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<p>[QUOTE="Bluebutterfly55, post: 510439, member: 4297"]I inherited a very large and extremely rare/unique collection of items and I want to sell the collection. I have approached several museums (non-profits) who have expressed immediate interest in acquiring what I have for display. However, every one of them has said they have no budget for acquisitions and never or rarely ever purchase anything. </p><p><br /></p><p>I understand their position on this, but on the other hand, I have NO interest in simply "donating" my collection so a museum can display it and probably charge $$ for people to look at it while I get zero. They don't even offer to pay any of the shipping costs to get the items to their location. I have several items that are large/heavy and would require a lot of special packing. Do they honestly think I am going to do that for free? I am not a wealthy donor type of person. I wouldn't get a tax write off for "donating" my rare items to them, so there's nothing in it for me except a bit of satisfaction knowing the local community would get to see it displayed. </p><p><br /></p><p>I haven't had my collection appraised, and even if I did, it's so unusual and unique I don't think it CAN be evaluated in dollars and cents.. I feel that it's worth whatever a particular buyer would pay for it, or what the value to a particular person or entity would be. I'm totally frustrated with the entire situation. </p><p><br /></p><p>I have thought about contacting an auction house, but am afraid of being ripped off. I may just decide to sell it off piece by piece on ebay. That's not my first choice of what to do, because I hate the idea of breaking up a historically/socially significant collection. But I don't know what else to do at this point. </p><p><br /></p><p>So do any of you have advice on this? I realize I'm not revealing the type of collection I have in specifics. But be assured it's items that various museums want due to its extreme rarity and unusual tie to a particular local area in Southern California. It probably even has "notoriety" value due to the particular background of the items and their connections and history. </p><p><br /></p><p>Any advice would be welcomed. I'm contacting all sorts of people and groups about this, and so far, it's the same old story. "We don't buy, but would LOVE to have your stuff!" ARGH! I'm so fed up with the whole thing! My family and I have incurred all sorts of expenses taking care of these items for several DECADES now, and yet these "non profits" want to PROFIT by getting something for nothing and boost the value of their own collections by owning something of mine. Am I looking at this situation in the wrong way? Or what? Thanks for the feedback![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Bluebutterfly55, post: 510439, member: 4297"]I inherited a very large and extremely rare/unique collection of items and I want to sell the collection. I have approached several museums (non-profits) who have expressed immediate interest in acquiring what I have for display. However, every one of them has said they have no budget for acquisitions and never or rarely ever purchase anything. I understand their position on this, but on the other hand, I have NO interest in simply "donating" my collection so a museum can display it and probably charge $$ for people to look at it while I get zero. They don't even offer to pay any of the shipping costs to get the items to their location. I have several items that are large/heavy and would require a lot of special packing. Do they honestly think I am going to do that for free? I am not a wealthy donor type of person. I wouldn't get a tax write off for "donating" my rare items to them, so there's nothing in it for me except a bit of satisfaction knowing the local community would get to see it displayed. I haven't had my collection appraised, and even if I did, it's so unusual and unique I don't think it CAN be evaluated in dollars and cents.. I feel that it's worth whatever a particular buyer would pay for it, or what the value to a particular person or entity would be. I'm totally frustrated with the entire situation. I have thought about contacting an auction house, but am afraid of being ripped off. I may just decide to sell it off piece by piece on ebay. That's not my first choice of what to do, because I hate the idea of breaking up a historically/socially significant collection. But I don't know what else to do at this point. So do any of you have advice on this? I realize I'm not revealing the type of collection I have in specifics. But be assured it's items that various museums want due to its extreme rarity and unusual tie to a particular local area in Southern California. It probably even has "notoriety" value due to the particular background of the items and their connections and history. Any advice would be welcomed. I'm contacting all sorts of people and groups about this, and so far, it's the same old story. "We don't buy, but would LOVE to have your stuff!" ARGH! I'm so fed up with the whole thing! My family and I have incurred all sorts of expenses taking care of these items for several DECADES now, and yet these "non profits" want to PROFIT by getting something for nothing and boost the value of their own collections by owning something of mine. Am I looking at this situation in the wrong way? Or what? Thanks for the feedback![/QUOTE]
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