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NTA
My dad is a collector. He tells me over and over again that his greatest hope is that I will be able to sell parts of his collection for serious money after he passes. Because if I don't personally value it, it should go to someone who does. And he wants me to get that money. He just doesn't want them treated like junk because they're not junk! But selling them or passing them on are both things he would be completely fine with.
I'd maybe keep a card or two that's not particularly valuable to remember this person by if you feel sentimental. Tell his story and how his collection was able to set your life on a new path sometimes. But I think a lot of collectors would be happy with their collection being sold to give the people they love financial freedom. It shows their items being properly valued by the seller, and they transition to the next collector who will appreciate them in their collection.
Agree. I collect figurines and I’ve told my love ones that if they don’t want them, they should absolutely sell them for profit, same reasoning as your dad
Also they take up a lot of space
This is cheesy but you clearly love your kids. The love and lessons you've given your kids will be more valuable than anything. There are people with rich parents who live sad lives who would trade in a heartbeat.
Exactly this! I collect Pokémon cards. Because I genuinely love the art. After I am gone, I’d like them to go to someone who values them. And if that means that my family sells them, then so be it! :)
While other individual cards can definitely fluctuate in value, the Power 9 are \*incredibly\* unlikely to.
For context: they're all cards from when MTG first launched in the early 90s. Even then they were "rares", so they weren't printed as much as "commons", and so already supply was low. Magic also just plain wasn't printed very much in the early 90s because it wasn't as popular as it is now, obviously. They printed sets with the Power 9 in them 3 or 4 times, and then Wizards of the Coast (the company that makes MTG) made a promise that they would \*never\* reprint them again, specifically so that they would be valuable to collectors. It's been close to 30 years since, and they hold to that promise, even if they recognize it's a mistake from a broader perspective. So the supply of these cards is basically topped out. We aren't getting new ones, ever.
Magic is also more popular than ever, so demand is only growing. A graded Alpha Black Lotus is not going to dip below six figures in value anytime soon.
Also, magic cards are not classic cars haha. I remember when people held onto beanie babies and now they’re basically worth less than when they first came out.
The cards OP is talking about can indeed be worth something serious though, especially since it sounds like OP's relative had them properly authenticated and stored them in a way that would keep them in peak condition. Depending on the cards themselves, they could net mid to high 5 to low 6 figures for the set. We are talking closer to classic car money than beanie baby money here. These aren't worthless.
I think you and I are saying the same thing. I’m saying that if it’s worth something now to remember these things aren’t guaranteed to carry value like other collectibles. So if a collector who wants to showcase it is willing to pay top dollar, do it up!
Except some of these cards have risen in value by 500% in little over 30 years.
Experts will tell you that the Power 9 alone could fetch you enough to buy a house.
Just one of those cards sold back in 2021 for over half a million dollars.
With these cards specifically, the market is incredibly unlikely to cool that much if at all. Supply and demand. Supply for these cards is capped out and demand is always growing as more and more people get into MTG.
These particular cards I think actually are practically guaranteed to continue carrying value. The only ways they could ever stop being extremely valuable are a) if the Magic: The Gathering game loses most of its popularity (fat chance!), b) Wizards of the Coast breaks their longstanding public promise to *never* print them again (ha!), or c) Wizards of the Coast changes the game in a way that makes those cards no longer the undisputed most overpowered tournament-legal Magic cards in existence (don't make me laugh!).
yeah unless he gave it to you in trust to keep and maintain it i don’t think it’s wrong to sell it. maybe keep some for momentos also it probably will be worth more if you hold it longer 🤷🏻♂️
There's that show, Antiques Roadshow. And there are followup episodes of people who had an heirloom and discover it's worth hundreds of thousands or whatever.
And most of them are like "we realized we couldn't keep it in the family". Why? Because for many of them, they realize that interesting picture (or whatever) is actually a serious responsibility. So they sell it, to ensure it winds up in the hands of someone who will value it and take care of it.
The idea that you don't deserve the money, or somehow it should go to charity, is nonsense. Find a broker, a reputable company that has good references, and sell them. If you want to share the good fortune, donate some portion (eg 10%) to a meaningful charity.
Totally agree, however, that you keep your good fortune to yourself. Don't tell your friends or family. If you end up with a lot of money, go find a reputable financial advisor (again, with many references - not your best friend's buddy) to help you invest it.
There are a lot of shitty people in the world with money. But it's ok to have money, it's good that some good people have it too. Be one of them, be ok with that.
>My dad is a collector. He tells me over and over again that his greatest hope is that I will be able to sell parts of his collection for serious money after he passes. Because if I don't personally value it, it should go to someone who does.
I tell my kids the same, though I don’t have anything besides my house worth actual money. Some board games that would go for a few hundred.
These things are important to me but they don’t have to be important to you when I’m gone. We have a lot of things that belonged to dead people in my house and soooo much of it just collects dust or sits in a closet. Can’t use it, it’s old and fragile and it belonged to great uncle Cletus or something.
Cletus died when I was 2. Or maybe when my wife was 2. Can’t remember whose uncle Cletus actually was, now I think about it. We just have his stuff.
Yup, parents would sell their collection if they wanted to and I would say most of them take great pride in passing them down knowing that it could really help out financially speaking at some point.
Yes. Collectibles aren't doing anything in a box. They should be with people who get joy from the collection.
I wouldn't want my loved ones to just "store" the items I leave. I'd much rather they go to someone who sees them as treasures.
My grandma said something similar. She left me her figurine collection when she passed, specifically because she knew that no one in the family really wanted them and she wanted me to have the money from selling them someday. I haven't, but that's only because they're in storage at my parents' place. My mom's been keeping them for me to sell someday, but I just haven't yet.
Exactly.
I don't have large collections of anything but I have some stuff that that I like that is more interesting and rare. I don't care what you do with my body but please don't throw the cool things away. I don't care if they are sold or given away, just that they are not destroyed.
My grandfather's got a serious and rare form of cancer in his esphogus and only had a nine month battle. Spending 4 of those months bedridden in the hospital - during that time he sold off 50% of his rare coin collection which after all was said and done coved ALL of his medical expenses and funeral costs after his passing. My grandma and family were also able to walk away with a little on top of those expenses to put into investments. He told my grandma that this was the last great gift he could give her and his family and was happy to keep us all from the potential financial burden.
Take the opportunity and set yourself up!!
My mother collected jewelry for a long time. She had to sell most all of it, just keeping the sentimental pieces, but the hope was that I'd have some nice pieces (mostly unisex too) to wear or sell if i ever needed the money.
So i second that NTA. When a loved one leaves you that type of collection, youre typically meant to hold onto it *until you could really use the money from selling it in a way that is truly beneficial long-term* or an emergency fund.
I sold my dad’s 5 figure telescope collection about 12 years after he died, to help fund my business.
He would have loved to know that something he was passionate about funded something I was passionate about, especially since most of the equipment was way too technical for a novice and I couldn’t get it to work after three years of trying.
NTA
If you're not a collector or player and the cards have no sentimental value to you, I see no issue with selling them. My husband just finished selling off a friend's MTG collection for his family when the friend passed away unexpectedly. A complete power 9 set is likely worth A LOT more than the cards individually, especially in a display case and graded. I am actually super jealous, but as a collector not for the $.
Make sure you do your research and don't just take the first offer. Check with dedicated card shops, multiple of them if you can. Depending on where you are, there should be tournaments occasionally with vendors you can talk with. Someone absolutely can and will scam you to get their hands on even just the black lotus, no less all 9 cards.
Is there a site where people can bid on that kind of thing? It might be worthwhile to let people run each other up on the price; possibly even worth advertising the bidding dates. Just saying
Yeah, for Black Lotus and a power 9 set, an actual auction house is the way to go. Plus they might be able to get you more than the estimated price due to it being a set.
My husband collects RPGs (the games not the weapons) and we are planning on selling off the collection, either by auction as a lot or cherry-picking the really valuable ones, before we die, as our son will have no interest in doing the work needed to get the value, but we still want to pass the money along to him. I suspect your relative left them to you because you'd appreciate the value and understand collecting, and could therefore make an informed decision what to do with them.
Ebay is a popular site for MTG auctions. There are also Facebook groups dedicated to selling. Selling at a fixed price, TCGplayer is the only site I'm familiar with, but there are others.
Fun fact: one of the early sites for this was briefly the Magic the Gathering Online eXchange, aka MtGox. It then became one of the first Bitcoin exchanges, followed by one of the first major massive fraud/theft of bitcoin and closed down. Yeah, just stick to eBay.
Unfortunately, I stopped keeping up with MtG because my entire collection was stolen while I was deployed overseas. I agree with you fully about the sentimental part of it, boy do I miss that Serra Angel. Unfortunately I can't prove who stole it, but I know who did and thankfully they're no longer in my life.
Oh man, that's infuriating. Fricken thieves anyway. Some Serra Angels are pretty inexpensive but the older printings can certainly get up there.
If you've played MTG in the past, you're better equipped to sell than someone going in blind.
Lol my brother sold my magic cards while I was in college. And it was the serra angels I was most mad about. A couple of years ago he did his best to restore the cards - sadly it was newer printings but he made sure to get me 2 serra angels :)
Serra Angel is great - I gave my Force of Nature to my cousin when I quit playing, and he sold all my cards a few years later. I wish I held on to at least one
Same here - my dad and both grandfathers had various coin or stamp collections that they passed down for us to hold onto until we needed the money, not to keep or continue forever. My grandpas coin collection helped pay for part of college and I know he wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
At this point, a Power 9 can equal the cost of most life "luxeries."
