Would you consider selling a long-held family heirloom if the price was right?

Pollycat

I think it would depend what the family heirloom was.
Medals - almost certainly not.
Jewellery - it would depend on whether there was someone in the family who wanted it. And if that was the case, how would I treat other members of the family to be financially fair. For example...if I had 2 daughters and one loved my Grandma's diamond engagement ring (worth maybe £3K) and would wear and treasure it, how would I be fair to the other daughter? 
A hideous Majolica planter that the whole family hated? Yes, of course I'd sell it.

DairyQueen

Pollycat said:

I think it would depend what the family heirloom was.
Medals - almost certainly not.
Jewellery - it would depend on whether there was someone in the family who wanted it. And if that was the case, how would I treat other members of the family to be financially fair. For example...if I had 2 daughters and one loved my Grandma's diamond engagement ring (worth maybe £3K) and would wear and treasure it, how would I be fair to the other daughter? 
A hideous Majolica planter that the whole family hated? Yes, of course I'd sell it.

I was gutted to discover that the descendants of a distant relative sold his VC shortly after he died. He lies in an unmarked grave.
Go figure.

Such artefacts are part of a family's collective history. For me, and regardless of value, they should never be sold but should pass to successive generations. They carry more than just a monetary value. 

I understand what you mean about 'fairness' but I would choose the best 'custodian' to inherit as the item is never intended to be sold. 

I will never sell my mother's jewellery. Likewise the watch that is my only keepsake from my grandmother.

Pollycat

DairyQueen said:

Pollycat said:

I think it would depend what the family heirloom was.
Medals - almost certainly not.
Jewellery - it would depend on whether there was someone in the family who wanted it. And if that was the case, how would I treat other members of the family to be financially fair. For example...if I had 2 daughters and one loved my Grandma's diamond engagement ring (worth maybe £3K) and would wear and treasure it, how would I be fair to the other daughter? 
A hideous Majolica planter that the whole family hated? Yes, of course I'd sell it.

I was gutted to discover that the descendants of a distant relative sold his VC shortly after he died. He lies in an unmarked grave.
Go figure.

Such artefacts are part of a family's collective history. For me, and regardless of value, they should never be sold but should pass to successive generations. They carry more than just a monetary value. 

I understand what you mean about 'fairness' but I would choose the best 'custodian' to inherit as the item is never intended to be sold. 

I will never sell my mother's jewellery. Likewise the watch that is my only keepsake from my grandmother.

So how would you be fair to both daughters?

Who decides that an item is 'never to be sold'?
It was once just a piece of jewellery (for example) bought by someone in the past, just as I might go out and buy a ring today. At what point does someone in the future decide my ring is 'never to be sold'?

74jax

Pollycat said:

DairyQueen said:

Pollycat said:

I think it would depend what the family heirloom was.
Medals - almost certainly not.
Jewellery - it would depend on whether there was someone in the family who wanted it. And if that was the case, how would I treat other members of the family to be financially fair. For example...if I had 2 daughters and one loved my Grandma's diamond engagement ring (worth maybe £3K) and would wear and treasure it, how would I be fair to the other daughter? 
A hideous Majolica planter that the whole family hated? Yes, of course I'd sell it.

I was gutted to discover that the descendants of a distant relative sold his VC shortly after he died. He lies in an unmarked grave.
Go figure.

Such artefacts are part of a family's collective history. For me, and regardless of value, they should never be sold but should pass to successive generations. They carry more than just a monetary value. 

I understand what you mean about 'fairness' but I would choose the best 'custodian' to inherit as the item is never intended to be sold. 

I will never sell my mother's jewellery. Likewise the watch that is my only keepsake from my grandmother.

So how would you be fair to both daughters?

Who decides that an item is 'never to be sold'?
It was once just a piece of jewellery (for example) bought by someone in the past, just as I might go out and buy a ring today. At what point does someone in the future decide my ring is 'never to be sold'?

I've a few expensive pieces of jewellery my husband bought me, engagement ring, earrings I wear on occasions and pieces that are not so expensive. All left to my daughter.

I have told her she inherits these and under no circumstances should she feel the need to keep them if she won't wear them, if she doesn't want too. I've said sell them, melt them, change them, use the money on a holiday or towards something else but have no guilt.
I struggled a little with mams stuff. She clearly kept stuff, I didn't want them so offered to my brother, he took bits but not all.
My brother was military, so he clearly inherited the family Medals and grandads helmet from ww1 and wears them (not the helmet 😳) with his, when he marches. Even if not in the Will, my brother would have had these, Medals as pollycat says should be passed down and my brothers side is much more likely to show during marches than myself -who would have them in the attic. 

blueberrygerry

DairyQueen said:

Pollycat said:

I think it would depend what the family heirloom was.
Medals - almost certainly not.
Jewellery - it would depend on whether there was someone in the family who wanted it. And if that was the case, how would I treat other members of the family to be financially fair. For example...if I had 2 daughters and one loved my Grandma's diamond engagement ring (worth maybe £3K) and would wear and treasure it, how would I be fair to the other daughter? 
A hideous Majolica planter that the whole family hated? Yes, of course I'd sell it.

I was gutted to discover that the descendants of a distant relative sold his VC shortly after he died. He lies in an unmarked grave.
Go figure.

Such artefacts are part of a family's collective history. For me, and regardless of value, they should never be sold but should pass to successive generations. They carry more than just a monetary value. 

I understand what you mean about 'fairness' but I would choose the best 'custodian' to inherit as the item is never intended to be sold. 

I will never sell my mother's jewellery. Likewise the watch that is my only keepsake from my grandmother.

Just reading this thread, and my mind went straight to something like a VC.

I'd have to admit, I'd need to be in some desperate state to even contemplate selling such a thing, as to my mind, it's impossible to fully understand the nature and gravity of the events which lead to that kind of award.

It really does depend on a number of simple factors, although for some, making such a decision could be anythi g but simple

cymruchris

If the price was right, and the money could be put towards something useful - I'd sell, no matter what. We go through life collecting 'stuff' - so that when we die - someone else has to get rid of it or add it to their own pile of junk.