Cardshow Reviews and Hockey Thoughts.

Another to-do list for collectors.

If you have been collecting for many years, you have probably amassed a nice collection of cards as the hobby has exploded. I personally have been peddling away at the pile, of course; it never makes the wife happy that the hoard is still so large. We've probably all heard the kids, or possibly the wives, tell us they want nothing to do with sports cards when we passed. Granted, they might be sitting on a nice goose egg if they truly were to get a good return on them. If you plan on keeping them for a while, you might want to look at some insurance, so you never have to deal with what some collectors have dealt with in the past, be it water, fire, or other issues that ruin their whole collection in the blink of an eye.

1) INSURE YOUR CARDS:

Have you insured your cards? I have never insured the entire collection, but I did add a small rider that costs little. There are plenty of insurance specialists out there who will insure your whole collection, or, if you want to go the cheaper route and skip all the work, get a rider. If you are looking, you can easily get a rider through your current insurance company. Otherwise, there are specialized insurance entities that will insure your card collection for whatever your needs might be. It would always be catastrophic to not have your cards insured, and if something were to happen. If you want specific companies that have been in business, a quick Google search will list the most reputable ones.

1. Collectibles Insurance Services (Collect Insure)
2. American Collectors Insurance
3. Chubb

2)PRICE YOUR CARDS:

Do you have a system to ease the burden of what your collection might be worth? If you’re doing a show, you already have prices on the cards, which will speed things up. It will give you a general idea of what the cards might be worth. Some collectors use a detailed Excel sheet, while others use Beckett OPG, SCF Inventory Manager, or other programs that give you a ballpark figure for your inventory. This will help your family or whoever inherits your collection, and avoid having to use one of the many apps to sort your cards.

3) CONTACT PERSON:

Even if you have all your cards priced, because we all know there are certain cards that will move better via various avenues in the selling market. Iconic cards might fare better at an auction house. While other high-end to mid-range cards might fare better with a seller on eBay who focuses on selling cards for clients such as Probsteins123, Greg Morris Cards, DCSports87, Burbank Sportcards, etc. Many of the above consignment sellers will travel to pick up the collection; whoever ends up with it does not have to deal with much of the work. I am sure we all have heard or experienced stories of collections that were just taken to the local card shop or, for some, just given away to avoid the mess of dealing with the collection. Having a game plan will help the people in your life get the best return on your collection. So, talk to your significant other, kids, or others who might inherit the collection so they have an easy time moving the collection as you wish.

4) PROTECT YOUR CARDS:

Everybody who has been in the hobby for any length of time usually puts their cards in penny sleeves and top loaders to maintain top condition. If you do not insure your collection, you should take it one step further by buying a fire-rated safe. This will help your cards from being taken during a burglary or by anyone who knows you have valuable cards in your house. Having it locked up and bolted to the floor will definitely provide a strong deterrent to anyone trying to get away with your sizeable collection of 100- or 1000-dollar cards. Another step one should take in case of a fire is investing in a fire-rated safe. You can get budget-friendly models, but remember: they will not protect your slabs from melting or your cards from damage, as they only keep the temperature below 350. If you do go that route, invest in a fireproof document bag. This will give you another barrier and protect against smoke and steam, especially if you go with a cheaper safe. Another issue when a fire occurs is water, so if you want to think that far ahead, you might want to make sure the safe is ETL verified for water. It might be out of your budget, but if you're not going to get insurance, having a safe is just another layer of protection. We all know the best defense is the best offense, which is why you need a UL Class 125 Rating, in addition to ETL verification, to adequately protect all those slabs from melting.

Phoenix DataCare Fireproof Media Safe

Honeywell 2101 Fire Resistant SafeAnother to-do list for collectors.

If you have been collecting for many years, you have probably amassed a nice collection of cards as the hobby has exploded. I personally have been peddling away at the pile, of course; it never makes the wife happy that the hoard is still so large. We've probably all heard the kids, or possibly the wives, tell us they want nothing to do with sports cards when we passed. Granted, they might be sitting on a nice goose egg if they truly were to get a good return on them. If you plan on keeping them for a while, you might want to look at some insurance, so you never have to deal with what some collectors have dealt with in the past, be it water, fire, or other issues that ruin their whole collection in the blink of an eye.

1) INSURE YOUR CARDS:

Have you insured your cards? I have never insured the entire collection, but I did add a small rider that costs little. There are plenty of insurance specialists out there who will insure your whole collection, or, if you want to go the cheaper route and skip all the work, get a rider. If you are looking, you can easily get a rider through your current insurance company. Otherwise, there are specialized insurance entities that will insure your card collection for whatever your needs might be. It would always be catastrophic to not have your cards insured, and if something were to happen. If you want specific companies that have been in business, a quick Google search will list the most reputable ones.

1. Collectibles Insurance Services (Collect Insure)
2. American Collectors Insurance
3. Chubb

2)PRICE YOUR CARDS:

Do you have a system to ease the burden of what your collection might be worth? If you’re doing a show, you already have prices on the cards, which will speed things up. It will give you a general idea of what the cards might be worth. Some collectors use a detailed Excel sheet, while others use Beckett OPG, SCF Inventory Manager, or other programs that give you a ballpark figure for your inventory. This will help your family or whoever inherits your collection, and avoid having to use one of the many apps to sort your cards.

3) CONTACT PERSON:

Even if you have all your cards priced, because we all know there are certain cards that will move better via various avenues in the selling market. Iconic cards might fare better at an auction house. While other high-end to mid-range cards might fare better with a seller on eBay who focuses on selling cards for clients such as Probsteins123, Greg Morris Cards, DCSports87, Burbank Sportcards, etc. Many of the above consignment sellers will travel to pick up the collection; whoever ends up with it does not have to deal with much of the work. I am sure we all have heard or experienced stories of collections that were just taken to the local card shop or, for some, just given away to avoid the mess of dealing with the collection. Having a game plan will help the people in your life get the best return on your collection. So, talk to your significant other, kids, or others who might inherit the collection so they have an easy time moving the collection as you wish.

4) PROTECT YOUR CARDS:

Everybody who has been in the hobby for any length of time usually puts their cards in penny sleeves and top loaders to maintain top condition. If you do not insure your collection, you should take it one step further by buying a fire-rated safe. This will help your cards from being taken during a burglary or by anyone who knows you have valuable cards in your house. Having it locked up and bolted to the floor will definitely provide a strong deterrent to anyone trying to get away with your sizeable collection of 100- or 1000-dollar cards. Another step one should take in case of a fire is investing in a fire-rated safe. You can get budget-friendly models, but remember: they will not protect your slabs from melting or your cards from damage, as they only keep the temperature below 350. If you do go that route, invest in a fireproof document bag. This will give you another barrier and protect against smoke and steam, especially if you go with a cheaper safe. Another issue when a fire occurs is water, so if you want to think that far ahead, you might want to make sure the safe is ETL verified for water. It might be out of your budget, but if you're not going to get insurance, having a safe is just another layer of protection. We all know the best defense is the best offense, which is why you need a UL Class 125 Rating, in addition to ETL verification, to adequately protect all those slabs from melting.

Phoenix DataCare Fireproof Media Safe

Honeywell 2101 Fire Resistant Safe