To Sell or Not to Sell?

Although you hardly realize it, once a day you glance toward a particularly messy closet. Or, from the comfort of your bright, clean living room, you remember that dark corner full of antiques in the basement. Each time this happens, a second or two passes before your brain moves on to a different subject:

What’s for dinner? Have I fed the dog? I have to pick up the kids soon…

Fleeting considerations of cluttered areas in your home have become a part of your regular thought pattern, and your brain has no trouble glossing over certain ideas. That’s normal for, well, pretty much everyone.

Eventually, be it out of free time or sheer necessity, you decide to conquer the clutter. Avoidance might have saved you an afternoon or two of organizing, but it hasn’t helped with stress. Plus, you’ve heard friends talk about selling their “old stuff.” You’re fairly certain you have long-forgotten things that could be worth more to someone else, too.

Be prepared, though, for an often-difficult question that might take you by surprise: To sell, or not to sell?

Unlike To sell, or not to sell?, Hamlet’s famous question To be, or not to be?  is definitely not about considering the merits of downsizing or selling fine jewelry, designer clothing, or antiques. But forget Hamlet’s personal issues. The basis of his question is surprisingly simple: it’s about weighing options. Do I act on something...or not?

If you’re thinking about whether to sell a pair of 14k gold diamond stud earrings, war memorabilia you inherited from a relative, an antique pocket watch, or even a few 19th-century oil paintings, you’re already asking yourself a version of Hamlet’s question. That is, you’re deciding what to do, or weighing your options.

You can make the overall decision to sell (or not to sell) by breaking things up into a few simple considerations:

1. What does this piece mean to me?

2. Is its meaning worth more than the item itself?

3. Do I use it?

4. Do I want it?

5. Does it make me happy, or does clutter add to my stress?

If you struggle to answer these questions, your general situation is a modern version of a classic Shakespearean dilemma -- that is, making a choice. Try to be objective. That you’re even thinking about getting rid of an item suggests that you’re already able to envision your life without it.

If you can answer the above questions, and you’re still struggling to make a choice, then you probably feel an emotional attachment to an older item, even if you never use it and rarely think about it. Perhaps your grandmother left you that pair of antique diamond earrings and they were her favorite, or maybe those oil paintings decorated the walls of your childhood home.

It’s normal for people to feel sentimental about certain possessions, but don’t ignore your gut instinct. If a sentimental piece you simply do not use appears sellable while you’re trying to declutter or downsize, there’s no harm in finding out what the item is worth. And remember, selling an item you feel sentimental about does not mean you are selling the emotion or memories attached to it.

It’s important to consider the pros of selling jewelry or antiques that otherwise collect dust. Of course, the primary benefit of selling is clear: A sale is an exchange, and with National Rarities the exchange is a cashable check.

National Rarities buys myriad collectibles and fine jewelry, and we make the process as simple and informative as possible. Our Estate Specialists are GIA-certified experts trained to evaluate your fine jewelry, antique or fine watches, and other valuable pieces.

Furthermore, each Estate Specialist is an expert in his or her area of buying and a talented generalist across the board. So, whether you want to sell an antique Hamilton railroad pocket watch or a collection of late-1960s HotWheels toys, Estate Specialists at National Rarities are equipped to evaluate your items and make fair, competitive offers.

Instead of famously posing his question to the skull of a deceased court jester, Hamlet might have benefitted from questioning a living person -- even an Estate Specialist! Despite the vast differences between Shakespeare’s famous tragedy and modern-day home organization, Hamlet reveals a lot about basic psychological roadblocks that stop people from making the most profitable choices.

The takeaway here is to discuss opportunities with a knowledgeable Estate Specialist who will equip you to answer your own “Hamlet” question: To sell, or not to sell?