Simply toooo much fossil stuff!!!

[RJB]

I moved from Eureka California a little over 10 years ago.   Before I moved I gave away about 80 big boxes of fossil stuff to the schools of that area.  I also gave away a van load of more stuff and then sold 3 truck loads of more fossil stuff to the local rock shop.  Just a couple of years ago I sold about $16,000 worth of fossil stuff to a rock shop guy for $4400.   I was thinkin that I had gotten rid of a lot of stuff.  While at my fossil shed the other day I realized that I still have waaaaaaay too much fossil stuff!!!  Im beginning to realize that I don't want to leave my children with all this snarge.  I know I will want to leave them with some of the A-Grade stuff, but there is still tons of stuff I don't need or want.  Im thinking of maybe getting a website and doing the serious fossil selling again, but not sure if I want that kind of job?  I like to do the computer, but only when I feel like being on the computer.  Ive thought about doing a website for a few years now, just not sure if I want that kind of constant work or spending the money to do that?  Any ideas?  Any ideas may help.  Thanks

 

RB

[aerogrower]

If you decide to sell please put me on your list. I'm sure I can help you with your problem. Good luck!

[Harry Pristis]

I understand completely.  I have a similar challenge.  I don't set up at fossil shows any longer, but I still have lots of fossils that I readily sold at those shows.  Occasionally, I do sell some fossils on eBay.  But, eBay becomes a slow grind after a short time, compared to fossil show action.

 

One alternative I've been considering is a fossil yard sale.  I have the physical basics here and the experience to manage a sale or even recurring sales, say once per month for a few months.  Advertising is the key to success for such an endeavor. 

 

Florida is a fossil-hunting destination, and I am convenient to I-75 and US441 near Ocala.  It's possible I could attract visitors on the way to the Peace River.  Just as likely, I might attract visitors who want to fill out the suite of fossils they themselves found in the Peace River.

 

Perhaps, RB, this option might work for you. 

 

I'd appreciate hearing from Florida-bound collectors who would be interested in stopping at my yard sales.  I'm sure that RB would like to gauge interest in his own sales.

[caldigger]

Or more on the Peace River topic...you can cater to those fossil hunters that didn't find much on their own and don't want to go home empty handed.

[digit]

Creating and maintaining a website is a lot of work (trust me). The monthly hosting costs are not very much but you'd either have to research a good storefront package to build your website or pay someone to create a site for you. If you were planning on selling as an ongoing concern for a number of years into the future, then this would likely turn out to be your best bet. Build an established marketplace to hawk your wares and advertise to bring buyers. Sounds like not the kind of business you'd want to be diving into at the moment. I think Harry has it right--do some advertising or get the word out to have some "yard sale" type of selling or setup an inline store with eBay. You have a well-known marketplace and with the proper descriptions, potential buyers could easily find what you have for sale. The downside is having to photograph and write a lot of descriptions to setup your inventory online but you'd have to do that for any type of online selling.

 

Sounds like a big headache to try to thin out the results of years of collecting and I can see why you readily donated large volumes to good homes. I suspect the stuff you have kept till now has a significant value that would make it worth the effort (however painful or tedious) to sell out to find homes in new collections. I'm pretty ruthless in giving away the vast majority of my fossil finds. My intent was never to build a collection but merely to have a blast collecting (and keep some mementos of fun times hunting in the field).

 

Good luck with whatever you end up doing. Keep us informed how it goes as I'm sure there are others on this forum in in the same circumstances.

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[Kdeus]

2 hours ago, Harry Pristis said:

I'd appreciate hearing from Florida-bound collectors who would be interested in stopping at my yard sales.  I'm sure that RB would like to gauge interest in his own sales.

 

I'd make the trip from Jacksonville to stop by if you did this.

[Ridgehiker]

1 hour ago, caldigger said:

Or more on the Peace River topic...you can cater to those fossil hunters that didn't find much on their own and don't want to go home empty handed.

 

Like buying a fish on the way home from a fishing trip.  

[FossilDudeCO]

@RJB

post photos in groups here on the forum? There always seems to be lots of interest with the material that you do post here.

 

@Harry Pristis

I will be down the first week of February if you want to have a yard sale then

[Bone Daddy]

You can sell them via consignment in my online store. Shoot me a PM for details if interested. I've been selling for 10 years and have an established clientele.

 

 

[-Andy-]

Well RJB, let me know if you start up a website, an eBay page, or new threads on TFF

[RJB]

Wow.  Thanks for all the ideas everyone.     Now I know for sure I don't want a web page.   As for a garage sale, (and a very good idea), I live way out of town and not much traffic comes past my house so that's out too.      I think this summer I will put the word out here and at FaceBook and see if anyone wants to drive here, go through boxes and boxes of fossils and pic out what they want, then I can spit out a price and through it into 'their' pile.   Very little work for me that way.  I use to be a workaholic, but nowadays, work can take a flyin leap into a lake.  Ha!!! 