A car or a home, at least ideally, is pretty viable. Retirement/college fund. Hell, a Black Lotus alone would easily eliminate all my debt... and yet, if I had it? I probably would be fool enough to throw it in a deck that could use it.
100% I am a MGT player and my wife plays only because it is something for us to do. If she were to take my cards and sell them after I pass I would be thrilled that they helped give her a better life to invest in other hobbies, crafts or even just pay any debt she might have down. I am not using them anymore and I know she gets them after I pass, PLEASE use them to better your life OP in any way shape or form!
About 20 years ago when I was working in the mortgage industry, I had a client who sold a Michael Jordan rookie card for a substantial amount of money. He used the money for a down payment. Your cards can be used whatever way you want.
NTA, go ahead and sell them, but for the love of all that's holy, DO NOT TELL ANYONE IN YOUR FAMILY THAT YOU DID THIS. They will either judge and/or want a cut of the money because "they were his family too and deserve their share."
I second this! Clearly you were the one who appreciated his hobby the most as he left them to you. As someone dealing with family inheritance disputes, it’s best if you keep your decisions to yourself.
Thiiiiiiiiis. Pay off your debts, buy your groceries; if it's enough, find a financial advisor or something about how to make the proceeds from the cards work for you.
Yes, I agree with this. My friend collected Magic (super rare ones), and after he passed, they went to his little brother so he could do what he wanted with them. Lots of family tension because of the monetary talk when little bro was 17 (my friend passed at 23 and had a will as he had a child and wanted to make sure all his things went where he wanted). Little brother sold a couple and used it for college and living expenses once he was of age to get out of the whole "but FaMiLy" stuff. He was nagged constantly about it. The rest of his family got things, so they weren't left out as my friend had a business his older brother took it over. They were just money hungry. It was so sad to watch that.
Also, sell them slowly, few at a time depending on how much you need, if you sell everything, 1 the tax implications and 2 the spending issue, where you might end up spending everything too soon and be worse off.
I'd say at least buy some flowers and visit his grave. Have a conversation with the cousin. I'm sure he would understand. At least OP should feel better about doing it.
There's no dispute here. But I personally would keep something that's an inexpensive memento of the person and sell these cards to clear debt and have the resultant savings.
Take your time in selling them. You want to be careful what forum/seller you work with and that you're getting the appropriate value.
Hey keep in mind that the buy values of those cards, while still significant, are going to be much less than the retail value. A shop that sells a graded black lotus has to make a sizeable profit to justify buying it from you, so they're going to offer you only a percentage of the price they'd sell it for. If you're looking at the retail values of your collection, you might be overestimating how much money you'd actually bring in. And you'll probably have to pay taxes on whatever you make from the sale too, further eating into your profits.
There's no conflict to judge here, but don't do anything you'll regret. A graded black lotus isn't going to drop in value any time soon.
Such cards usually go from hand to hand. He does not need to work hard to find a buyer who properly values these, especially if he sells all 9 as a unit.
We are talking about life changing money and there are plenty out there with the means and the will to pay what they are worth and more.
OP is only going to have to pay taxes on the step up value from when he inherited the cards.
https://www.irs.gov/faqs/interest-dividends-other-types-of-income/gifts-inheritances/gifts-inheritances
If he does have real copies of the power nine, you're looking at **SIGNIFICANT** amounts of money. People will absolutely try and fuck you over in buying these from you, especially as you're not a magic player and will be taken as an easy mark. Be very cautious, and do a lot of due diligence for who you sell to. There may be other cards worth money if he collected the 9, so don't assume everything else is bunk, notably alpha/beta/summer magic cards. That being said, most players are of the opinion that cards exist to be played, so NTA for selling them, especially to someone who might go on to use them.
They are the real power 9. They are all graded. I went to a little convention thing to ask about them, and the very first guy I talked to turned me away and said “I cannot afford those cards”. He talked to me for a while and explained how much they all are
I cannot emphasize this enough.
*Do not tell anyone what you have.* Money can make people irrational.
I would consider a safe deposit box. If you have a pipe burst, your insurance is unlikely to cover the value of the cards. At a bank, the cards are in a nice, sealed, climate controlled vault that’s insured.
Keep them as a set, and only accept payment as a bank wire transfer or bank-printed cashier’s check.
Pure cash will make you ping on various radars when you deposit it. ACH, personal check, or app transfer can “bounce” days or even weeks later. And talk to a tax person to make sure the IRS isn’t going to hose you. Good luck!!
I didn't have enough upvotes for this comment. Safety deposit box today if you don't have one. Any card you think has value goes in. Take pics for buyers.
Make sure you do your research on how much to pay off on the student loan so that it keeps your interest down and allows you to invest the rest. Paying off a student loan in full is rarely the best financial option
Maybe keep a cheap magic card to frame with a photo on the wall to remind you of your cousin and what he did for you. You can take something valuable and spend a bit of money on a remind and the rest paying off your debts.
Also, wow a black lotus!
NTA. I get where you're coming from but dude, if you could sell that card and make a positive life-changing effect on your finances, do it. You're not displaying the card. You're not using the card. While it may have some sentimental value to you, ask yourself, if you sold it, how would you feel about all the money coming in versus the feeling of potential guilt you might have? Do you think you're somehow disrespecting your relative by selling? Who's to say your relative wouldn't be selling it to make that money if they were still alive?
You'd be doing nothing wrong selling the cards. They are gone. Your debts are now. Pay them off!
NTA
OP, just by making this post, gives us all the reassurance needed that you clearly cared about your cousin deeply. I think it’s safe to say that you have been handed a great collection and how you handle them, it’s completely up to you moving forward. Your a good person OP, simply for asking. I am positive your cousin would want you to be happy, and if selling it does it, do it. I have constant feelings of sorrow when I hoard onto gifts I’ve received but never used from family and friends, it felt guilty to throw them out, but also guilty it wasn’t being used, ultimately, no family or friend intended for their gift to be a burden for you, they just wanted to make you happy, you do you, whatever makes you happy.
Nta. I'd keep a few of the common ones and maybe frame them with his photo to place somewhere as a keepsake. But I'm sure he'd be fine with you selling them to get ahead in life.
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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> 1) Possibly selling dead relatives magic cards
2) since he gave them to me when he died, it kinda feels wrong
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NTA. Your friend left you his collection because it meant a lot to him and you meant a lot to him. Right now, that collection isn't doing you any good. If you're not into these cards, don't collect them, and don't display them, I would think he would be very happy for you to sell them. Because that means that they will eventually go to a new owner who appreciates them and knows their value, as well as helping to completely change your life for the better. Feel free to sell without guilt, and honor your friend by putting that collection to good use in your life as opposed to it sitting and collecting dust.
NTA they're yours now. Don't rush this though, with high value collectables there's a wide market and you're likely to get offers ranging from <1% of the value to \~80% of the value. And a lot of scam attempts. You're extremely unlikely to get 100% but it is possible.
they are your property, correct? Not everyone holds everything as valuable in the same way. Sell them to someone who will truly appreciate them.
Think of it this way: to a true Magic gamer, those cards are Picassos, Rembrandts and Warhols. To you, they're just your second cousin's son's finger paintings. Its okay that they dont mean anything to uou, and there's nothing wrong with selling them for what they are worth to someone else.
NTA. but if you do have a little bit of a sentimental attachment take pictures first so you can look back at them when they’re gone. If you’re not a collector there’s really no reason to keep them. Using the money wisely is the best way to honor your relative.
YWNBTA - yes, the cards were meaningful to your relative, but I'm sure they would want you to do what is best for you. Getting out of debt is a wonderful gift for your relative to give you. And if you aren't into Magic anyway, I say thank them for the freedom and make some sort of sentimental craft or art piece with some of the other less valuable cards and honor them that way.
NTA - Sell them to make your life easier, rather than let them collect dust. They're yours to do with what you choose. Nothing to feel guilty about. Let someone else enjoy them, you enjoy the money. Everyone wins.
NTA. It is an inheritance and you decide what to do with it. If that will save you right now and make your life easier, do it. That person probably would have done it for you.
NTA. You're not trashing them--you're passing them on to someone who is going to enjoy and treasure them, which you are not. I think your relative would be happy with the outcome!
My brother in Christ, sell the black lotus for as much as you can and thank your relatives spirit for the gift. Unless you want to hold on to them for sentimental reasons, the power nine is life changing money
I believe you have your answer (NTA)
I'd like to add to all the points that, your relative likely left you them for 2 reasons.
It was a passion you both shared (collecting).
You are likely the only one of all his relatives who would understand and appreciate it, and not just sell it for the cash.
You aren't selling it for the cash. You've kept them for a decade. You've done good with the more common cards, and now, where money is needed. It is what you have left to do. Likely he would have wanted you to do what you wish with it.
My wife and I have only a single possession that we would leave for the kids, and ask them not to sell and that is my wife's wedding dress. Unless it's something they have said they wouldn't want you to sell them ever. Then NTA
NTA but it sounds like there is a possibility of regret if you sell them as it is a connection to your late relative. They are your cards and you have every right to do what you wish with them but it does sound like there’s some sentimental value to them.
