LOL... I've had the same experience. When Moxes hit $25 each in early 1994 I figured getting out was the only smart move. I sold some stuff in 1995 but couldn't bring myself to part with everything. Same thing on multiple occasions over the years.

I always figured I'd play again some day (and I do), so I should just hang on. One of the best financial decisions I ever made.

Which always leads me to the thought; sell or keep.

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Despite updating my core EDH decks with each new set, I barely ever actually play with my built decks lately. I'm pretty sure nine of the last 10 or so time I've played have been a buddy's cube or FNM drafts.

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Originally posted by coasterdude84:
I've been considering selling my collection for years, as I don't get to play nearly as much as I'd like, but everytime I get lazy and don't I end up glad I didn't, as the values just keep going up. Eventually, I need to dump and not look back. But I probably never will.

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~ ~ 'Flash back 8 years' ~ ~

Preparing for Grand Prix Columbus (Legacy). This is back before SCG Opens when you really only had 2 North American Legacy events that mattered per year - Gen Con's Championship and 1 the Grand Prix.

I had my home brew, Roman Candles, I'd taken to Gencon in 2006 and if Roland Chang had ID'd with me in the finals I was a lock for top 8, but he had bad tiebreakers and wouldn't ID and beat me in 3 (on his way to win) so I got 12th. My deck was 80%+ against the tier 1 decks (at the time goblins, threshold, solidarity).

I continued testing/refining my deck for a year. 2 weeks before the Legacy GP WOTC removes the power level errata from Flash and makes the Flash / Protean Hulk deck very real and breaks the format. My deck has 0 chance against that deck so I audible into 'Hanni fish' as it was called at the time (MoR, Serra Avenger, Jotun Grunt, etc). I start with 3 byes and end up 6-3, missing day 2, after losing 2 flash twice (it went on to win the entire GP and putting too many people in to day 2).

I decided if, on a whim, the DCI was going to make a move like that - ruining 2 years of testing for all legacy players - and ruin a format just to go and ban the card a month later I was done with the game. If they'd waited 3 weeks to do it, then ban the card fine. But they ruined 1 of the only 2 events we really cared about as a legacy community in 2007.

I was fed up and said I've got better things to do. I sold my collection to some guy in Singapore through motl (guy still owes me $150 more he never sent me). i had 4x of each dual in UNL, all the manabase for legacy/extended - standard stuff) etc etc. This is back when UNL und seas were like $40 cash :-|

I sold out to make sure I never got back into the game. *cough*.

For the next couple of years I would only show up at a prerelease once in a while. In 2009 some people tried to get me back into the game. I tested living end in extended. One day my buddy and I finished testing and said 'ok let's play tomorrow'. We didn't play again until 4 years later.

...4 years later. My buddy's 30th bday rolls around and I buy enough packs of RTR to do sealed deck. We play and I go man I miss this. I miss the road trips, I miss something competitive to do when it's too cold to play sports. I'd just been using DOTA fill that gap the past few years. I miss hanging out and playing.

At first I decided to just rebuild foil versions of all my old PTQ Top 8 decks as casual decks that had meaning.

Stupid cardboard crack. Now, 2 years later, I've amassed a collection worth about $40,000 again and regret getting back into it. I've spent less time at the gym, packed on a ton of weight that I'd lost when I quit magic.

When I quit I got so much stuf done. Lost weight, got a certification I wanted, traveled to all 50 states, went out and had a ton of fun.

It wouldn't surprise me if by 2017 I sold out again. Though, if you have the will power the best plan is to just quit playing...not sell out non-standard stuff..or at least keep your reserve list stuff. I wish I'd kept my lands. At least I kept my basics like foil unh lands.

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Originally posted by LandDestroyer:
Stupid cardboard crack. Now, 2 years later, I've amassed a collection worth about $40,000 again and regret getting back into it. I've spent less time at the gym, packed on a ton of weight that I'd lost when I quit magic.

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Originally posted by coasterdude84:
Interested in adding another $30k to your collection? You should buy more cards. It'll make you feel better.

