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Good Morning Everyone.......

Please excuse this little bit of a rant but I can hope that it may be of some help to some but not all as I know that quite a number of you do this already.....

I am in the middle of sorting, pricing and disposing of a 50 year collection of medals, books, records, photos and a number of other items from the Boer War..... There was so many items that I had to rent a small trailer to bring everything from my friends to my home a 14 hour one way trip .....

What I would like to say is please keep some form of records for your collections..... Just think of the poor person, after you have passed, who may not be a collector or know your collection has to go though to be able to safely handle / dispose of your collection....

The collection that I am handling / disposing of right now has not been recorded..... The only lists I found of what he had in his collection, what he paid ( and not where he obtained ) the items he had are dated 1982 and 1994.....

Personally I have each and every piece in my collection recorded and stored in 3 different locations..... The medals of course are listed on my computer (data stick with my daughter), in a hand written catalogue and an individual special binder for each and every item..... Also because of my insurance policy I have to submit a full written description, copy of sales receipt and photo of my purchase to my insurance agent for anything over $200.00 (at that price it's just about everything)......

I also do the same for the Books, Badges, Medallions etc ...... One of the things in the records is what is to be done with a specific item after I pass away..... Some medals are to be given to specific museums (some to complete groups in their collections), some to specific collectors that I promised and who to contact in the collectors world who may be interested and who will assist my family.....

I think I have gone on tooooo long..... Just remember please think of what will happen in the distant future...…

Just keep good records Please......

Mike

Hi

Yes Mike you are so right.

Apart from good record keeping, as I am in the building-a-collection stage an old collector should please tell his next of kin to ensure that the collection is sold by the local auctioneer who has no clue what is being sold so I can hope to get a bargain for once! Avoid the specialists.

Best regards
Peter

i des not go to be sold by a specialist who can price it app

Hi Mike,
A 50 yr collection that’s fits into a small trailer. I do not envy you trying to catalog that lot! I have my collection on the computer and a backup on 2 x hard drives. I will be giving my son a copy in the next few months. I have a hard copy set of folders with a page entry for each recipient. There are a few individual folders for the ‘special’ ones that have discharge papers etc.
I have told my family not to flog it all at once as they will flood the market, 50 singles and groups to the 51st Bn AIF would be too much for one auction.
You have passed on some very good and relevant advice there.
Good luck.
Jim

All my records (LPs, etc.) are online, and I'm now in the process of putting the most valuable ones in a separate file.

BereniceUK wrote: All my records (LPs, etc.) are online, and I'm now in the process of putting the most valuable ones in a separate file.

Berenice...… I hope that you do a book at some time of all the monuments you have found..... Mike

Hi Mike,
Excellent advice.
Personally, I find best practice to be immediate cataloguing of medals, badges etc. as soon as I receive them. Also when researching I get it all written down straight away. The process is all part of the enjoyment for me. Can't rely on memory, things either don't get done or are forgotten!
Also, informing children would hopefully encourage them to continue the interest and collections for future generations after we're gone!
Steve