Auction newbie advice for selling my vintage Star Wars toy/memorabilia collection

Sailorlady

I have a collection of vintage Star Wars toys & memorabilia that I would like to sell. I'm thinking that an auction is the best way forward. I've no idea how much or what percentage the commission charges would be & how it all works. The websites I've looked at don't seem to be very up front with the charges. Any help, experiences or advice appreciated, please  

Thank you in advance

soolin

You could try emailing some local Bricks and mortar auction houses and asking them for valuations and if you like what they suggest then you can ask about their costs. First though work out if you have anything that is really valuable that might attract them to suggest a good estimate, the market is not necessarily as strong as it was for vintage toys and it can be disappointing to find your treasured collection isn’t worth what you think it is , have a quick look at some of the completed/sold prices on eBay, not listed prices but solds. 

As for costs one local (ish) auction house to me does specialist toy auctions  and their charges are 21% of hammer price plus VAT. 

fwor

I hate to say it, but... when the Ebay £1 max offers are on, they can be hard to beat for cost and convenience, and interest in vintage toys seems to be high at the moment on there.

I can understand the appeal of a specialist auction but, even with an online presence, it's unlikely that you'll get the sheer exposure (in terms of numbers of viewers) that Ebay will give you, and that will likely comprise a good mix of both dealers and "retail" buyers.

You do of course have to be prepared to allow overseas buyers but, in my experience, that's no big deal. And of course you may have to deal with timewasters and scammers, though they don't seem to be attracted to items like toys (mainly they seem interested in phones, laptops, Ipads, etc.)

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Unless you've got a real treasure trove like this

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-54842558

I agree with the above, eBay is good for unique items that are genuinely hard to find and desirable.

Check completed listings and take condition in to account, something pretty much mint can go for 3 times the price.

Lots of clear photos, defects mentioned and a promise of decent packing will help boost auction end prices and I'd do international via the Global Shipping program as there's less risk to you but a wider audience. 

BargainJunky

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

Unless you've got a real treasure trove like this

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-54842558

I agree with the above, eBay is good for unique items that are genuinely hard to find and desirable.

Check completed listings and take condition in to account, something pretty much mint can go for 3 times the price.

Lots of clear photos, defects mentioned and a promise of decent packing will help boost auction end prices and I'd do international via the Global Shipping program as there's less risk to you but a wider audience. 

I listened to this report on our local radio - fantastic gift.