EBAY / PSA vault advice

[TB12Lover]

My entire collection is about 50 cards, the lowest is valued at $5,000. This is my PC, and I plan to die with every single one of these cards in my family’s possession. Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t send the entire collection to The Vault and keep it safely there. Holding and admiring the cards in my hand don’t outweigh the risks of having this stuff in my possession. Thoughts greatly appreciated.

[jewcer2k5]

Sounds like you made up your mind?

[pejc300]

They are much more difficult to enjoy in the vault. My most expensive cards are there too, and I hate that I can’t hold them.

[kluke84]

Advice: never trust anyone with your assets

[Siberian13]

The Vault sucks

[JohnnyHatesJazz]

Display your cards at home. It's sports memorabilia. Sports memorabilia wasn't meant for vaults.

Keep your cards at home and get insurance for them. It's not as expensive as you would think.

[aggie4ever]

Definitely pros and cons to both sides, so depends on what your end goal is.

However, if you end goal is to keep them in the vault until you die, you better leave detailed instructions for your family to access the cards. Which brings up a good point, they better know how to gain control of the cards in a legal sense. That's much easier if you keep them at home. It's murkier if they are in a vault.

And while the odds of a vault going under may be smallish, there is still a chance. That could turn into a nightmare.

That said, I do have a handful of higher dollar cards in a couple of different vaults, since I worry about something happening at my home (fire, break-in, etc.). These are all cards I bought on those sites and just kept the cards in the vault. The biggest annoyance is never getting a chance to hold these cards and view them in person.

[Stat Monsters]

Originally Posted by kluke84

Advice: never trust anyone with your assets

I agree with this to a degree. You'd need to read the contract with eBay and their liability and release agreements.

What if at one point in the future they decide to charge for storage fees and/or release fees?

What if their contract is with you, but not your heirs and you pass away unexpectedly and your family tries to retrieve your cards, but they can't be released?

I'm not so antiquated to say we as a general society don't trust 3rd party company's already with our assets... We have bank accounts, stock accounts, safe deposit boxes, retirement funds... so many of which we trust computers and systems.

However, I'm not a fan of "vaults" without fully evaluating the worst case scanrios and the pros and cons.

The easy answer and decision for me right now is "Pass"

[Stat Monsters]

I feel with sports cards, comic books and nostalgic collectibles, the "vault" is counter-intuitive to having a hobby.

If you feel they're assets, you might just as well be better off selling everything and turning it into liquid cash.

If it's an investment, sure, they can go up and outperform the stock market, but they can also plummet too. I'm not sure if I'd rather have $25k cash or a 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan RC (if that's still the current FMV. I'd probably opt for the cash and put that into the market or something else than comics, cards or collectibles that I'd plan on vaulting and never enjoy seeing.

[kluke84]

I never use the vault. You give up all control of your assets. And i believe for a maintenance fee.

[TB12Lover]

For everyone that says: “I don’t give anyone control of my assets”

Does Fidelity hold your stocks and mutual funds?
Does your bank hold your money?
Does the registry of deeds hold title to your home?
Does your insurance company hold your policy?
Does your car lender hold title to your car?
Does your employer hold your 401(k)?

There are tons of examples of Fiduciaries, I understand there’s a cost associated with this service. You can’t expect someone to perform service and not earn a fee.

I guess what is more likely to happen, a fire or theft in my home or a change in terms of service or theft or damage at The Vault???

[mjohnatgt]

Does the vault allow you to list a beneficiary/inheritor? Or is it incumbent on the assets being listed in your will and tracked down by your executor to pass on?

Do your family members actually want these cards of yours when you die, or just the income generated from them?

Most of those accounts you listed have federally-backed insurance policies, so you're not really comparing apples to oranges.

[KhalDrogo]

Originally Posted by TB12Lover

For everyone that says: “I don’t give anyone control of my assets”

Does Fidelity hold your stocks and mutual funds?
Does your bank hold your money?
Does the registry of deeds hold title to your home?
Does your insurance company hold your policy?
Does your car lender hold title to your car?
Does your employer hold your 401(k)?

There are tons of examples of Fiduciaries, I understand there’s a cost associated with this service. You can’t expect someone to perform service and not earn a fee.

I guess what is more likely to happen, a fire or theft in my home or a change in terms of service or theft or damage at The Vault???

This is third grade level simplification of the difference between physically possessing your assets and having them held by a third party.

[Jaysabz]

Originally Posted by TB12Lover

I guess what is more likely to happen, a fire or theft in my home or a change in terms of service or theft or damage at The Vault???