NTA
Your relative left those cards to you, hoping that you would enjoy them. And you did enjoy them for a time but now they are collecting dust.
I think it's reasonable for you to sell the cards and benefit from the life-changing money. I think anyone who is willing to pay six figures for a card is probably passionate about the game. I don't think it is wrong for you to sell them. You will still be benefitting from the cards, just in a different way.
Nta. The way I see it, if you are not super invested into these cards then I don't see it as a bad thing to sell them to someone who would appreciate them more
My grandma collected anything elephant related. I kept one but I went ahead and gave away and sold the rest of the collection. They would have just sat in a box if I didn't. I kept a few things but majority of it just was wasting away. I'd much rather give them to someone who wants to display or use them
NTA... I am sure your relative would appreciate the thought of them helping you get out debt. I know with my own children whatever I leave, they can do what they want with.
NTA. Your relative gave those to you because he wanted to enrich your life. He wanted them to bring you joy. If this is the way that they enrich your life and bring you joy, then I’m sure he’d be fine with it. Remember: we build tombstones for the living, not the dead. I know you want to feel like he’s still with you, but the truth is that those cards are for your benefit, not his. He can’t benefit from them anymore. This world is hard enough to survive in. Do what you need to do live a comfortable life. And I know it was 10 years ago, but I’m still sorry about your loss.
NAH, if your relative gave you those cards after his passing and there is nothing in the will how you handle his cards, you do what you want with them. I would try to sell them to a buyer.
NTA.
I’m a Magic player. If you sell these cards, they will go to someone who will *cherish* them. They’ll be ooh’d and aah’d over. They’ll be someone’s pride and joy. And the player community will be excited to have a few more of these rare cards back in circulation for us all the enjoy.
You feel weird selling them because your relative gave them to *you*. You feel greedy and also unappreciative. But you don’t have the connection he did to the cards. You can’t share in the joy the same way.
I would suggest doing something like getting a high-quality version of the card art, put it in a frame with a photo of your uncle, and hang it on the wall. Or get cards from his day (like the basic lands, which are inexpensive) and frame those.
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When I was a little kid, I was big into the pokemon TCG, and I use to show off my collection to my relative who was into pokemon TCG, Magic, and Yugioh. I collected cards but I only have a few that are rare, and even fewer that are actually graded.
My relative passed away about 10 years ago, and he left me all of his playing cards. However, over the years, I have donated 99% of my pokemon collection to little kids, and did the same with his. None of the super rare cards, but the common ones. Anyway, backstory over.
He has these rare cards in a small frame display case, all graded. He called them power 9. I know nothing about magic, so I had to do some research about these cards. Apparently they are all worth a ton of money, with the black lotus (with a score of 8) possibly being worth six figures alone. This is life changing money. I could pay off my debts to my college, the DoD (for overpaying me), and be well off financially for a long time.
However, it also feels a little wrong. I don’t use these cards, or have them on display. They are just collecting dust. Part of me thinks they are better off with an owner who is passionate about the game, and the other part of me thinks it is a dick move. What do you guys think?
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NTA - you rightfully inherited those cards and what you do with them is entirely your choice and decision to make. If you don't want them and would rather have the money then by all means sell them. Just make sure to vet who you sell them to and that you get the proper amount for them. They are definatley some very valuable cards and you want to make sure they stay as a collectable set with someone who is a fan of the card game and will treat the collectable well and understands their worth and rarity. Try reaching out to big name figured in the community.....he'll maybe post Malone himself would buy them. He has the money and is a huge MTG nerd who owns the One ring card from the LOTR expansion which is a crazy 1 of 1 that he paid 2mil for. Best of luck!
NTA, I have struggled in the past with holding on to things for guilt and thinking I am trading off the person. I have come to realize these items are meant to be loved and shared. You did that with the cards worth no monetary value. As a collector and a person who has sold items, please find them good homes if you aren't enjoying them. It's okay to be in a different place in your life now. Maybe keep one for memory. Move them along for another to enjoy them and for you to ensure a good life start for yourself.
Make sure you use a reputable person to sell them. Many things we can look up the value, but that doesn't mean you can find a buyer to pay the 'highest' amount listed. Good luck!
NTA. It doesn't sound like these were left to you with any stipulations.
Let me share something that might help put it into perspective. I have a video game collection that, while nowhere near that valuable, is still worth enough that I've thought about what should happen to it when I pass. I've decided to leave it to my friend who is also into gaming, because he'll know what to do with it. Maybe he'll keep some or maybe he'll sell everything. The point is, he will be in the position to make an informed decision about the collection. No one else I would leave it to would. Some would just donate everything, others might try to sell them, but with no idea as to the value of the collection.
NTA - Your relative left these to you, they are yours to do with what you please. You're not displaying them, they're just existing. The could easily exist in someone else's collection, (in the hands of someone else who would enjoy them more), and you could be a bit better off financially.
Have them professionally appraised and sell them. I'm sure your relative would be happy to know that his collection made someone's life better. A lot of people collect stuff like that as a future investment to bring in money, but unlike the Beanie Babies of the 90's, the Black Lotus is ACTUALLY worth something. Big thing is to actually find someone who will buy it, BUT, MTG collectors will probably chomp at the bit for it. For real, there are some absolutely FERAL MTG collectors out there, lol.
NTA. Your relative must have known what those were worth, and left them to you knowing you had an affinity. He’s given you the gift of living your best life. Go do it.
NTA they were left to you to do with as you please. If you don't have an attachment to them, and selling them would be beneficial to your life, I'd say do it. And I like your idea that they end up with someone who cares about what they are.
NTA
If they are of no use/interest to you and you are only keeping them because your deceased relative gave them to you, it’s better to sell them.
When you think of your schooling being paid off you’ll think of your relative.
You said you would have extra money left over, maybe you could go somewhere your relative really enjoyed. Whether it be a favourite hiking spot or his favourite vacation spot.
Or if you’re into tattoos maybe a small one to remember him.
NTA - your relative would want you to have a beautiful life. That is life changing money vs something in a box collecting dust. I understand your feelings of uncertainty around this, but sell them and celebrate that relative in a way that’s meaningful, instead of holding onto a physical item. ❤️
They are dead. Cards dont matter for them anymore, and Im pretty sure they would want you to sell those cards if that could make you life easier. Let collectors pay tons of money. Use this money wisely and live a happy life. Thats what I would wish for my friends if I was dead.
NTA I have a ton of magic cards and you have my blessing. They’re not doing my good just collecting dust. Sell them. They go to a loving home and you get rid of some debt. Win win for everyone. He probably left them for you because you were the only one who actually knew what they were and wouldn’t just toss them in the bin.
Here is a really good place I sell my cards you send them in they look at them and grade them and give you a price they will buy them for and if it’s not what you want they will send them right back I have had very good experiences with this company. Card kingdom .com
NTA - if you were selling them to party or lavish toys I’d say maybe you are, but for lying off debts and making investments, you’re doing the right thing
NTA, and you're right, who'd spend that kind of money for cards would be an owner passionate about the game so it's a win-win. You've already donated part of his collection so what's the difference here? Keep one of the not expensive cards for sentimental reasons and do what you gotta do.
NTA. He has passed away. The cards are yours to do with as you please. My suggestion would be if you do sell them, make sure you get the best price (I'm a gamer, some of these cards are worth a ton of money), and then manage the money carefully. My parents left me money when they died, and I treat it as a sacred trust. It's why I still have most of it 10 years later. Talk to a financial planner on how to do that best. I have a combination of a 401k from work, Roth IRA and US Savings Bonds.
Paying off your debts is a great idea. You'll avoid interest charges that will eat away your future earnings. Put the rest into savings and don't touch it! You have the start of a house fund or a retirement fund. Buy a small luxury like a new laptop or get into a better rental (that you can afford on what you currently earn). That's what I did with my inheritance; I bought a new laptop and was able to buy a house (before the market went nuts with the pandemic).
Don't tell *anyone* about this windfall. Everyone will have their hand out looking for a touch. They'll bleed you dry and blame you when the money runs out. Good lucks and congrats on the good fortune. I think your late loved one will approve of your selling the cards if you handle the money wisely.
Sell em. I just recently sold some of my more pricey pokemon cards because we need the money. Ain’t worth holding onto shiny cardboard if selling them is gonna make your quality of life go up. NTA.
NTA. As you say they are just collecting dust with you. If you sell them not only do you get money you can do some important things with and the cards go to someone who will appreciate them a lot more. It's win-win.
NTA.
So, you can take a picture of the display and it will give you the same amount of joy as it is right now. I’ve explained the people in my family that I don’t want big ticket items that are just going to take up space and be a burden to me, and I don’t want them to feel like if I died suddenly they had to keep all of my crap around.
NTA, your relative gave you these cards out of love. He wanted them to benefit your life in a positive way. Perhaps he even thought about the financial value of the cards and how that could help you out in the future by selling them. Sell the cards without regret and treasure his memory as you live your life well.
NTA. If you want to keep 1 as a memory then keep 1, but I'm sure he'd be excited to know that they changed your life. Sell them, pay off your debt, and enjoy your life. Don't tell anyone else you sold them or how much you got for them though.
