Should I sell...or should I wait until October 2007?

[TVB]

I've got some John Denver memorabilia that I am thinking about offloading. As I was researching prices realized his death anniversary is a year and half away. It's ummm, kind of "different memorabilia" and I'm not sure e-bay would allow it and I've never really sold anything on there. So, please...your opinion, without flaming please.

It's an original autopsy report (stamped from the day it was made public--there are only three stamped like that in existance and I have one of them. I was told at the time one went to his sister, one went to the television station I was working at and one went to me. I picked the two I was getting at like 1 minute before 5pm and the doors were locked when I left with them) I also have a few little bits and pieces of the aircraft he crashed and died in (the plane was constructed out of this foam for the most part)

Should I wait until the big anniversary (will there even be one) or should I sell it now?

LOL...it's a shame EBay wasn't around then in my life and I'm moving some stuff around and it's still hanging around. I wouldn't mind getting rid of it.

Betsy

[Deb]

The unknown worth 1.5 years from now may work to your advantage right now. E.g. "These items may be worth much more in 1.5 years!". No one knows what it'll be worth. Some may feel it'll be worth much more then and be willing to bid higher now for the potential investment. In 1.5 years it may or may not be worth anything... only time will tell. You could end up kicking yourself later for selling now, or you may end up thankful you sold early on. It's hard to say. For me personally, I'd probably try to sell now with the anniversary date being used as a selling point.

Disclaimer - I've never sold anything like that. I'm not a collector so I really don't know how those areas work. The above is just personal uneducated opinion.

Deb
- You could've checked your horoscope for the answer...but those are all messed up now :P

[Mandi]

I have no idea about selling those items on Ebay - I bet they'd give you a thumbs up or down if you emailed them and asked first (and then hang onto their answer, in case someone complains afterwards.) I happen to be the daughter of one of his biggest fans (which may or may not explain a lot about me, LOL!) and I know she's bought John Denver related stuff of Ebay before . . . I bet she would be interested to have something like the autopsy report, but I dunno about the wreckage. I think it's kinda personal, whether something like that appeals to people or not. (Not to imply she's in the market - just gauging interest based on a fan I know.)

Maybe list one item as Deb suggests - using the approaching date as a hook - and see what happens?

It would bother me to see the stuff relisted in a year and a half, probably for more (maybe not) so I personally would hold onto it myself.

[PaulKroll]

Bruce Tognazzini has an article on his site, When Interfaces Kill (http://www.asktog.com/columns/027InterfacesThatKill.html), about the particulars of the experimental plane.

[Andilinks]

I certainly don't approve of subterfuge for monetary gain, but if I did I would suggest the following:

You should try to get some legitimate publicity for the items without even the slightest hint that you may want to sell them or even that they may have some dollar value. If you plant the seeds now there will be a greater interest when the anniversary arrives. The ideal situation would be an implicit bidding war that you did not appear to initiate and that you maintain only because of your "reluctance to part with these items."

Andi

[TVB]

I was hedging on waiting as well. I do like Andi's idea of a test market however, I was thinking of selling the items together as a package because anyone interested would likely be a major JD fan. I found some sites with fans ahhing and ooohing over some slivers of wreckage a celebrity site sells for $50 each (their autopsy reports are copies for $15 each...mine is a certified original with the stamps and I even have the receipt for it). The pieces I have a not substantial but they are more than slivers.

Betsy

[Don]

I would be surprised if eBay responded to a pre-listing question with anything other than a reference to its general listing policies. It would not want to limit its rights under those policies.

Once the airplane wreckage is listed, it appears that eBay would be entitled to make two nontrivial demands:
1. Provide proof that the wreckage is authentic.
2. Provide proof of rightful ownership. The presumptive owner would normally be the insurance company or the estate of the deceased.

--
Don

[TVB]

Interesting point Don, but I believe it is the estate or insurance company that would need to prove ownership under the maritime laws of flotsam.

Betsy