Collectibles is the broadest category on the site, which means the guide has to teach a way of thinking rather than a list of facts about one kind of object.
Work out what carries the value
For almost any collectible it is one of these:
- Edition — numbered, limited, a first run, a regional variant
- Condition — and often the condition of the packaging more than the object
- Completeness — certificates, inserts, stands, boxes
- Provenance — where it came from, if that is part of what makes it interesting
Decide which one your piece is sold on, then build the listing around that one.
Say which edition
If there is a number, show it. If there is an edition size, say it. If you do not know, say you do not know rather than implying a scarcity you cannot support.
The box is often the item
For anything issued boxed, box condition can be most of the value. Show every face of it, and never post a collectible box as the shipping carton. Packing.
On reproductions
Popular pieces get reproduced, and a reproduction described as a reproduction is a perfectly legitimate sale. Describing one as original is not — counterfeits policy.
If you cannot establish which you have, say so and price it as unverified. Nobody settles that question over a video call.
What to show on camera
- The maker's marks, numbering and any certificate, held still
- Every face of the box
- The piece turned slowly under even light
- Any damage, deliberately
Delivery
Varies enormously, which is the point of this category. Work out how your object fails — chips, bends, crushing, damp — and pack against that. Packing collectibles.
More: how to sell on Metzee, pricing collectibles.
Questions people ask
What if my item does not fit any category?
Put it here and describe it thoroughly. A well-described odd thing sells; a vaguely described one does not.
Does a certificate add value?
As much as the issuer is worth. Show the issuer's name, not just the paper.
Should I open a sealed item to photograph it?
No. Sealed is a state with its own value.