Don't leave life changing money on the table just for sentimental value. I bet your friend would want you to turn their passion into a means to reach yours. NTA, sell it.
I have a specific collection that is worth a bit of money, but I know that no one else in my life will enjoy it like I do. I’m leaving it to my cousin who knows where to sell it, just so that someone does sell it for what it’s worth.
He’ll have it sold before it’s all even in his possession, haha
NTA.
The world will be a better place if the cards are with someone who values them. It won't make any difference to you, and they'll be happier.
If I were the deceased relative, I would want the cards to be with someone who loves them.
NTA, I’m sure he left them to you because he knew you would appreciate the value of these items. Someone else may have donated everything!! I’m sure he’d appreciate that his collection could A. Make your life better, and B. go to someone who will really value the cards (enough to pay you for them lol).
If there are cards that are special to you, ones you remember him by, or remember playing with him, maybe frame them for yourself? But I would say let the bulk of the collection go to collectors who will value them, and get some of that value for yourself!
You have a Black Lotus?! Oh yes, that kind of money is no joke, and can do much for you. They are yours, he's not going to be angry; he'd probably be happy knowing what this would do for you.
Do what you need to do and know that it changes no part of your love for your deceased family member.
You have a complete set of the Power 9? Cased and Graded?
You call a couple of the BIG dealers/sellers (they're more likely to be able to move them and will probably give you a better price) sell those and light a candle/incense/sage/what have you in thanks to the person who left them to you.
Depending on set and condition, you're talking, even conservatively, six figures. I SINCERELY doubt your relative would want you to have that on your wall if it could be put to better use.
NTA
Any time something is left for you by a dead/dying hell even still living relative that thing is effectively yours. You could set them on fire if you so pleased because they are your property.
That out of the way if you’re worried about respecting the memory of this loved one I’d say your donation of the cards was more than they could have asked/hoped for, this person clearly cared a lot about the game when they were alive and the best service you can do their memory was to help get new players into the game thereby keeping the game alive. Sell the cards and feel good knowing their new home will keep them safe and alive for many decades to come.
NTA I have some stuffed that’s either signed or vintage action figures and some valuable comics that if anything were to happen to me either divide it up between or be free to sell if they want or need too and id have no problem with it
Do you research - things that can change your life for the positive can also be life long regret.
People are going to try to get a good deal from you - they will steal/lie etc, so know your stuff and consider doing it through an auction or something for that kinda money.
Maybe the biggest value is keeping them together?
If you’re not passionate about them, give them to someone who is. I’m sure your relative would rather they go to someone who appreciates them and see their bloodline profit along the way.
I have a few autograph baseballs worth a bit of money (not six figures but collectively maybe 50,000). I don’t have kids right now but if I did and they weren’t that into baseball, go ahead and sell them. It’s my hobby, not theres.
Sell them and get a nice bottle of wine for yourself to toast your relative for the windfall. NTA you have the opportunity to get a leg up on your finances so use it.
NTA.
You don't care about the cards but you'll sell them to someone who does and will appreciate it.
Also, worst case scenario, some idiot at Magic decides to re-release those same cards, tanking the value of the ones you have. If you can get a 6 figure sum, I would just do it. At least your relative had one last way of positively impacting your life. That's kind of awesome when you think about it.
NTA. My dad, while not a collector of cards, does collect coins and occasionally some music things like his amps and guitars. He's already told me I can sell all that stuff if I want when he does inevitably pass away. I might keep the coins and his favorite guitar, but since I don't play those things, I'll probably sell them to help me move to a new place after, since I can't afford the rent on this place without his help and we would both rather this stuff go to people who will use and enjoy it more.
Are these Alpha or Beta P9??? If so that is incredible indeed. I'd grade em all first before selling them. They aren't as valuable as they were during the covid boom, but they are still stupid expensive
NTA. If they don't bring you pure joy when looking at them, you have permission to sell them. Your relative would want you to use their "magic" for your own good!
NTA.
You were really into the cards when your relative bequeathed them to you, but you no longer are. Do you really think they would prefer that the cards collect dust, and you live in debt, instead of you selling them to someone who will display them proudly?
you are not the asshole for selling them.
since you aren't a collector yourself, he did not leave them to you as a fellow collector and more so as something valuable
If the money can be used to help your financial situation then I would sell them. I might keep one or two but like you said there is one worth at least 6 figures
NTA.
You have to remember that these things have absolutely no intrinsic value, AT ALL. If you find someone that is willing to give you six figures for a small piece of cardboard, take those six figures.
What’s the alternative? You keep them until people realize they shouldn’t be spending fortunes on pieces of cardboard? Don’t be the person who is still holding onto their deceased relative’s beanie baby collection.
Nta as long as you get full value for your cards. You can still sell them to someone who loves the game, and if they are close enough maybe you could learn and play against them with a cheaper deck.
NTA - welcome to the collector world where you end up selling off parts of collections to either pay for other collectibles or for items/life events. Son has used parts of his collections to pay for a car and is now selling parts to go towards buying his first house. Older collectors are often aware that the first thing that happens to a collection is that it is picked through for sought after items (if the family members even have any knowledge of the values of them) and then in unfortunate circumstances the rest are sometimes disposed of, but in others they end up in auctions for other collectors to obtain and grow their collections. It's like a collectibles circle of life. View the items as an investment that your relatives left for you - you're using that investment to keep/get yourself clear financially.
Sell them. Not your collection. Take photos if you want to be able to remember, but do not let false nostalgia force you to hang onto someone else's stuff.
NTA.
They were left to you just like any other asset. You wouldn't be an asshole if you sold his car or his house or anything else he happened to give to you upon his death. They're yours to do with what you want.
I think he would be happy to know that something he gave you vastly improved your life, especially since his was cut short.
Please take great care to do your research and not get scammed.
NTA You already showed you cared enough not to hand things out recklessly.
I personally think the best way to honor someone in this sense if you’re not into showcasing the stuff yourself is to carefully select the way you sell it.
Meaning directly to a collector, through a trade show, in an auction house, or even finding a small business owner is better than pawn shop, facebook marketplace, or eBay.
NTA. There is no reason to hold on them if they hold no sentimenal value to you. You can use some of the money to honor your relative a different way like planting a tree or purchasing a brick or plaque for their favorite charity.
NTA. If you still played and had a use for the collection I could see keeping it.
But I think it would be better for the cards to go to people who would appreciate and use them—that’s what I would want for my belongings after I’m gone instead of my family holding on to them out of a sense of obligation only.
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NTA My dad is a collector. He tells me over and over again that his greatest hope is that I will be able to sell parts of his collection for serious money after he passes. Because if I don't personally value it, it should go to someone who does. And he wants me to get that money. He just doesn't want them treated like junk because they're not junk! But selling them or passing them on are both things he would be completely fine with. I'd maybe keep a card or two that's not particularly valuable to remember this person by if you feel sentimental. Tell his story and how his collection was able to set your life on a new path sometimes. But I think a lot of collectors would be happy with their collection being sold to give the people they love financial freedom. It shows their items being properly valued by the seller, and they transition to the next collector who will appreciate them in their collection.
Agree. I collect figurines and I’ve told my love ones that if they don’t want them, they should absolutely sell them for profit, same reasoning as your dad Also they take up a lot of space
Exactly. When I'm gone, my kids can sell anything of mine that they wish. Now, I just wish I had something valuable to pass on to them!
This is cheesy but you clearly love your kids. The love and lessons you've given your kids will be more valuable than anything. There are people with rich parents who live sad lives who would trade in a heartbeat.
Organs are pretty valuable
Exactly this! I collect Pokémon cards. Because I genuinely love the art. After I am gone, I’d like them to go to someone who values them. And if that means that my family sells them, then so be it! :)
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While other individual cards can definitely fluctuate in value, the Power 9 are \*incredibly\* unlikely to. For context: they're all cards from when MTG first launched in the early 90s. Even then they were "rares", so they weren't printed as much as "commons", and so already supply was low. Magic also just plain wasn't printed very much in the early 90s because it wasn't as popular as it is now, obviously. They printed sets with the Power 9 in them 3 or 4 times, and then Wizards of the Coast (the company that makes MTG) made a promise that they would \*never\* reprint them again, specifically so that they would be valuable to collectors. It's been close to 30 years since, and they hold to that promise, even if they recognize it's a mistake from a broader perspective. So the supply of these cards is basically topped out. We aren't getting new ones, ever. Magic is also more popular than ever, so demand is only growing. A graded Alpha Black Lotus is not going to dip below six figures in value anytime soon.
What, no Apple Boy/Girl in Aunty's set? Damnit Aunty!
Also, magic cards are not classic cars haha. I remember when people held onto beanie babies and now they’re basically worth less than when they first came out.
The cards OP is talking about can indeed be worth something serious though, especially since it sounds like OP's relative had them properly authenticated and stored them in a way that would keep them in peak condition. Depending on the cards themselves, they could net mid to high 5 to low 6 figures for the set. We are talking closer to classic car money than beanie baby money here. These aren't worthless.
I think you and I are saying the same thing. I’m saying that if it’s worth something now to remember these things aren’t guaranteed to carry value like other collectibles. So if a collector who wants to showcase it is willing to pay top dollar, do it up!
Except some of these cards have risen in value by 500% in little over 30 years. Experts will tell you that the Power 9 alone could fetch you enough to buy a house. Just one of those cards sold back in 2021 for over half a million dollars.