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Haha, not really. Honestly with the lack of support of modern, legacy, vintage I feel stupid having this much cardboard anyway. I wouldn't be surprised if I sold everything again by the end of 2017 and just use that money for something else. I mean this year I'm paying for my wedding/honeymoon, spending $20,000 renovating my house, paying off my car in the next 15 months and then moving.

I mean, I COULD buy cards at the right price

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Originally posted by Mr.C:
I've been selling out since July 2011 or so. I'm down to the last few cards, finally. No regrets; it makes me nervous to have all this money around in cards.

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I've been hearing more and more of that, especially since last year when stifle/misdirection/explore got reprinted in conspiracy and then the onslaught fetch lands were printed. A lot of us lost 4 figures there...and that's not from hording, that's just from having playsets in our decks.

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Originally posted by Mr.C:
it makes me nervous to have all this money around in cards.

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this...

I had my power and cool vintage-ness (library, juzam, bazaar, etc.) plus a full set of 40 duals hanging on my wall in the game room in really sweet 20 card picture frames; 4 frames on the wall.

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Originally posted by MagicPatty:
this...

I had my power and cool vintage-ness (library, juzam, bazaar, etc.) plus a full set of 40 duals hanging on my wall in the game room in really sweet 20 card picture frames; 4 frames on the wall.

The problem was, it was like 15 grand screaming STEAL ME!!!! ...took them down

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I did something like that with some of my favorite ABU cards. I used the CE versions instead though, which saved me a fortune and made me worry less.

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The problem is having a good strategy to sell down. I have way too much and my laziness gets in the way, lol. I am selling complete sets around ebay price without using feebay, locally and that seems ok for those collectors out there. Hard to figure out prices of sets as SCG prices are unreasonable and Ebay doesn't sell many so not sure pricing is fair. But I want to get rid of 40-50K of cards by year end.

I have been filtering down the remainder to bulk level for commons/UC/rares that are less than .40-.50 and then try to sell the saleable stuff in 4 x playsets.

I don't want to leave a ton of profit on the table (I can take a 10-20% hit mind you for big items and more for the small stuff .50 to $15 level that seem saleable).

I am also not 100% sure I want to let too much of the ABU era stuff as the prices seem to just go crazy. I don't have a lot.

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Originally posted by majicman:
The problem is having a good strategy to sell down. I have way too much and my laziness gets in the way, lol.

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Exactly my problem. Glad I'm not the only one. I unloaded a good chunk of my stuff some years ago. Regret doing it when I look at prices now, but overall was probably the right thing to do. I figure I've got about $30k still left, and I'll certainly entertain any serious offers on it.

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Originally posted by majicman:
If you had 100,000 cards and a high percentage that are chafe, how would you approach it? Would like to get rid of 40-50k cards by year end as I am tired of moving boxes and sorting crap, lol.

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quote:

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If you had 100,000 cards and a high percentage that are chafe, how would you approach it? Would like to get rid of 40-50k cards by year end as I am tired of moving boxes and sorting crap, lol.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Magicman:
If you had 100,000 cards and a high percentage that are chafe, how would you approach it? Would like to get rid of 40-50k cards by year end as I am tired of moving boxes and sorting crap, lol.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Michael French:
Check out Puca, small stuff is very easy to move at retail prices, minus a stamp. Some people are buying Puca points at 80% or you could trade for reserve list cards.

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Hi Michael,

That is a great suggestion Michael. Perhaps on the low end stuff, but are there really people that want the Revised/4th common/uncommon (and Dark to Scourge jank) that I have.

I did like the donate to a charity scenario. You get a bigger bang for your buck on a tax deduction if documented properly. Doing it conversatively, you could claim 5 cents a card (most retail NM cards are .10 at CFB) and net 1.25 cents per card back from the IRS since I itemize. Also feels good to give back. Could give to the overseas soldiers (Blue Star Moms program) who send packages. Lot of young people in service need something to do when not on patrol or training.

May decide to use that as one alternative to just selling in bulk for the commons/uncommons.

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quote:

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Originally posted by dfitzg88:
I'm concerned that the more-than-likely inclusion of full art basics in BFZ will destroy the value of the ZEN ones. I have like $1,000 in zen basics. Anyone think it's a good time to sell/trade them off?

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This regarding to the pauper legacy format I occasionally play (see my tournament report if you have questions)

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