posted 12-13-2007 06:46 PM               

I've collected seriously in the American Civil War area for 20 years now. I am now focusing on space collecting. Not sure what to do with my ACW collection either.

Maybe I should trade for kids who like the Civil War and Space?

So, if I put some serious jack into space collecting - which I have started doing - what do I do with a really nice collection when I die? Hopefully 40 years from now?

Anyone else in my shoes? What are you planning to do with your space collection if passing it on to your kids isn't an realistic option?

I'm thinking of donating it to my county historical association or something like that.

The main thing is I don't want it parted out and sold by kids who have no appreciation for what the collection meant to me.

I'd rather give it to a charity.

Thoughts or suggestions?

Looking forward to your ideas.

Thx.

posted 12-13-2007 08:19 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by randy:
It's in my will that I'm donating my collection to the BYU School of Math and Science.

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posted 12-13-2007 08:35 PM               

Could also be given to space or civil war "societies" to exhibit (to attract new members) or sell (to get money to support the activities of that society). For example, the Space Unit sometime back in the early 1980's received a donation of space items - stamps, covers, photos, literature, etc. which were sold through the society auction to obtain funds to promote the Space Unit publications and activities.

posted 12-13-2007 10:56 PM               

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Scott Schneeweis

posted 12-14-2007 08:41 AM               

How about something like this?

Somehow tie academic performance to the reward of receiving a memorabilia item. Not sure really, but I like the reward system idea in some kinda way.

If a bunch of us put some of our stuff together into one "collection database" then the amount of rewards could be sizeable.

Or, just sell everything off and create a scholarship fund. I don't know.

Does this spur any ideas?

posted 12-14-2007 09:08 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by TellingHistory:
Or, just sell everything off and create a scholarship fund.

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posted 12-14-2007 09:13 AM               

Russ you said "I hope I see the end coming soon enough ..." but I think you meant to say "I hope I see the end coming in enough time ..."

Interesting thread. Thank you.

posted 12-14-2007 09:27 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Robert Pearlman:
If so inclined, a donation made to the ASF's auction would have the result of awarding more scholarships to those who may be the next generation of explorers.

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posted 12-14-2007 09:57 AM               

I'm not a collector and I don't think there are extremely valuable items in the stuff I have so I'll go with "Murph": I'm taking it with me.

And since there's no way to know when you'll die (yee-haaa, it's the holidays ), carpe diem. And the hell with what happens afterwards.

Chris.

P.S. "I am 60 and live in the once great but now sad little police state known as the UK." Who would have thought that this thread would be funny? (my sympathies to "poofacio", though; over here it's the land of the fascists...)

Oh, and I forgot: the title of this thread is also funny. It implies that you can do something after you're dead! "Life" after death?

posted 12-14-2007 11:05 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by TellingHistory:
So are you specializing your collection to fit into their program optimally or just collecting what interests you the most?

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posted 12-14-2007 11:37 AM               

Not so much that they would display it, but they have the ways and means to liquidate these types of items effectively and recycle the proceeds back towards a good cause related to the hobby.

Your Neil Armstrong WSS litho might pay for engineering books for the first person to walk on Mars.

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Kind Regards

Douglas Henry

posted 12-14-2007 01:49 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by garymilgrom:
Russ you said "I hope I see the end coming soon enough..." but I think you meant to say "I hope I see the end coming in enough time..."

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posted 12-14-2007 02:50 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by garymilgrom:
Scott and others who want to let other collectors enjoy these items - how do you plan to do this?

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posted 12-14-2007 02:59 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by LCDR Scott Schneeweis:
Since we have broached this slightly morbid topic, Rob � what happens in the post-Pearlman era � any "continuity of operations" plan or provisions in the works to continue collectSPACE�s legacy if something were to incapacitate you?

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I've been slowly and quietly keeping an eye out for candidates with the right combination of skills and enthusiasm who might join cS as my future replacement.

In the nearer term, I have identified and in some cases, partially trained, individuals who could keep the site running were I bedridden for a couple of weeks.

posted 12-14-2007 07:09 PM               

I imagine the reaction to opening a binder or box will be a mix of "Why did he keep this piece of crap?" to "Thank God he kept this!"

Certainly I hope my grandchildren will cherish some of this stuff. But the bottom line is I have had a wonderful time in acquiring this collection. I've met some great folks, almost everyone of my childhood heroes and even had some of todays astronauts express their appreciation for my efforts in support of what they do as well as mentoring kids with the Young Astronaut Program. But hey, I'm not done yet!

Thanks Kraig for a very provactive thread. Now Robert, about that job?

posted 12-14-2007 09:20 PM               

1. Donate it to an educational institution or academic program (e,g., like a school of science).
   
2. Give it to a museum.
   
3. Give it to a non-profit organization.(e.g., the ASF that offers scholarships for young people pursuing educations in the sciences).
   
4. Sell it and go on a nice vacation or buy that special something.
   
5. Sell it back into the collecting community to allow others to have the same fun you did.
   
6. Pass it on to your kids or grandkids.
   
7. Take it with you (but how does that work?)

posted 12-14-2007 09:35 PM               

Althought I'm only 48, this isn't an academic topic for me either. I have one of the biggest private collections of baseball cards and related items in Virginia, and my space and political items collections are also fairly large. I've already been talking to officials at my undergraduate alma mater, West Virginia University about donating my political and antique newspaper collections at some point.