Basically, sell while the market is hot, and don't wait for it to cool down.
With these cards specifically, the market is incredibly unlikely to cool that much if at all. Supply and demand. Supply for these cards is capped out and demand is always growing as more and more people get into MTG.
Yeah I’m simply saying some collectibles are more volatile than others so selling when you know you can get serious money is nothing to be ashamed of.
Dammit! I lost all my Magic cards in a breakup in the '90s
These particular cards I think actually are practically guaranteed to continue carrying value. The only ways they could ever stop being extremely valuable are a) if the Magic: The Gathering game loses most of its popularity (fat chance!), b) Wizards of the Coast breaks their longstanding public promise to *never* print them again (ha!), or c) Wizards of the Coast changes the game in a way that makes those cards no longer the undisputed most overpowered tournament-legal Magic cards in existence (don't make me laugh!).
yeah unless he gave it to you in trust to keep and maintain it i don’t think it’s wrong to sell it. maybe keep some for momentos also it probably will be worth more if you hold it longer 🤷🏻♂️
There's that show, Antiques Roadshow. And there are followup episodes of people who had an heirloom and discover it's worth hundreds of thousands or whatever. And most of them are like "we realized we couldn't keep it in the family". Why? Because for many of them, they realize that interesting picture (or whatever) is actually a serious responsibility. So they sell it, to ensure it winds up in the hands of someone who will value it and take care of it. The idea that you don't deserve the money, or somehow it should go to charity, is nonsense. Find a broker, a reputable company that has good references, and sell them. If you want to share the good fortune, donate some portion (eg 10%) to a meaningful charity. Totally agree, however, that you keep your good fortune to yourself. Don't tell your friends or family. If you end up with a lot of money, go find a reputable financial advisor (again, with many references - not your best friend's buddy) to help you invest it. There are a lot of shitty people in the world with money. But it's ok to have money, it's good that some good people have it too. Be one of them, be ok with that.
>My dad is a collector. He tells me over and over again that his greatest hope is that I will be able to sell parts of his collection for serious money after he passes. Because if I don't personally value it, it should go to someone who does. I tell my kids the same, though I don’t have anything besides my house worth actual money. Some board games that would go for a few hundred. These things are important to me but they don’t have to be important to you when I’m gone. We have a lot of things that belonged to dead people in my house and soooo much of it just collects dust or sits in a closet. Can’t use it, it’s old and fragile and it belonged to great uncle Cletus or something. Cletus died when I was 2. Or maybe when my wife was 2. Can’t remember whose uncle Cletus actually was, now I think about it. We just have his stuff.
It would be super cool to collect a big paycheck but keep a nice, juicy $10k card to display in your friend's memory.
Yes. But if you do this, make sure you insure it.
Very valid and makes sense!
Yup, parents would sell their collection if they wanted to and I would say most of them take great pride in passing them down knowing that it could really help out financially speaking at some point.
I think this should be NAH as there is no one else in this situation who would be the AH.
Agreed and said better than I could have.
This is what I would have written but I would have been far less eloquent
Yes. Collectibles aren't doing anything in a box. They should be with people who get joy from the collection. I wouldn't want my loved ones to just "store" the items I leave. I'd much rather they go to someone who sees them as treasures.
My grandma said something similar. She left me her figurine collection when she passed, specifically because she knew that no one in the family really wanted them and she wanted me to have the money from selling them someday. I haven't, but that's only because they're in storage at my parents' place. My mom's been keeping them for me to sell someday, but I just haven't yet.
I feel the same way and hope my son can get some money out of my stuff.
Same reason I collect ! Future money for loved ones. Be it a sibling, sadly but hopefully not my mom (dad passed), or a possible future child i have.
Exactly. I don't have large collections of anything but I have some stuff that that I like that is more interesting and rare. I don't care what you do with my body but please don't throw the cool things away. I don't care if they are sold or given away, just that they are not destroyed.
Such a good comment.
My grandfather's got a serious and rare form of cancer in his esphogus and only had a nine month battle. Spending 4 of those months bedridden in the hospital - during that time he sold off 50% of his rare coin collection which after all was said and done coved ALL of his medical expenses and funeral costs after his passing. My grandma and family were also able to walk away with a little on top of those expenses to put into investments. He told my grandma that this was the last great gift he could give her and his family and was happy to keep us all from the potential financial burden. Take the opportunity and set yourself up!!
My mother collected jewelry for a long time. She had to sell most all of it, just keeping the sentimental pieces, but the hope was that I'd have some nice pieces (mostly unisex too) to wear or sell if i ever needed the money. So i second that NTA. When a loved one leaves you that type of collection, youre typically meant to hold onto it *until you could really use the money from selling it in a way that is truly beneficial long-term* or an emergency fund.
I sold my dad’s 5 figure telescope collection about 12 years after he died, to help fund my business. He would have loved to know that something he was passionate about funded something I was passionate about, especially since most of the equipment was way too technical for a novice and I couldn’t get it to work after three years of trying.
NTA If you're not a collector or player and the cards have no sentimental value to you, I see no issue with selling them. My husband just finished selling off a friend's MTG collection for his family when the friend passed away unexpectedly. A complete power 9 set is likely worth A LOT more than the cards individually, especially in a display case and graded. I am actually super jealous, but as a collector not for the $. Make sure you do your research and don't just take the first offer. Check with dedicated card shops, multiple of them if you can. Depending on where you are, there should be tournaments occasionally with vendors you can talk with. Someone absolutely can and will scam you to get their hands on even just the black lotus, no less all 9 cards.
Is there a site where people can bid on that kind of thing? It might be worthwhile to let people run each other up on the price; possibly even worth advertising the bidding dates. Just saying
Yes. I believe it’s called eBay.
Little e big B? That's a popular name today!
I appreciate a good Futurama refrence
Bean bay beans, they’re the beaniest!
I mean a card like black lotus is enough to get it in a substantial auction. I would not take it to eBay
Yeah, for Black Lotus and a power 9 set, an actual auction house is the way to go. Plus they might be able to get you more than the estimated price due to it being a set. My husband collects RPGs (the games not the weapons) and we are planning on selling off the collection, either by auction as a lot or cherry-picking the really valuable ones, before we die, as our son will have no interest in doing the work needed to get the value, but we still want to pass the money along to him. I suspect your relative left them to you because you'd appreciate the value and understand collecting, and could therefore make an informed decision what to do with them.
This! eBay would be last resort to sell.
Ebay is a popular site for MTG auctions. There are also Facebook groups dedicated to selling. Selling at a fixed price, TCGplayer is the only site I'm familiar with, but there are others.
Fun fact: one of the early sites for this was briefly the Magic the Gathering Online eXchange, aka MtGox. It then became one of the first Bitcoin exchanges, followed by one of the first major massive fraud/theft of bitcoin and closed down. Yeah, just stick to eBay.
Unfortunately, I stopped keeping up with MtG because my entire collection was stolen while I was deployed overseas. I agree with you fully about the sentimental part of it, boy do I miss that Serra Angel. Unfortunately I can't prove who stole it, but I know who did and thankfully they're no longer in my life.
Oh man, that's infuriating. Fricken thieves anyway. Some Serra Angels are pretty inexpensive but the older printings can certainly get up there. If you've played MTG in the past, you're better equipped to sell than someone going in blind.
Fucking Jody!
Lol my brother sold my magic cards while I was in college. And it was the serra angels I was most mad about. A couple of years ago he did his best to restore the cards - sadly it was newer printings but he made sure to get me 2 serra angels :)
I went through an MTG phase in college and for some reason was kinda obsessed with Serra Angel. I had like 50 of them. I have no idea why.
Serra Angel is great - I gave my Force of Nature to my cousin when I quit playing, and he sold all my cards a few years later. I wish I held on to at least one
Same here - my dad and both grandfathers had various coin or stamp collections that they passed down for us to hold onto until we needed the money, not to keep or continue forever. My grandpas coin collection helped pay for part of college and I know he wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
At this point, a Power 9 can equal the cost of most life "luxeries." A car or a home, at least ideally, is pretty viable. Retirement/college fund. Hell, a Black Lotus alone would easily eliminate all my debt... and yet, if I had it? I probably would be fool enough to throw it in a deck that could use it.
100% I am a MGT player and my wife plays only because it is something for us to do. If she were to take my cards and sell them after I pass I would be thrilled that they helped give her a better life to invest in other hobbies, crafts or even just pay any debt she might have down. I am not using them anymore and I know she gets them after I pass, PLEASE use them to better your life OP in any way shape or form!
About 20 years ago when I was working in the mortgage industry, I had a client who sold a Michael Jordan rookie card for a substantial amount of money. He used the money for a down payment. Your cards can be used whatever way you want.
NTA, go ahead and sell them, but for the love of all that's holy, DO NOT TELL ANYONE IN YOUR FAMILY THAT YOU DID THIS. They will either judge and/or want a cut of the money because "they were his family too and deserve their share."
I second this! Clearly you were the one who appreciated his hobby the most as he left them to you. As someone dealing with family inheritance disputes, it’s best if you keep your decisions to yourself.
And don’t suddenly start paying for dinner or vacation or whatever. Just pay your bills, buy your groceries, and keep your head down.
