What will happen to my collection?

@mg-harv Well stated Harv.

Well, I will move on as I always have. I may, and probably sell a portion of my collection next year, not because I am worried about the future and what happens to it when I'm gone. No, it will be because I have lost interest in that part of the collection, such as 1:24 and/or 1:18. I have had conversations with my sons, and while they have interests in portions of it, as a whole, they don't seem as interested. Since I didn't acquire this for monetary gain, I won't sell it until I am ready, if ever. My sons assure me that they won't let it go for junk or in the trash and that they will handle the sale of anything they don't want when the time comes. So, for now I won't worry about it, and I will enjoy my collection as I do now.

Thank you John K and all responders,

Very valuable and informative. Thank you all for posting.

@mg-harv As you said priorities change as we get older. I started planning my retirement 10 years ago to move out of state but the possibility to move out of the country was also on the table.  My collection was not part of my plans to keep and becoming a burden.  I sold it with no regrets and of course at far below value.

This year, I made the decision to buy just a few models and I am just as happy. I have a smaller house more adapted to my senior living, my wife is gone, I am still healthy at 69yo and my life priorities are just different. 

I've made arrangement with a museum to take my collection with the exception of the Jaguars/Daimlers/Land Rovers to go to my former employer's corporate headquarters to display as a show of the full corporate vehicle history 1930 to ??    My fiduciary has detailed instructions on how this will occur but you can not ensure it happens exactly as you wish when you are gone.  I want no valuation applied as it would only increase net estate for death tax purposes and ultimately be a wash tax wise.  And yes,  there is a full comprehensive Excel spread sheet inventory with considerable detail.

I might be a bit different type of collector than some here.  Some of you have said that you've changed as time when on and that after awhile your collection of models weren't as important anymore.  And you've sold them.  To each their own I guess, as the saying goes.  But that is not me. 

I began loving cars when I was about 5 years old, and as a kid I was excited when I'd get a 1:25 scale model kit or promotional model.  Through think and thin, I took care of them as a young kid, as they got me through many rough times in my young life as I was bounced around to several foster homes.  When I turned 20 years, while still living at home with my dad, we had a house fire and all my models were melted in the fire. 

Of all the many things that were lost in the fire, furniture, clothes, etc., nothing was harder for me to except losing than those models.  In 1989 I found 1:24 scale diecast and after buying the first one, I was hooked.  I set guidelines for what cars and years I'd buy, and I've never looked back. 

I never bought a single model that I thought I'd sell or could sell for a profit later.  That is just not in my DNA.  But as stated throughout this thread on the Forum, the models are mine until I pass away.  When that happens, I've no concerns that my collection should be sold or that my family even keeps it.  

What will happen to my collection? Short answer - I ain't bothered!

Whilst we are still here on Earth we can do whatever we like with our collection. Whether we keep it intact, sell a proportion or sell the lot this is down to us.

For me donating to a museum - no chance. Why because in the UK there aren't any that would take my collection. I don't have high value C19th German tinplate. Fact is museums in the UK are decreasing and many have closed before Covid. The recently opened new look Nottingham Castle Museum had to close despite having a £33 million refit though lack of visitors!

On a personal level I wouldn't put my collection on a hosting site. Why? Just look at Forum 43 all that knowledge lost when the changeover to a new site. Plus I lost five years worth of data when the site I was using to record miles walked also changed to a new system. All disappeared into a Cloud! Never to be seen again. For the latter I also recorded in a personal journal.

Anyway whatever you decide have fun now.

As Annie Dillard said: "We are here on the planet only once, and might as well get a feel for the place.”

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

If I can’t tak’em with me I ain’t goin’🤨 🤨