Postcard Collection

[richsrarities]

I’m an aging collector of imagery. I began with postcards at age 6, in 1951. I have an estimated 12,000 cards of all eras and types. Most are catalogued by topic or location. There are twenty, 15” pc boxes and an additional three irregular boxes not organized.
I’ve been an ebay seller since 1999. I may have a few postcards in my store now but haven’t sold more than 20 in 20 years. After 10,000 successful transactions in other collectible categories, I am simply tired. I’m trying to think in terms of “bulking out” without risking each category getting cherry-picked by local dealers.
My question is for the professional dealers among you. I assume that you all have a set price per card when you’re buying a collection. What is that price?

Thank you and best regards,

Richard

[vintagemarketgoods]

I don't have an exact answer for you, but I do buy bulk lots of postcards, and the price I am willing to pay depends on the cards I can see when they are posted (RPPCs, era, no continentals, etc.). I generally see these listed as auctions. You can search for bulk lots of postcards and get an idea of how others are selling them.

[njrtsr]

The price per card isn't always what I use to value a collection. That's useful when most cards are of similar quality. In a collection of "all eras and types" like you say you have, I would probably make an offer based largely on the value I give to the best cards in the collection with a much lower per-card price added for the rest. In some collections the best 10% of the cards will make up 90% of it's value and that's just the way it works selling on ebay where it's not very profitable to sell cards for less than $5 including shipping.

[paperpeasant]

I think you're going to have to provide at least some counts of your topics to generate interest.  800 views of New York City are very different than 800 Louis Wain cards.  The more info the better. 

[deltilogical]

Difficult to answer - a box of RPPC vs a box of misc quality items are totally different. 

You must have had fun putting that collection together!

[refried.jeans]

You are right to be dubious about having dealers cherry pick only your best cards (Unless they offer to pay you what you would have been happy to have received for the whole collection, in that case jump on it)  As others said, it is difficult to name a price publicly, for cards, sight unseen.  A person could have almost all duds, or they could have a treasure trove (I've seen both).   Usuallly you'll get the most total, if you sell them all or nothing to one person (within reason, see above)

When we have the money (and the need) we can be very generous because we move all kinds of cards.  We have to keep in mind an old friends adage. An elephant for a dollar is a bargain, unless you don't need an elephant or don't have a dollar.

David and Judy

[pratercollectibles]

I wouldn't even think of making a serious offer on a collection of 12,000 postcards without seeing them.  If you sell them that way you will probably be shorting yourself.