 

RB

[JarrodB]

31 minutes ago, RJB said:

Wow.  Thanks for all the ideas everyone.     Now I know for sure I don't want a web page.   As for a garage sale, (and a very good idea), I live way out of town and not much traffic comes past my house so that's out too.      I think this summer I will put the word out here and at FaceBook and see if anyone wants to drive here, go through boxes and boxes of fossils and pic out what they want, then I can spit out a price and through it into 'their' pile.   Very little work for me that way.  I use to be a workaholic, but nowadays, work can take a flyin leap into a lake.  Ha!!! 

 

RB

I have a friend with a fossil museum in his home who purchases on a monthly basis so be sure to message me with any big ticket items you want to sell.  

[Ridgehiker]

RJB confirms that we need a Fossil Detox Forum.

 

Life is a big make work project. We spend part of it accumulating stuff and the second part rearranging all our stuff and finally fretting over how to get rid of it all.

 

I have about 900 paleontology publications because....? No idea why.  One day I might use them? Not really.  I just catalogue them, arrange them, rearrange them.  Its all insane.  Now I want most of them gone.

 

A few year ago I decided to stop bringing more fossils home. Cold Turkey...it was the only way to do it. 

[StormDancer]

I have way too many fossils awaiting prep! The trouble is I like walking the beach and I just can't leave them for the tide to wash away.

I have more fossils in crates than on display and I know that if I find time there is some cracking stuff in them crates.

[Nimravis]

57 minutes ago, Canadawest said:

RJB confirms that we need a Fossil Detox Forum.

 

Life is a big make work project. We spend part of it accumulating stuff and the second part rearranging all our stuff and finally fretting over how to get rid of it all.

 

I have about 900 paleontology publications because....? No idea why.  One day I might use them? Not really.  I just catalogue them, arrange them, rearrange them.  Its all insane.  Now I want most of them gone.

 

A few year ago I decided to stop bringing more fossils home. Cold Turkey...it was the only way to do it. 

In regards to publications and books, when I run across those that I do not want any longer, I PM Joe (Fruitbat) and see if he wants them- if yes, I just send them his was. With him managing his PDF library on TFF I know they will be in good hands.

[Nimravis]

41 minutes ago, StormDancer said:

I have way too many fossils awaiting prep! The trouble is I like walking the beach and I just can't leave them for the tide to wash away.

I have more fossils in crates than on display and I know that if I find time there is some cracking stuff in them crates.

I feel your pain, I have over 100- 5 gallon buckets full of Mazon Creek concretions at my house, I have been collecting them for years, and they are my babies- hopefully they will leave home some day

[ynot]

8 minutes ago, Nimravis said:

I feel your pain, I have over 100- 5 gallon buckets full of Mazon Creek concretions at my house, I have been collecting them for years, and they are my babies- hopefully they will leave home some day

I run an orphanage for mazon creek nodules, send them to Me. I will take good care of them.

Ynot

[Nimravis]

49 minutes ago, ynot said:

I run an orphanage for mazon creek nodules, send them to Me. I will take good care of them.

Ynot

Lol- you pay the sipping- I think it is about $100+ per bucket

[StormDancer]

I tell myself there is no such thing as too many fossil!!

Just running out of places to store boxes....... Solution..... time for another shed

[jpc]

32 minutes ago, StormDancer said:

I tell myself there is no such thing as too many fossil!!

Just running out of places to store boxes....... Solution..... time for another shed

... yup.

[jpc]

2 hours ago, Canadawest said:

RJB confirms that we need a Fossil Detox Forum.

 

Life is a big make work project. We spend part of it accumulating stuff and the second part rearranging all our stuff and finally fretting over how to get rid of it all.

 

I have about 900 paleontology publications because....? No idea why.  One day I might use them? Not really.  I just catalogue them, arrange them, rearrange them.  Its all insane.  Now I want most of them gone.

 

A few year ago I decided to stop bringing more fossils home. Cold Turkey...it was the only way to do it. 

are you really looking to get rid of pubs?  And you say you have them catalogued?  

[Harry Pristis]

On ‎12‎/‎7‎/‎2016 at 8:55 PM, Kdeus said:

 

I'd make the trip from Jacksonville to stop by if you did this.

 

On ‎12‎/‎7‎/‎2016 at 9:42 PM, FossilDudeCO said:

@RJB

. . .

 

@Harry Pristis

I will be down the first week of February if you want to have a yard sale then

 

Thanks for the feedback!  Maybe the target market for fossil yard-sales are Florida collectors who don't have to travel so far.  We'll see.  I've got to move lots of bones and teeth and some invert's, from Manicina to Mammuthus.

[DE&i]

Landfill is big money around the areas where I live. And the fossils I collect from these areas will be eventually lost forever due to landfills.

 

I take all my museum quality pieces to the larger local museum's. To see if they think they are deemed worthy.

 

Next year I'll be knocking on the doors of the much smaller village museum's in the area. To see if they would like some, to show their local communities what lies beneath their feet.