How to best get rid of collection - ebay, or a show or two?

[ekclete]

Tables at smaller shows are not that costly. I am setting up at one this weekend and it was $40 for 8 feet (about 2.66 meters). Larger shows like the Show of Shows are more like $150 for a table. Plus there is a big time commitment as you get there on Friday and setup and you need to be there Saturday and Sunday.

But the hard part of doing a show is that you never know who is going to show up at the show who wants to buy what you have to sell. In my area of MN there are about four or five Soviet collectors I know of and they are not modern era Soviet collectors.

I like doing local shows and sometimes you get a good walk in but unless you have stuff people want to buy setting up a show can be a looooong day! Thanks Clete

I'd say eBay.
I've never sold at shows but I'd guess you'd have to pay, probably a lot, to get a table at the show. And then I'd guess that either really low-end (read cheap) or really high-end stuff would sell better.
And I guess that selling individually usuually reaps higher rewards than selling as a group/lot. That's why so many groups get broken up.
Find a guy willing to take the whole bundle (Patrik) and avoid the hassle of eBay.
Or consign it.

[Tretov]

Talking shows, the price to rent a table at the bi-annual Stockholm Militaria fair is 100 USD for one afternoon. For me as seller of Soviet items, it aint much use. People do not bring the big wallet to these fairs and the interest for Soviet stuff is almost none.

[deValcourt]

Well, I tried selling stuff on the forum last year, and it went ok, but I was going to try something else. I am keeping a few uniforms and a most of my medals (not that there are a lot of them), but most of what I accumulated is low-end stuff. I've still got a fair amount of stuff that I posted f/s here and no one wanted (and the stuff was cheap, btw). IDK. :confused:[/QUOTE]

I don't think I was here when you tried to sell later period Soviet items, and I happen to be a fan of post 1954 CCCP. What say you give a few things another try - just a few - and see what happens.

Phillip

[Nack]

Interesting thoughts, all - thanks again!

I hope to get to some of the stuff this week, and I'll email ya then Tretov. :thumbsup

Clete - you talking about the Max?

[ekclete]

No Nack not the Max. The shows I setup at are just local shows and pretty much ignored by the big dealers who show up at the MAX, SOS and so on.

I only do the local shows, when I setup, where I do not have to pay for a hotel for a couple days. Costs like that would erase any profit I might happen to make selling at the shows. Thanks Clete

[Nack]

Ok, so I opened the door to the closet and looked in the basement. Looks like a dozen or two boxes of stuff. I did notice that I've got a few dembel uniforms in there (forgot about those). The rest seem to be officer service unforms and caps. I'll have to pile it all up and go thru and make a list.

As to the venue-of-sale issue, I went to the Maxx last weekend and there was very little USSR stuff outside of the big dealers (e.g., Igor, ******, etc.). I did see a few items out there that were from dealers who I didn't recognize, who were also selling US and TR stuff in addition to USSR, but some of their material was dodgy. In any event, I don't think there was much selling of USSR stuff going on (there didn't seem to be much selling of anything going on, really). I suspect those USSR dealers just go to suck up any USSR stuff on the cheap, and don't care if they sell anything.

On to the closet...

[medals73]

Some days (decades?), it may just be better to stay in the closet?

[deValcourt]

Some days (decades?), it may just be better to stay in the closet?

The one with the orders and medals or the one with the uniforms?

Just kidding about the orders and medals - mine have taken over every bookshelf, flat surface and much of the floor of my once "spare bedroom." I like to have them within reach when I'm here learning new things.:thumbsup