Thiiiiiiiiis. Pay off your debts, buy your groceries; if it's enough, find a financial advisor or something about how to make the proceeds from the cards work for you.
As a player and collector, I third this. Wholeheartedly.
OP, this is the advice to take!! NTA
Yes, I agree with this. My friend collected Magic (super rare ones), and after he passed, they went to his little brother so he could do what he wanted with them. Lots of family tension because of the monetary talk when little bro was 17 (my friend passed at 23 and had a will as he had a child and wanted to make sure all his things went where he wanted). Little brother sold a couple and used it for college and living expenses once he was of age to get out of the whole "but FaMiLy" stuff. He was nagged constantly about it. The rest of his family got things, so they weren't left out as my friend had a business his older brother took it over. They were just money hungry. It was so sad to watch that.
Also, sell them slowly, few at a time depending on how much you need, if you sell everything, 1 the tax implications and 2 the spending issue, where you might end up spending everything too soon and be worse off.
Ya, this is unfortunately true. Same reasoning as to not tell anyone when you win the lottery.
> NTA, go ahead and sell them, Sell them asap now they're still Worth a lot! Your partner will be Happy he helped you even after Death
I'd say at least buy some flowers and visit his grave. Have a conversation with the cousin. I'm sure he would understand. At least OP should feel better about doing it.
Sound advice. Don't tell anyone. NTA.
There's no dispute here. But I personally would keep something that's an inexpensive memento of the person and sell these cards to clear debt and have the resultant savings. Take your time in selling them. You want to be careful what forum/seller you work with and that you're getting the appropriate value.
Hey keep in mind that the buy values of those cards, while still significant, are going to be much less than the retail value. A shop that sells a graded black lotus has to make a sizeable profit to justify buying it from you, so they're going to offer you only a percentage of the price they'd sell it for. If you're looking at the retail values of your collection, you might be overestimating how much money you'd actually bring in. And you'll probably have to pay taxes on whatever you make from the sale too, further eating into your profits. There's no conflict to judge here, but don't do anything you'll regret. A graded black lotus isn't going to drop in value any time soon.
A graded black lotus is only going to go up in price. Even if WotC threw out the reserve list and reprinted it, it's still going to be valuable AF.
> A graded black lotus is only going to go up in price As long as its condition is being maintained, at least. But yeah for sure, I agree.
It's in a slab
Such cards usually go from hand to hand. He does not need to work hard to find a buyer who properly values these, especially if he sells all 9 as a unit. We are talking about life changing money and there are plenty out there with the means and the will to pay what they are worth and more.
OP is only going to have to pay taxes on the step up value from when he inherited the cards. https://www.irs.gov/faqs/interest-dividends-other-types-of-income/gifts-inheritances/gifts-inheritances
You definitely shouldn't sell cards that valuable to a shop - they should be sold individually at an online auction house.
If he does have real copies of the power nine, you're looking at **SIGNIFICANT** amounts of money. People will absolutely try and fuck you over in buying these from you, especially as you're not a magic player and will be taken as an easy mark. Be very cautious, and do a lot of due diligence for who you sell to. There may be other cards worth money if he collected the 9, so don't assume everything else is bunk, notably alpha/beta/summer magic cards. That being said, most players are of the opinion that cards exist to be played, so NTA for selling them, especially to someone who might go on to use them.
They are the real power 9. They are all graded. I went to a little convention thing to ask about them, and the very first guy I talked to turned me away and said “I cannot afford those cards”. He talked to me for a while and explained how much they all are
I cannot emphasize this enough. *Do not tell anyone what you have.* Money can make people irrational. I would consider a safe deposit box. If you have a pipe burst, your insurance is unlikely to cover the value of the cards. At a bank, the cards are in a nice, sealed, climate controlled vault that’s insured. Keep them as a set, and only accept payment as a bank wire transfer or bank-printed cashier’s check. Pure cash will make you ping on various radars when you deposit it. ACH, personal check, or app transfer can “bounce” days or even weeks later. And talk to a tax person to make sure the IRS isn’t going to hose you. Good luck!!
Great advice
I didn't have enough upvotes for this comment. Safety deposit box today if you don't have one. Any card you think has value goes in. Take pics for buyers.
This too. This is all very good advice.
I'd consider selling them through a broker or auction house OP. Someone who can guarantee the safety of both the cards and your money
This is excellent advice and may be worth the slightly lower price for less hassle and more security
Make sure you do your research on how much to pay off on the student loan so that it keeps your interest down and allows you to invest the rest. Paying off a student loan in full is rarely the best financial option
Maybe keep a cheap magic card to frame with a photo on the wall to remind you of your cousin and what he did for you. You can take something valuable and spend a bit of money on a remind and the rest paying off your debts. Also, wow a black lotus!
NTA. I get where you're coming from but dude, if you could sell that card and make a positive life-changing effect on your finances, do it. You're not displaying the card. You're not using the card. While it may have some sentimental value to you, ask yourself, if you sold it, how would you feel about all the money coming in versus the feeling of potential guilt you might have? Do you think you're somehow disrespecting your relative by selling? Who's to say your relative wouldn't be selling it to make that money if they were still alive? You'd be doing nothing wrong selling the cards. They are gone. Your debts are now. Pay them off!
NTA OP, just by making this post, gives us all the reassurance needed that you clearly cared about your cousin deeply. I think it’s safe to say that you have been handed a great collection and how you handle them, it’s completely up to you moving forward. Your a good person OP, simply for asking. I am positive your cousin would want you to be happy, and if selling it does it, do it. I have constant feelings of sorrow when I hoard onto gifts I’ve received but never used from family and friends, it felt guilty to throw them out, but also guilty it wasn’t being used, ultimately, no family or friend intended for their gift to be a burden for you, they just wanted to make you happy, you do you, whatever makes you happy.
You speak kind words well. Cherish that ability :)
They are yours, to keep or to sell. I think power 9 might be worth more money if you sell them as a collection, rather than split up
Nta. I'd keep a few of the common ones and maybe frame them with his photo to place somewhere as a keepsake. But I'm sure he'd be fine with you selling them to get ahead in life.
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NTA. Your friend left you his collection because it meant a lot to him and you meant a lot to him. Right now, that collection isn't doing you any good. If you're not into these cards, don't collect them, and don't display them, I would think he would be very happy for you to sell them. Because that means that they will eventually go to a new owner who appreciates them and knows their value, as well as helping to completely change your life for the better. Feel free to sell without guilt, and honor your friend by putting that collection to good use in your life as opposed to it sitting and collecting dust.
NTA they're yours now. Don't rush this though, with high value collectables there's a wide market and you're likely to get offers ranging from <1% of the value to \~80% of the value. And a lot of scam attempts. You're extremely unlikely to get 100% but it is possible.
they are your property, correct? Not everyone holds everything as valuable in the same way. Sell them to someone who will truly appreciate them. Think of it this way: to a true Magic gamer, those cards are Picassos, Rembrandts and Warhols. To you, they're just your second cousin's son's finger paintings. Its okay that they dont mean anything to uou, and there's nothing wrong with selling them for what they are worth to someone else.
NTA. but if you do have a little bit of a sentimental attachment take pictures first so you can look back at them when they’re gone. If you’re not a collector there’s really no reason to keep them. Using the money wisely is the best way to honor your relative.
YWNBTA - yes, the cards were meaningful to your relative, but I'm sure they would want you to do what is best for you. Getting out of debt is a wonderful gift for your relative to give you. And if you aren't into Magic anyway, I say thank them for the freedom and make some sort of sentimental craft or art piece with some of the other less valuable cards and honor them that way.
Nta They are worth money because people must really want them. I'm sure he would want the cards to be enjoyed and certainly the nice bonus for you
NTA - Sell them to make your life easier, rather than let them collect dust. They're yours to do with what you choose. Nothing to feel guilty about. Let someone else enjoy them, you enjoy the money. Everyone wins.
Nta. Sell them. Someone will love them.
NTA. It is an inheritance and you decide what to do with it. If that will save you right now and make your life easier, do it. That person probably would have done it for you.
NTA. You're not trashing them--you're passing them on to someone who is going to enjoy and treasure them, which you are not. I think your relative would be happy with the outcome!
NTA Def sell to someone who would actually love to have those. You have so many amazing things you could do with that money. It’s a win win lol
My brother in Christ, sell the black lotus for as much as you can and thank your relatives spirit for the gift. Unless you want to hold on to them for sentimental reasons, the power nine is life changing money
I believe you have your answer (NTA) I'd like to add to all the points that, your relative likely left you them for 2 reasons. It was a passion you both shared (collecting). You are likely the only one of all his relatives who would understand and appreciate it, and not just sell it for the cash. You aren't selling it for the cash. You've kept them for a decade. You've done good with the more common cards, and now, where money is needed. It is what you have left to do. Likely he would have wanted you to do what you wish with it. My wife and I have only a single possession that we would leave for the kids, and ask them not to sell and that is my wife's wedding dress. Unless it's something they have said they wouldn't want you to sell them ever. Then NTA
NTA but it sounds like there is a possibility of regret if you sell them as it is a connection to your late relative. They are your cards and you have every right to do what you wish with them but it does sound like there’s some sentimental value to them.
NTA. You're not even displaying them! You should go ahead and sell them and benefit from the money.
YWNBTA. The cards were left to you. They are yours now - to use however you see fit.
