Flipping an entire (small) Player Collection - Can it be done at a decent price?

[30ranfordfan]

No, not looking to dump the Ranford collection :)


A few years back I thought it would be fun to pick a Rookie (from the Oilers) and collect him as much as I could. I did not want to collect a big name player, as I did not want to spend a lot of money (of course "not a lot" adds up to "a fair amount" over time).


So, since the 2009-10 season, I've been building a collection of Taylor Chorney.


Chorney is no longer with the Oilers (hasn't been for a while). He's in the St. Louis system, playing in the AHL (where he spent most of his time with the Oilers as well). I don't know about the Blues' depth at defense.... so I couldn't even tell you how likely it is that he could get called up as an injury replacement, should the need arise. A 26 years old, I suspect that the chances of him making it into the NHL as a regular player are no longer there - but I did believe (at the time) he's got the skating & puck handling abilities to make it as a bottom pairing guy... so who knows?


Of course the thing for me, is that I have very little interest in this part of my collection anymore. I used to search for his stuff pretty frequently - since it doesn't show up too often (anything I don't have) I really haven't search much in the last year at all. I add a couple of cards of his recently (a Cup printing plate, and a Champs red back) simply because I saw they were there. I think they were the first two cards I picked up of his in over a year.


If you look at my SCF inventory, you can see what I've got (if that interests you) but I'll give some quick stats:

I have all 16 of his rookie cards. The exception would be 'UD Black' where instead of 1 rookie, I have all seven letters in C-H-O-R-N-E-Y.

According to the SCF inventory, I have 56/62 non-1/1s. Of the 6 I'm missing, I believe that 2 were never made (Ice Fresh Threads /35 and /5) and the other 4 RC parallels are SP Game Used /10, Artifacts /10 & /5, and Victory Black.

Chorney only had a couple of cards after his RC season - 10-11 Upper Deck Signature Sensations, and 10-11 Score (of which I have all the parallels).

I've also got some variants on his BAP Rookie Jersey cards - picked up different swatch colors.

The big highlight would be the 32 Cup Printing plates I have.


Those Inventory stats don't count things like "proofs" that were cut from Cup sheets, or Team Issue stuff.

Now, I have no illusions that this is worth a lot of money, but I'm wondering if anyone has much experience selling off a similar collection. I have tried my best to come up with a fair "sell value" for the cards. Basing my values as $20 per regular plate, and $25 per auto's plate.... A couple of the rarest AU/Patch Parallels (/15, /10) being worth $25.... and values dropping quickly from there - I figure the whole lot, a fair asking price, would be about $1000. Of course that sounds as crazy as I type it, as it does as you read it.

So that's my question. Would anyone out there pay $1000 for an incredible collection of a player who never really made the cut? I am sure that selling for that price I'd be taking a significant loss on the total of what I paid (I'm guessing the avg price of the plates was over $30, as I picked most of them up when they were brand new) but I'd be okay with that.


This isn't a matter of me needing some quick cash. If someone were to offer $200 for it, there isn't a chance I'd take it. I'd sit on it forever at that price.


Is this doable? Or is it something that I'm totally out to lunch on?? Possible to sell the whole thing in one shot, and make a decent amount of money back?

[cygnusx1]

I would have to say no... Unless you can find someone who is a huge fan (which is someone I imagine you would have already come across by now, if they exist), you will not have much luck getting even very close to $1000, in my opinion. Just taking a look at some recent Cup plate sales, for lower-tier guys a lot of them don't even hit $10 including shipping. Aside from that, maybe set collectors. I didn't take a look at what you have, but if Chorney has an UD Ice Premiers Auto/Patch /10 I'd imagine that would be the card you would get the most return on - depending on patch of course.

I really think that if you were to sell, all you'd get is people trying to re-sell in the hopes that they'll eventually find someone willing to pay more than they did.

[theboxbreaker96]

I would say it is impossible for you to get anywhere near $400 for it.

1. He is on a new team and in the AHL. This kills values.
2. He just never made it and is getting older and older.
3. Very Very Very limited market on who would purchase a whole collection of him.

If I were you I would sell them off individually. It is very hard to sell off a near complete collection of any player because the better the player the more expensive the cards. Who has $4000 to spend on a landeskog collection? Who wants to spend $800-$1000 for a no named player? Unless you have a vintage collection or Crosby, Ovechkin and Stamkos collection most likely you will not be able to sell off your entire collection for a decent price.

