Best strategy for selling a collection

[viiiupndhead]

Hello INGO,

My first post in a while. My FIL passed a few years ago and I am now the curator of his collection for my MIL. My MIL has agreed to allow some buying and selling within the collection to liquidate pieces I don’t have long term interest in and picking some that I do.

My question for the forum is what is the best way to sell several pieces easily without giving them away. My experience in gun shops is 40-50% what they sell for, up to 70% at Gander Outdoors. I’ve bought and sold a number of firearms here on INGO as well, all good experiences.

One thought was paying for a table at a gun show. I’d think a private collection table at a gun show with INGO prices would do pretty well. Anyone take this approach? Any issues to be concerned with (i.e. surprise visit from the ATF?)

Thanks in advance,

v

 

[sun]

Sell them on Gunbroker or another gun auction site.
Long guns can be shipped to an out of state FFL by an individual if the shop owner wants to accept it.
Many do but not all.
Make sure to mention in the ad that the buyer needs an FFL that accepts a long gun being shipped by an individual, unless you want to pay for the extra FFL fee.

Take them to a reputable auction house, but usually as a last resort since they can sometimes have higher fees.
That is unless the guns are pretty valuable, then they can receive higher bids.

Put them on consignment at a gun shop.
People can make lower offers through the FFL which you can reject or counteroffer.
The FFL typically makes a fixed percentage of the selling price.
But sometimes the guns can sit for a long time before they sell.

Advertise them for sale using regional, state or local websites or forums that allow gun ads.

Post them for sale at gun clubs on their bulletin boards.

I know a shoot director who will email people who participant in his shoots about local guns for sale if someone requests it.

Every gun has a different degree of marketability, so use the best venue for selling each gun based on its desirability and cost.

I wouldn't recommend a gun show in case the guns don't sell, then you're out of pocket for the cost of the table.
People who attend gun shows have so many competing options about what gun to buy, which can cause disappointment if the guns don't sell.

 

[Bigtanker]

I've never used them but what I've heard is good. It's best to call. They give you 70% of current market value.

https://www.durysguns.com/sell-your-guns/

If you do not live near San Antonio, please give us a call at 210-531-2629 or 210-531-2629 . We can help you in various ways to simplify the selling process, from estimating the value of your firearm to providing a shipping box with a convenient pre-addressed UPS call tag. (A UPS call tag sends a UPS representative to pick up your gun from your home.)

For more sizable collections, arrangements can be made for a personel visit to your location.

When you are ready to sell your guns, please give us a call.

 

[Jeepster48439]

Why not list them on INGO?

 

[PGRChaplain]

What Jeepster↑↑↑↑↑ said! Armslist is Free also. Check Gunbroker closed Auctions for Values.

 

[Mongo59]

Buying and selling is a cut throat business if your demand is top dollar. For anyone to get a deal means someone had to take one for the team.
Two ways to think about it: 1) I have to get the absolute best price for each and every piece in the collection.
2) Even if I get half to 3/4 of the current book value I am still getting twice of more than your FIL had in them.

The first gives you sleepless nights and ulcers for 3-5 years trying to wait out all the bargain hunters.
The other will give you the joy of another collector's face lighting up after he has that deal he had always hoped for.

Unless this is your MIL's only retirement plan I'd say forego the blood transfusions and nightmares. "Newby" collectors look at the "make me sell this thing to ya" prices on the auction sites thinking them to be the new norm. One of equal condition but 50-75% of the price is usually snapped up within hours, and as I said above, gives you a profit and leaves meat on the bone for them.
Maybe you would want to make this a new career out of this, if not: do a keep/cull and discuss it with the family. Establish a realistic price everyone can live with and they will sell.

Oh yes, kind of a PS, even if you get $100 apiece for the lot it will still be more than he told her what he paid for them...

 

[churchmouse]

Not sure what you have to sell. Milsurp pieces. Older hunting rifles. Pistols of what ERA.........these may set where you put them up for sale.

 

[Sniper 79]

Post them on here and cross post on Armslist and other sights. We would be glad to take them off your hands. Guns sell and don't depreciate. You'll do good.

 

[WebSnyper]

Depending on how many, etc and location (you have direct access to them), I'd probably say post them up on INGO a couple/few at a time (so as not to flood the classifieds, and to keep to a minimum what you are keeping track of at a single time).

Then, if things don't sell, etc widen your options.

INGO would give you the best chance to connect with perspective buyer with communication, etc but of course, could also take a bit more time than some options.

If he had a very large collection, and you are wanting to liquidate quicker, then other options would probably be better.

 

[Beowulf]

I would agree with the above advice. I went through this with a (now ex) girlfriend's father's collection. She had no interest in them, but didn't want her ex-husband to get them. She initially offered to just give them to me, but I quickly convinced her to let me sell them for her. I posted them here and on Armslist and managed to get them all sold and got her some money to put into savings.

I sat down with her and went through the whole collection, took pictures, captured models, calibers, and serial numbers. Then I researched what recent examples had sold for and came up with a pricing structure and then a bottom line price. It took a little time, but it was worth it.

 

[Leadeye]

Sell them on Ingo.

 

[JettaKnight]

Sell them on Ingo.

Exactly. Why am I not seeing any listings from the OP?

 

[viiiupndhead]

Thanks folks. I’ll give INGO classifieds a shot first.

 

[BE Mike]

I did this with my father's modest collection. I sold most privately by advertising on forums like this, but first I offered them to my shooting friends. It took a long time and a lot of PM's. You will more than likely not get what your FIL paid for the pieces, if you consider inflation. A lot depends upon the desirability of each piece and of course condition. It is a huge undertaking, especially if you research each piece and get an idea of the current market value. Gun shows can be good, but are generally a hit and miss. You must be up on your game to sell there, and it is a tiring proposition and frustrating, as there are a lot of looky loos. If the collection is huge, it might be worthwhile to let an auction house handle it, although, probably not the best for your MIL financially. You'll get the most for each piece by finding the right venue for each piece, i.e. if you have a lot of nice S&W revolvers, you'll do better on the S&W forum, Sig forum for Sigs, etc. Pace yourself. Good luck.