldn't let me do that. Don't get me wrong I'd be willing to accept a steep discount for the hassle of potentially grading and listing every card, the time it takes to sell, and the expectation that some won't move in a timely fashion, but I'm not gonna give someone $20 for $10,000 worth of merchandise just because they're ignorant.
  - projektfu 3y ago
    What if you say, "you know, these cards can be worth a lot sometimes, is that going to bother you?". I mean, part of it is that you should also remain ignorant. If you see an expensive card on the first page, yeah, morally you're in a spot if you act like you didn't. But if you just assume that a collector has something of value, but you don't really go through it other than to make sure that it's actually all the same stuff, I think the terms are fine. Just so long as you're actually spinning the wheel as well. I'm reminded, though, of High Fidelity. There's a part of the book (maybe a deleted scene on the DVD as well) where Rob goes to buy a collection and he's seeing all these great items, first editions in pristine condition. The seller is a woman who is going through a divorce and doesn't need the money but her husband does, and he asked her to sell them for him, and she's trying to dump them for very low price to be mean. Rob can't bring himself to buy them, even though he wants some for his collection. So I get where you're coming from. I don't make as much money as I could because I don't fleece people, either. But there's times when people are asking for your expertise and times when they just want to move on, and everyone should be happy in the end.
    - User23 3y ago
      Yeah that’s fair. If the seller is knowingly and intentionally selling below market value it’s moral to buy just as it’s moral to accept a gift (in most cases).
markstos 3y ago
I'd say it was a fair price. I have work to do to reach ROI, but after some hours of spreadsheet building, I project a reasonable upside on the investment.