[centrehice]

I would list "The Cup" Printing Plates for $19.99 each BIN. That nets you - $639.38 should they all sell. $19.99 seems to be the going rate for The Cup Printing Plates on eBay for 4th liners, or guys that have not stayed in the NHL.

If these fail to sell, then realistically you might have to list them for around $15.00. That would net you - $480 bucks. If you were to get this, then continue trying to sell individual card that are short printed. Only use the Lot Selling for Inserts and Commons.

[canucksfan007]

I think your SOL.

I too have a very nice rookie year collection of a lower end player. I am missing 3 cards of Lee Stempniak from his rookie year ( of course not including plates ). I dont think there is any chance I will get back 70% of what I paid for them when I decided to collect him for fun back in 05/06. I know where a couple of the rarer items are going ( because fortunately I know of another collector ) .... but other than that, im kind of screwed.

Thats the problem with collecting players that either:

1 - Dont pan out at all
2 - Play on the 3rd or 4th line of less popular teams'

Or I guess in my situation ...... might get top 2 line minutes on easily the worst team in the league =)

Problem is, there is just no market for him

[EliasDevil]

I've got a similar mini PC in Matt Corrente. Never spent more than $15 on a single card in the PC and it includes some nice stuff including Cup plates, his Cup rookie /25, a BAP patch with a nice swatch /15, two of the BAP gold parallel /15, a SPGU parallel /10, a couple sick SP H&P patches and an Ultimate RPA /25 as well as all the base rookies and small parallels. I know it wouldn't be worth the time and effort to move the cards so I'm just keeping them as sentimental value

[CoolHandLuke]

While I never sold any of my PC, I did some research and player that never make it, unless there is a history attach to the player like let's say Geofrion that got injured and will never play, still have a collection value because he his related to boom boom Geofrion. I know that trading for all Montreal card sometime I see some BV and it hurt me to give full BV for such player type and never even knew they had a Canadian jersey. So I am pretty sure some member must be happy to dump such player card on me. LOL.

But this is part of collecting. Like RGM81 started to collect Goerges, nobody collected him really and finally became a strong asset to Montreal defense. In a way these player are gamble, you win a few and you loose on many. I am pretty sure over time he won't loose much value because he played for Montreal so many years.

The idea is to not list too many IMO. Start slowly and see this more as moving it over time. Maybe you will find a collector that really want him, if you are lucky, but don't list too many at a time. Test the market.

[Blargh]

Contact the player; maybe him or his family will bite.

[egghead529]

Contact the player; maybe him or his family will bite.

That's actually a really good idea. If he won't buy the collection, maybe that player would trade tickets/memorabilia for it. Never know how these guys feel about having a collection of their own stuff

[30ranfordfan]

Thanks for all the comments / suggestions.



I think what I will do (sooner or later) is list it as one giant lot on eBay, BIN / BO - and see if there is any interest.


I do agree with the notion of "who is going to spend $1000 on a collection of that guy?". Well, the answer would be "only someone really interested in it" (which is probably limited to Chorney Himself, or friends / family).



I do want to be clear. This isn't a case of buyer's remore (well, maybe a little) and I'd rather keep it (and hypothetically add to it) than take a crazy big loss on it. Will see how eBay does for me as a lot, and will consider piecing it out if that doesn't work. I just really hate that idea.... becuase the cards can be split into a few groups (if I break it up):

- $1 bin (or less) RCs, that people might need for sets
- Printing Plates that there is (likely) very little interest in (BIN, one or two at a time, is probably the way to go)
- GU cards, that set collectors may want
- Tough to find Parallels... set collectors might want?
- Common stuff, that I'll never move


What would end up happening is I'd be able to move out a few from the first four groups (probably) and would then be done.


I was also thinking that I might try piecing out each "Rainbow" with BIN / BOs. So.... as an example.... try selling the Champs RC, along with the Red, Green, Blue, Red, and Parkhurst backs. Or put the YG / EX / HG together as a lot.

I don't know. The comments here confirmed what I suspected, will be VERY tough to move unless I'm willing to take a bath on the whole thing, which I am not.