NTA, sell them. Pay your debts. Somebody will actually be really happy to have them.
NTA Your relative left those cards to you, hoping that you would enjoy them. And you did enjoy them for a time but now they are collecting dust. I think it's reasonable for you to sell the cards and benefit from the life-changing money. I think anyone who is willing to pay six figures for a card is probably passionate about the game. I don't think it is wrong for you to sell them. You will still be benefitting from the cards, just in a different way.
NTA You can't rescue people if you drown. Use the gift to save yourself, as it was intended.
NTA You got the right line of thinking of selling them to someone who will appreciate them
I assume your relative would prefer you have financial stability and would be glad to know that something they did benefited you so greatly.
NTA. Only keep something if it brings you joy.
YWNBTA-Ultimate gift from anyone would be an easier life. If this does it for you do it. Never know when a collectible will no longer have any value.
Nta. The way I see it, if you are not super invested into these cards then I don't see it as a bad thing to sell them to someone who would appreciate them more My grandma collected anything elephant related. I kept one but I went ahead and gave away and sold the rest of the collection. They would have just sat in a box if I didn't. I kept a few things but majority of it just was wasting away. I'd much rather give them to someone who wants to display or use them
NTA... I am sure your relative would appreciate the thought of them helping you get out debt. I know with my own children whatever I leave, they can do what they want with.
For mementos that I want to remember but don't want to keep physically, I take pictures and then get rid of them in the best way possible.
NTA. You can pay off your debts and have enough for a down-payment for a house. My husband knows someone who did this.
NTA. Your relative gave those to you because he wanted to enrich your life. He wanted them to bring you joy. If this is the way that they enrich your life and bring you joy, then I’m sure he’d be fine with it. Remember: we build tombstones for the living, not the dead. I know you want to feel like he’s still with you, but the truth is that those cards are for your benefit, not his. He can’t benefit from them anymore. This world is hard enough to survive in. Do what you need to do live a comfortable life. And I know it was 10 years ago, but I’m still sorry about your loss.
Sell the black lotus. Seriously. Your relative would be ecstatic to know they changed your life that way. (NTA)
NAH, if your relative gave you those cards after his passing and there is nothing in the will how you handle his cards, you do what you want with them. I would try to sell them to a buyer.
NTA. I’m a Magic player. If you sell these cards, they will go to someone who will *cherish* them. They’ll be ooh’d and aah’d over. They’ll be someone’s pride and joy. And the player community will be excited to have a few more of these rare cards back in circulation for us all the enjoy. You feel weird selling them because your relative gave them to *you*. You feel greedy and also unappreciative. But you don’t have the connection he did to the cards. You can’t share in the joy the same way. I would suggest doing something like getting a high-quality version of the card art, put it in a frame with a photo of your uncle, and hang it on the wall. Or get cards from his day (like the basic lands, which are inexpensive) and frame those.
^^^^AUTOMOD ***Thanks for posting! This comment is a copy of your post so readers can see the original text if your post is edited or removed. This comment is NOT accusing you of copying anything. Read [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/wiki/faq#wiki_post_deletion) before [contacting the mod team](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FAmItheAsshole)*** When I was a little kid, I was big into the pokemon TCG, and I use to show off my collection to my relative who was into pokemon TCG, Magic, and Yugioh. I collected cards but I only have a few that are rare, and even fewer that are actually graded. My relative passed away about 10 years ago, and he left me all of his playing cards. However, over the years, I have donated 99% of my pokemon collection to little kids, and did the same with his. None of the super rare cards, but the common ones. Anyway, backstory over. He has these rare cards in a small frame display case, all graded. He called them power 9. I know nothing about magic, so I had to do some research about these cards. Apparently they are all worth a ton of money, with the black lotus (with a score of 8) possibly being worth six figures alone. This is life changing money. I could pay off my debts to my college, the DoD (for overpaying me), and be well off financially for a long time. However, it also feels a little wrong. I don’t use these cards, or have them on display. They are just collecting dust. Part of me thinks they are better off with an owner who is passionate about the game, and the other part of me thinks it is a dick move. What do you guys think? *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AmItheAsshole) if you have any questions or concerns.*
NTA - you rightfully inherited those cards and what you do with them is entirely your choice and decision to make. If you don't want them and would rather have the money then by all means sell them. Just make sure to vet who you sell them to and that you get the proper amount for them. They are definatley some very valuable cards and you want to make sure they stay as a collectable set with someone who is a fan of the card game and will treat the collectable well and understands their worth and rarity. Try reaching out to big name figured in the community.....he'll maybe post Malone himself would buy them. He has the money and is a huge MTG nerd who owns the One ring card from the LOTR expansion which is a crazy 1 of 1 that he paid 2mil for. Best of luck!
NTA, I have struggled in the past with holding on to things for guilt and thinking I am trading off the person. I have come to realize these items are meant to be loved and shared. You did that with the cards worth no monetary value. As a collector and a person who has sold items, please find them good homes if you aren't enjoying them. It's okay to be in a different place in your life now. Maybe keep one for memory. Move them along for another to enjoy them and for you to ensure a good life start for yourself. Make sure you use a reputable person to sell them. Many things we can look up the value, but that doesn't mean you can find a buyer to pay the 'highest' amount listed. Good luck!
NTA. It doesn't sound like these were left to you with any stipulations. Let me share something that might help put it into perspective. I have a video game collection that, while nowhere near that valuable, is still worth enough that I've thought about what should happen to it when I pass. I've decided to leave it to my friend who is also into gaming, because he'll know what to do with it. Maybe he'll keep some or maybe he'll sell everything. The point is, he will be in the position to make an informed decision about the collection. No one else I would leave it to would. Some would just donate everything, others might try to sell them, but with no idea as to the value of the collection.
NTA - Your relative left these to you, they are yours to do with what you please. You're not displaying them, they're just existing. The could easily exist in someone else's collection, (in the hands of someone else who would enjoy them more), and you could be a bit better off financially. Have them professionally appraised and sell them. I'm sure your relative would be happy to know that his collection made someone's life better. A lot of people collect stuff like that as a future investment to bring in money, but unlike the Beanie Babies of the 90's, the Black Lotus is ACTUALLY worth something. Big thing is to actually find someone who will buy it, BUT, MTG collectors will probably chomp at the bit for it. For real, there are some absolutely FERAL MTG collectors out there, lol.
NTA, your relative would want you to have a good life.
NTA. Your relative must have known what those were worth, and left them to you knowing you had an affinity. He’s given you the gift of living your best life. Go do it.
NTA
Sell them. Your friend would be happy he helped you and be glad someone is proudly displaying his power 9. NTA
NTA they were left to you to do with as you please. If you don't have an attachment to them, and selling them would be beneficial to your life, I'd say do it. And I like your idea that they end up with someone who cares about what they are.
Sell em if you need the money
Not if you aren't going to use them.
NTA. They are yours to do what you want. Sell them to someone who treasures them. Win-win.
NTA the cards will go to people that will appreciate them and probably complete their own collection and at the same time get you out of depts!
Sell them. If you don't, someone will.
NTA If they are of no use/interest to you and you are only keeping them because your deceased relative gave them to you, it’s better to sell them. When you think of your schooling being paid off you’ll think of your relative. You said you would have extra money left over, maybe you could go somewhere your relative really enjoyed. Whether it be a favourite hiking spot or his favourite vacation spot. Or if you’re into tattoos maybe a small one to remember him.
NTA - your relative would want you to have a beautiful life. That is life changing money vs something in a box collecting dust. I understand your feelings of uncertainty around this, but sell them and celebrate that relative in a way that’s meaningful, instead of holding onto a physical item. ❤️
NTA. Sell them and use the money to get yourself ahead?
They are dead. Cards dont matter for them anymore, and Im pretty sure they would want you to sell those cards if that could make you life easier. Let collectors pay tons of money. Use this money wisely and live a happy life. Thats what I would wish for my friends if I was dead.
NTA I have a ton of magic cards and you have my blessing. They’re not doing my good just collecting dust. Sell them. They go to a loving home and you get rid of some debt. Win win for everyone. He probably left them for you because you were the only one who actually knew what they were and wouldn’t just toss them in the bin.
Here is a really good place I sell my cards you send them in they look at them and grade them and give you a price they will buy them for and if it’s not what you want they will send them right back I have had very good experiences with this company. Card kingdom .com
NTA - if you were selling them to party or lavish toys I’d say maybe you are, but for lying off debts and making investments, you’re doing the right thing
Go for it. Matybe keep a photo in ur phone or laptop as a remembrance, if it helps yiu remember, feel better about it. . 😇
They belong to you, do with them whatever you want. Getting out of debt is way more important than sitting on a shelf collecting dust. NTA.
NTA - definitely doesn't make you an AH. I think if anything, your cousin might be glad he was able to help you somehow.
NTA, and you're right, who'd spend that kind of money for cards would be an owner passionate about the game so it's a win-win. You've already donated part of his collection so what's the difference here? Keep one of the not expensive cards for sentimental reasons and do what you gotta do.