As I get older I might just sell some stuff outright to downsize a little and perhaps put the proceeds in trust for my daughter. I shudder however about the prospect of trying to sell all this stuff!

In the meantime however, I've already written out detailed instructions for my family to follow if upon my demise they wish to sell. This includes preferred dealers, instructions on how to consign to auction houses and how to use eBay (they don't use it). On the flip side, I've also talked about the same things with some of my most trusted dealers (mostly in the baseball stuff).

posted 12-14-2007 09:55 PM               

Three years ago I was extended an opportunity to write a book on unmanned space exploration. And as I got into it, I realized that if I sold off some of the things in my collection, I could re-invest those dollars towards a better book. How so? Things like:

- Hiring a transcriptionist, leaving me more time to actually write (transcribing an hour of tape takes me about eight precious hours)
- Traveling to interview people in person
- Traveling to sites relevant to the book: JPL, the University of Iowa, etc.
- Purchasing the rights to seldom-seen photographs

Yeah, I bid good-bye to some nice pieces, but ultimately felt like I'd done the right thing. I found good homes for the stuff, and will (ideally) have a better book as well! It is nice to know these items which have more or less been in my drawers for years are now being enjoyed by other collectors.

posted 12-15-2007 04:23 PM               

quote:

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What will you do with your collection after you die

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I am still thinking about it. After all, property prices on cemeteries are high, and I will probably not able to rent a grave big enough to host all of my stuff. Cremation of myself with the stuff? Hmm...

WHAT I WILL DO with my collection AFTER I DIED? Have we even answered the question of "life after death" yet? Not that I want to start a religious discussion, but I think it would a precondition to answer your question.

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J�rgen P Esders
Berlin, Germany

International Director (Europe), Space Unit
Vice President, Weltraum Philatelie e. V.

posted 12-15-2007 06:06 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Machodoc:
I've already been talking to officials at my undergraduate alma mater, West Virginia University about donating my political and antique newspaper collections at some point.

Steve

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Steve, it was interesting to hear that you collect vintage newspapers. I have been collecting them for approx. 10-12 years. All my newspapers are from the 20th century. I love history and it's like I'm touching a piece of history with my newspapers. When I frame and hang a vintage newspaper which has a bold headline about some important historical event that took place it takes me back in time.

Email me and maybe we can discuss what newspapers we have.

Dave

posted 12-15-2007 10:32 PM               

I don't really know what'll happen to my collection as I'm not married and don't have any kids. I'm sure I'll figure something out though.

posted 12-16-2007 05:13 AM               

If collections are kept intact forever there will be nothing left for collectors to collect.

On the investment side I am sure there will be a better return on selling the items individually, which also enables others to experience the fun in building a collection.

Who would want to buy a large collection intact, where's the fun in that?

In the UK we are taxed to death on the money as we earn it, the value of anything we buy with that money, and everything we need and use to maintain what we have bought, the last thing on my mind is paying them for all that and then donating anything to them. Sod'em! At the moment there is still the choice of selling it all off, but if the only choices were giving it to the state or burning it I hate to admit it but I would rather do the latter.

Of course institutions are "grateful" if they are gifted collections, they have to have things to fill up their cupboards and cellars with until they lose them to flood, theft or fire or sell them to fund turning themselves into evermore mindless theme parks.

posted 12-16-2007 08:38 PM               

I knew a really fine, but not-well-off World War One German helmet collector. I don't think he'd started to cool off before his kids sold his collection off for drug money. I had an uncle who had an enormous military collection, whose kids have not done anything with it yet. Heard there is an ejection seat sitting outside their barn. Knew another old fellow who was a former B-24 pilot and a big collector of Ronald Reagan items. He sold that collection about 8 years ago and bought an automatic lawn sprinkler nicknamed the Ronald Reagan Memorial Lawn Sprinkler.

I have found new homes for my old collections which I had tired of, from selling them to donating them. The selling was fine, but felt a bit better about donating some of the items. One collection was donated over a period of time to enjoy the maximum tax benefit from it. I still add to these collections on occasion.

posted 12-17-2007 02:42 PM               

As for the rest... I leave instructions for my wife on how best to dispose of it, always assuming I don't sell it before I "pop my clogs".

Regards,

posted 12-17-2007 05:23 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by machbusterman:
Personally I don't see the point in leaving a collection to a museum or organization. They'll never appreciate it the way that the collector did that put the collection together.

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I suppose part of this relies on what comprises individual collections. Contemporary signed photos may be of less interest to public institutions than vintage items. Likewise, flown artifacts may be of more desire to curators than collectibles and souvenirs.

posted 12-18-2007 10:11 AM               

Why not all of the cS members send one special space artifact (flown or not flown) to Robert in Houston.

We all pitch in to open the collectSPACE Artifact Museum.

It would be located close to JSC so that it would attract visitors.

(Admission fees would be used to pay for the Museum and curator Robert Pearlman.)

Of course any of the cS members who donate an artifact would have life long membership to the museum and have free access to the museum.

This way we are confident that our space artifacts would be preserved for all generations and we have a place to take our kids and our kids have a place to bring their kids

Just imagine if all of us would donate just one special piece. What a museum we would have.

I for one would plan a vacation to Houston each year just to see the new pieces added to the collectSPACE Artifact Museum.