Have you inspected the Vault? Is there a personal Vault just for your cards, like a vault at Gringotts in Harry Potter that requires your special key?

You likely have no way to tell exactly whats going on with your cards - they could be stored in a numbered Rubbermaid container on a shelf. I think you are putting too much trust in the name, the "Vault" and the company.

If I had cards of that value, I'd store them in a safety deposit box at a local bank and also insure the cards.

My 2 cents.

[packman80]

You want to make sure they are safe and sound just go to your bank and get a safety deposit box. That way you know they are safe and you can still go get/see them easily anytime you want.

[rms13]

Originally Posted by kluke84

Advice: never trust anyone with your assets

That’s the answer. Learn to secure your own stuff.

[jplarson]

A third in the eBay vault, a third in a bank safety deposit box, a third at home in a safe.

[Archangel1775]

Originally Posted by mjohnatgt

Does the vault allow you to list a beneficiary/inheritor? Or is it incumbent on the assets being listed in your will and tracked down by your executor to pass on?

Do your family members actually want these cards of yours when you die, or just the income generated from them?

Most of those accounts you listed have federally-backed insurance policies, so you're not really comparing apples to oranges.

This is a great question. I had a family member that was in hospice that owned a copy of Amazing Fantasy #15, albeit in poor condition. He put someone in charge of handling his estate and they had a local estate sale. That comic book was stolen. He was so upset that he literally got up, got dressed and drove home to look for it. No idea if insurance ever paid out on it but its a good reason to use the vault. The rest of his comics were literally dropped off at a local comic book shop so that they could go through them to assess value....I'm sure that went well....people just don't know what to do and wont treat your collection the same you would unless you leave detailed instructions. So the vault is not a bad thing, its just personal preference. Your family could simply put them up for auction on eBay or Goldin. They never have to handle them, just collect the check.

[meandsharon11]

Is this a cherished collection or a store of value?


You are talking about giving your collection to an entity that will insure the value of the collection at the time they receive it. If anything ever happens, they won’t replace your cards, they will give you money and probably not the amount you want.

That doesn’t sound like something you want to die with. If you are wanting to die with these then who cares what happens with them after you die.

A collection of anything is meant to be enjoyed by not just viewing it but also handling, cleaning, organizing, and not to mention adding more to it. You can turn a walk in closet into a personal storage with display cases. You can see them as you wish, or not at all if you don’t. Closets are easily converted into bolt locked rooms, and I don’t mean dead bolts.


As stated above, never hand assets or value over to someone or something else. If you don’t have it, it’s not yours, only the agreed value at the time of changing hands is what you have rights to.

[asujbl]

Originally Posted by TB12Lover

For everyone that says: “I don’t give anyone control of my assets”

Does Fidelity hold your stocks and mutual funds?
Does your bank hold your money?
Does the registry of deeds hold title to your home?
Does your insurance company hold your policy?
Does your car lender hold title to your car?
Does your employer hold your 401(k)?

There are tons of examples of Fiduciaries, I understand there’s a cost associated with this service. You can’t expect someone to perform service and not earn a fee.

I guess what is more likely to happen, a fire or theft in my home or a change in terms of service or theft or damage at The Vault???

This is a ridiculously stupid post

When my 401K burns down because it’s in my basement we can discuss

[sethc1020]

Why not just put in a safe deposit box, that way they are safe plus you can stop by and see them anytime you like.

[Scottish Punk]

Originally Posted by sethc1020

Why not just put in a safe deposit box, that way they are safe plus you can stop by and see them anytime you like.

This seems like the best and simple answer. To me. the vaults are for flipping cards. You can circumvent some taxes and shipping. Get in and out of cards while staying in the same platform.

[MarsAttacks]

Originally Posted by TB12Lover

For everyone that says: “I don’t give anyone control of my assets”

Does Fidelity hold your stocks and mutual funds?
Does your bank hold your money?
Does the registry of deeds hold title to your home?
Does your insurance company hold your policy?
Does your car lender hold title to your car?
Does your employer hold your 401(k)?

There are tons of examples of Fiduciaries, I understand there’s a cost associated with this service. You can’t expect someone to perform service and not earn a fee.

I guess what is more likely to happen, a fire or theft in my home or a change in terms of service or theft or damage at The Vault???

I’m sorry but this is just stupid.

[TB12Lover]

All I’m saying is there are tons of examples of companies who we trust with our assets. To say otherwise is a lie.

[TB12Lover]

Also, I’m not sure anyone can deny that there are many more instances of loss of an asset in your personal home; than The Vault. Thousands of cards are lost and stolen from people’s personal collections every year, that’s for sure.