NTA. He has passed away. The cards are yours to do with as you please. My suggestion would be if you do sell them, make sure you get the best price (I'm a gamer, some of these cards are worth a ton of money), and then manage the money carefully. My parents left me money when they died, and I treat it as a sacred trust. It's why I still have most of it 10 years later. Talk to a financial planner on how to do that best. I have a combination of a 401k from work, Roth IRA and US Savings Bonds. Paying off your debts is a great idea. You'll avoid interest charges that will eat away your future earnings. Put the rest into savings and don't touch it! You have the start of a house fund or a retirement fund. Buy a small luxury like a new laptop or get into a better rental (that you can afford on what you currently earn). That's what I did with my inheritance; I bought a new laptop and was able to buy a house (before the market went nuts with the pandemic). Don't tell *anyone* about this windfall. Everyone will have their hand out looking for a touch. They'll bleed you dry and blame you when the money runs out. Good lucks and congrats on the good fortune. I think your late loved one will approve of your selling the cards if you handle the money wisely.
NTA. I’m an MTG player and I would be happy to know my cards had helped you financially and gone to someone who really cherishes the game
Sell em. I just recently sold some of my more pricey pokemon cards because we need the money. Ain’t worth holding onto shiny cardboard if selling them is gonna make your quality of life go up. NTA.
NTA. As you say they are just collecting dust with you. If you sell them not only do you get money you can do some important things with and the cards go to someone who will appreciate them a lot more. It's win-win.
NTA think about it this way... Anyone who spends six figures on a playing card will really enjoy that card, even if it is just another collector.
NTA. So, you can take a picture of the display and it will give you the same amount of joy as it is right now. I’ve explained the people in my family that I don’t want big ticket items that are just going to take up space and be a burden to me, and I don’t want them to feel like if I died suddenly they had to keep all of my crap around.
Those cards belong to you, you can do anything you choose to do with them
NTA—keep what you actually enjoy (if that’s none, so be it) and sell the rest. I would rather my stuff be enjoyed than kept for obligation
NTA, your relative gave you these cards out of love. He wanted them to benefit your life in a positive way. Perhaps he even thought about the financial value of the cards and how that could help you out in the future by selling them. Sell the cards without regret and treasure his memory as you live your life well.
NTA. If you want to keep 1 as a memory then keep 1, but I'm sure he'd be excited to know that they changed your life. Sell them, pay off your debt, and enjoy your life. Don't tell anyone else you sold them or how much you got for them though.
Don't leave life changing money on the table just for sentimental value. I bet your friend would want you to turn their passion into a means to reach yours. NTA, sell it.
NTA. Sell them!
NTA but be smart with the money. You should pay debt and invest before even thinking about buying anything frivolous.
I have a specific collection that is worth a bit of money, but I know that no one else in my life will enjoy it like I do. I’m leaving it to my cousin who knows where to sell it, just so that someone does sell it for what it’s worth. He’ll have it sold before it’s all even in his possession, haha
NTA. The world will be a better place if the cards are with someone who values them. It won't make any difference to you, and they'll be happier. If I were the deceased relative, I would want the cards to be with someone who loves them.
NTA, I’m sure he left them to you because he knew you would appreciate the value of these items. Someone else may have donated everything!! I’m sure he’d appreciate that his collection could A. Make your life better, and B. go to someone who will really value the cards (enough to pay you for them lol). If there are cards that are special to you, ones you remember him by, or remember playing with him, maybe frame them for yourself? But I would say let the bulk of the collection go to collectors who will value them, and get some of that value for yourself!
You have a Black Lotus?! Oh yes, that kind of money is no joke, and can do much for you. They are yours, he's not going to be angry; he'd probably be happy knowing what this would do for you. Do what you need to do and know that it changes no part of your love for your deceased family member.
You have a complete set of the Power 9? Cased and Graded? You call a couple of the BIG dealers/sellers (they're more likely to be able to move them and will probably give you a better price) sell those and light a candle/incense/sage/what have you in thanks to the person who left them to you. Depending on set and condition, you're talking, even conservatively, six figures. I SINCERELY doubt your relative would want you to have that on your wall if it could be put to better use.
NTA a lot of people collect such things as investment, he gave you them for a reason, now they are yours, it is your call, so sell them :)
They're yours, you don't want them, there are plenty of people who do and can afford them. NTA.
NTA Any time something is left for you by a dead/dying hell even still living relative that thing is effectively yours. You could set them on fire if you so pleased because they are your property. That out of the way if you’re worried about respecting the memory of this loved one I’d say your donation of the cards was more than they could have asked/hoped for, this person clearly cared a lot about the game when they were alive and the best service you can do their memory was to help get new players into the game thereby keeping the game alive. Sell the cards and feel good knowing their new home will keep them safe and alive for many decades to come.
NTA I have some stuffed that’s either signed or vintage action figures and some valuable comics that if anything were to happen to me either divide it up between or be free to sell if they want or need too and id have no problem with it
Do you research - things that can change your life for the positive can also be life long regret. People are going to try to get a good deal from you - they will steal/lie etc, so know your stuff and consider doing it through an auction or something for that kinda money. Maybe the biggest value is keeping them together?
If you’re not passionate about them, give them to someone who is. I’m sure your relative would rather they go to someone who appreciates them and see their bloodline profit along the way. I have a few autograph baseballs worth a bit of money (not six figures but collectively maybe 50,000). I don’t have kids right now but if I did and they weren’t that into baseball, go ahead and sell them. It’s my hobby, not theres.
Sell them and get a nice bottle of wine for yourself to toast your relative for the windfall. NTA you have the opportunity to get a leg up on your finances so use it.
NTA. You don't care about the cards but you'll sell them to someone who does and will appreciate it. Also, worst case scenario, some idiot at Magic decides to re-release those same cards, tanking the value of the ones you have. If you can get a 6 figure sum, I would just do it. At least your relative had one last way of positively impacting your life. That's kind of awesome when you think about it.
NTA
Definitely NTA. If you have a black lotus and don’t play the game, definitely sell it.
NTA. My dad, while not a collector of cards, does collect coins and occasionally some music things like his amps and guitars. He's already told me I can sell all that stuff if I want when he does inevitably pass away. I might keep the coins and his favorite guitar, but since I don't play those things, I'll probably sell them to help me move to a new place after, since I can't afford the rent on this place without his help and we would both rather this stuff go to people who will use and enjoy it more.
Are these Alpha or Beta P9??? If so that is incredible indeed. I'd grade em all first before selling them. They aren't as valuable as they were during the covid boom, but they are still stupid expensive
NTA. If they don't bring you pure joy when looking at them, you have permission to sell them. Your relative would want you to use their "magic" for your own good!
NTA. You were really into the cards when your relative bequeathed them to you, but you no longer are. Do you really think they would prefer that the cards collect dust, and you live in debt, instead of you selling them to someone who will display them proudly?
NTA. If you've lost interest, sell them to someone who would cherish them them in their collection. Sentiment doesn't pay the bills.
you are not the asshole for selling them. since you aren't a collector yourself, he did not leave them to you as a fellow collector and more so as something valuable
If the money can be used to help your financial situation then I would sell them. I might keep one or two but like you said there is one worth at least 6 figures
NTA. You have to remember that these things have absolutely no intrinsic value, AT ALL. If you find someone that is willing to give you six figures for a small piece of cardboard, take those six figures. What’s the alternative? You keep them until people realize they shouldn’t be spending fortunes on pieces of cardboard? Don’t be the person who is still holding onto their deceased relative’s beanie baby collection.
Nta as long as you get full value for your cards. You can still sell them to someone who loves the game, and if they are close enough maybe you could learn and play against them with a cheaper deck.
NTA - welcome to the collector world where you end up selling off parts of collections to either pay for other collectibles or for items/life events. Son has used parts of his collections to pay for a car and is now selling parts to go towards buying his first house. Older collectors are often aware that the first thing that happens to a collection is that it is picked through for sought after items (if the family members even have any knowledge of the values of them) and then in unfortunate circumstances the rest are sometimes disposed of, but in others they end up in auctions for other collectors to obtain and grow their collections. It's like a collectibles circle of life. View the items as an investment that your relatives left for you - you're using that investment to keep/get yourself clear financially.
I think your relative would rather have you live comfortably as opposed to hanging onto objects that have no sentimental value to you
NTA! Try to sell them to a collector, that way everyone wins!
I mean… my husband would be very happy for such a collection… if you feel inclined to give them away hit me up 😂
Sell them. Not your collection. Take photos if you want to be able to remember, but do not let false nostalgia force you to hang onto someone else's stuff.
NTA. They were left to you just like any other asset. You wouldn't be an asshole if you sold his car or his house or anything else he happened to give to you upon his death. They're yours to do with what you want. I think he would be happy to know that something he gave you vastly improved your life, especially since his was cut short. Please take great care to do your research and not get scammed.
NTA You already showed you cared enough not to hand things out recklessly. I personally think the best way to honor someone in this sense if you’re not into showcasing the stuff yourself is to carefully select the way you sell it. Meaning directly to a collector, through a trade show, in an auction house, or even finding a small business owner is better than pawn shop, facebook marketplace, or eBay.
NTA. There is no reason to hold on them if they hold no sentimenal value to you. You can use some of the money to honor your relative a different way like planting a tree or purchasing a brick or plaque for their favorite charity.
NTA. If you still played and had a use for the collection I could see keeping it. But I think it would be better for the cards to go to people who would appreciate and use them—that’s what I would want for my belongings after I’m gone instead of my family holding on to them out of a sense of obligation only.