If you've sold your collection

[DaffyDilly]

Where did you start?

I am definitely keeping my armies, my G2s, my G4s (I still enjoy finding them in shops!) and my diva G3s. I'm sure I'll keep some G1 favourites and I'll probably end up keeping a few extra G3s along the way too, just not certain who these are yet for either gen. I think I may surprise myself.

I don't know where to begin!

[lovesbabysquirmy]

I kept my childhood herd and the ponies that my husband thrifted for me when I first moved to Canada to help me feel at home.  There are also a few gifts from various friends, but I'm not in a hurry to increase the herd numbers again. 

[Eskara1862]

I'm in the process of selling off a good chunk of my collection. Like LBS, I'm keeping my childhood herd and some special ones.

Pretty much, the biggest deciding factor for me on who to get rid of is price. I'm selling the ones that will bring in the most money first, especially since this time of year is when eBay prices are the highest. Once the numbers get down to something more manageable (or I pay off that credit card), I'll stop.

[LittleSpiffy]

I sold mine off in waves.

At one point (like, 10 years ago) I had 600+ ponies.  It was nuts!  I kept my childhood ponies and my favorites (wingers, MOCs, etc.)  I was moving, so watching my collection grow smaller while my bank account grew fatter was very exciting.

I ended up moving a large-size U-Haul of ponies (and it was HEAVY - the little buggers add up).  A year after I moved, I ended up selling everything buy my childhood ponies (and a few "childhood replacements")

Fast forward about 8 years - I'm now rebuilding my collection   On a casual basis, not a do-or-die eBay hunt.

Once you get started, it will get easier!

[hathorcat]

Its not something I have had to do (yet or I hope ever...but circumstances change). When I have read about it before, I think most people seem to have simply listed ponies by set (keep the off favourite along the way). And moved them on as methodically as possible. But it may actually come down to how you have them displayed? It may work best for you to dust over, brush down and list the 20 or so ponies you have on 1 shelf - sell them...move on to the next shelf and so on.

[Brightglowpony]

I've only sold a portion of my collection, but I started with the ones I was least attached to, and then waited for them to sell before I listed others.  The more I sold, the more I found it easier to let others go.

[achab1984]

Well I sold off my collection back in 2007. I cant really remember if there was a certain way that I did it. I only kept my childhood ponies and few other special ones. Over time I sold off the special ones but still had my childhood ones.

Flash forward to now. I have been selling ponies here and there. I am kind of down to the ponies that I really want to keep. So I don't think they will be going anywhere.

[Starfall]

I prefer completing sets gradually - so I would rarely consider buying a whole set in one go.

However my exception to this would be US exclusive ponies (I live in Australia). You may be able to offload the majority of your country's exclusive ponies in one hit to a seller overseas.

[DaffyDilly]

Thanks all.

When I sold the collection about 12 years ago I just shoved the whole lot into an eBay listing. Now I'd rather go for individuals and then any left over ponies go into lots, mostly to maximize what I earn. I'm just debating whether to clean them all and take nice photos of the sets before selling; that way I keep the memories but it'll take a very long time. They'll also sell for more clean and nicely photographed, I just don't have that much free time!

I've hit the stage where I'm assessing what I want to do next in life and whilst I'd happily keep my collection, they could also help to repay debt which is what I need to do so I can buy a house. I am well aware that I could buy them again in the future, and I have sold a few this year which I haven't actually missed.

[Vertefae]

When I sold my collection about 4 years ago, I did small groups on here and then singles of the harder to find ponies. I did sell my G3 Minty army in one lot. That was a huge group to divide up. I went from about 400 to 1. I only kept my Chief. I'm slowly rebuilding now. A few holidays, the boys, families and wingers. A smaller collection is so much easier for me to manage and enjoy.

[Mirnyj]

I wouldn't know where to start either. I'm too much of a pack rat, I'd rather just keep them all. 

[Artemesia's Garden]

I wouldn't know where to start either. I'm too much of a pack rat, I'd rather just keep them all. 

Same. I already agonised over my collection while I was building it up to keep the numbers as low as possible.  I have one large suitcase and one cabinet full.  I know I have doubles but most are where I have two that I can't choose between and would rather upgrade and get rid of both, or colour or pose variants like my Poseys and Bow Ties.  I also have a Grooming Parlour and a drawer full of accessories, a basket of G4s, a basket of G3s and a box of LPS    I have two carrier bags full of ponies for restoration and deflocking. Maybe I'm insane, but I know this is minor compared to a lot of people...

[Sunlight]

I've been here selling off my entire collection (600+ ponies plus tons of merchandise) for a couple of months...a lot comes down to how busy you want to be.  I already had everything packed in bins, so I just started photographing and listing them here a bin at a time.  Soon, I had hundreds up at once.  But, I was willing to be busy with it.  It meant constantly answering PM's, doing shipping quotes, and many, many trips to the post office (especially because I'm kind of neurotic and try do same or next day shipping).  So, my advice would be, only list as many as you are willing to deal with.  Even since coming back on here to sell, I have seen a couple other members who listed more than they could deal with, and they got pretty overwhelmed and fell behind.

As to what to list first, depends on your reasons for selling.  If you're selling for the money, list the most expensive ones first.  If you're simply downsizing, start with the ones you're least attached to.  Best of luck!

[Thunderwing]

I started with doubles. Got a China and a Hong Kong that look virtually the same? That counts as a double.

[cyberfluf]

I hope never to be in a position where I have to sell my ponies, and so far I haven't gotten the urge to sell them off for other reasons. They have been in storage bins for a while since we moved and I am slowly putting everything on display now. I do sell off my doubles and I don't collect the HK/china variants that look very similar. I do collect the french ponies, but if I have one of those that looks like the US version then I am not eager to find that one as well. I wouldn't pass one up for free or in a lot, just not looking for it ;-)