To all,

We have just finished a year long ordeal of disposing of a collection
of a departed friend.  I can certainly emphasize with the problems
you've surfaced.  The family had tossed the detailed logs that were
kept on the shells and although vestiges were on a computer, fixing
data to shell was agony.  Tip here:  We use a Filemaker Pro database
with a field for dimensions; careful measurement becomes a good
"fingerprint" for a shell that has lost its label/number.  We were
able to realize about $10,000 for a $30-35,000 collection.  One thing
we did was invite our club over for a 60% off sale which went well.  I
would think this would work really well in sheller rich central/south
Florida.  40% is well above what dealers will offer.

Jim Brunner
On Oct 28, 2010, at 4:33 PM, Charles Sturm wrote:

> Bill
> I think, in many cases, the fair market value is very vague and
> uncertain.
> Think of the art world, what is a Picasso worth? If it is a painting
> (not
> a print) there is only one copy. Its value is what it sold for most
> recently; you might be able to adjust the price for inflation.
>
> Few shells are unique; excepting holotypes when no other specimen is
> known. If shells were purchased, the purchase price is an
> indication. If
> self collected, prices charged by others are a useful indication of
> worth.
> Reviewing dealer lists can help; there is much variation here. How
> much
> did the dealer pay for it and the size, and quality all come to bear
> on
> the value placed on the shell. Was it from an uncommon locality or
> from a
> famous collection, is it an unusual form or color, etc, etc.
>
> I believe that Tom Rice generated his list by reviewing the lists of
> many
> dealers and then came up with ranges for the mollusks on his list.
> When I
> try to price a shell, I will look at the lists for several dealers
> (I keep
> about 15 bookmarked on my computer). Keep in mind that someone
> selling a
> shell from China or Australia that is local to where the shell was
> found
> may sell it for less than a dealer from Europe or North America and
> vice
> versa.
>
> There are many shells that never seem to appear on lists. Mostly
> these are
> very common specimens that would not generate much income for the
> seller
> or for which there may be little interest. The families Volutidae,
> Conidae, Cypraeidae, and Muricidae command higher prices that
> Veneridae or
> Sphaeriidae.
>
> In the end, it is what you feel that you can defend if you are
> audited by
> the IRS. Some folks that I know just put a price on the most unique
> and
> expensive specimens and price the rest at a nominal value such as
> $1-5/lot.
>
>
>> Great discussion.
>>
>> One area of the topic that still seems a bit unclear is how to
>> determine
>> "fair market value" of a shell collection.  Since thresholds of value
>> ($500,
>> $5,000, etc.) are important, is there a simple way to take this first
>> step?
>>
>> While internet auctions, lists, and mailed dealer lists will have
>> offers
>> for
>> some shells, there are many species that have not been recently
>> offered
>> for
>> sale.   How are these priced?  Yes, some species have dropped
>> dramatically
>> in value - but other species found in old collections (e.g. found
>> in areas
>> now protected or depleted) seem to be no longer available on the
>> market.
>> Is
>> there a fair way to price these?
>>
>> Tom Rice used to publish a guide to dealers prices asked for
>> shells.  It
>> had
>> many problems, but it was widely recognized among collectors and
>> dealers
>> as
>> a source of pricing information.  This is no longer being
>> produced.  Does
>> anyone know if another individual or group is planning to publish a
>> replacement for "Rice's prices"?
>>
>> If not, are there any other tools available for collectors and
>> heirs who
>> want to do a "self-appraisal" of a shell collection?
>>
>> Bill Fenzan
>> Norfolk, VA
>>
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>
>
> Regards,
> Charlie
> .................................................
> Charlie Sturm
> Research Associate - Section of Mollusks
> Carnegie Museum of Natural History
> Pittsburgh, PA, USA
>
> Assistant Professor - Family Medicine
> Fellow-American Academy of Family Practice
> Fellow-Academy of Wilderness Medicine
>
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