Lobby Card Sets - Keep together or Break-up?

[originalfilmart]

I've seen them sold both ways but wondering if there is a "best practices" procedure for selling Lobby Cards? I would think keeping sets of 8 together, from a collecting standpoint, would be best.  However, from a sales perspective, lumping sets together might be tougher to sell. 

Any thoughts? I've seen them sold both ways but interested in opinions.  Thanks and sorry if I missed this topic in my search.

[Simes]

Very loosely, I would say the modern cards can only be sold mint and in sets.  And by modern, I would say from the 70's onwards.  There are just too many sets available and so trying to sell one solitary card would defeat the object of making a sale.

60's and back, it might go the other way where odd ones are sought to complete a set, or have as a key card for framing and displaying.

[timelessmoviemagic]

Very loosely, I would say the modern cards can only be sold mint and in sets.  And by modern, I would say from the 70's onwards.  There are just too many sets available and so trying to sell one solitary card would defeat the object of making a sale.

60's and back, it might go the other way where odd ones are sought to complete a set, or have as a key card for framing and displaying.

I agree with this, any sets I get from the 70's onwards I tend to sell as one. Unless they are great titles.

[originalfilmart]

I agree with this, any sets I get from the 70's onwards I tend to sell as one. Unless they are great titles.

Thank you both.

[jayn_j]

Can only speak for myself.

I much prefer to collect entire sets. I believe I get a better bargain by buying a set, and I've been known to overpay for individual cards to fill a set.  I have found that when the cards are broken up, you tend to see more bidding action on the individual cards. Someone may be priced out on a $200 LCS, but is willing to jump in at $50 for an individual card, sometimes even for a dead card if the movie is iconic.

For example, Bruce sold a broken up set of Alice in Wonderland first release cards on Dec 6, 2015.  The individual cards went for $89, 91, 146, 68, 163, 174, 128 and 48 for a total of $907.  I would guess that the unbroken set would have gone for about half that, not over $500.

[Simes]

And that Alice example would tend to substantiate the 'pre 70's' argument.

[Rideauwrangler]

I've been on the fence about splitting up sets myself but have chosen to keep them together.  I personally will always look for sets before buying individual cards or partial-sets.

[jayn_j]

And that Alice example would tend to substantiate the 'pre 70's' argument.

Hmmm, I let this one go awhile.

One of the factors is that lobby cards died out as a regular product somewhere in the late 80s.  Yes, you can find cards for a few titles, but they are almost always English FoH or other European stock.  I actually see a lot of 70's and 80's stuff come up in Bruce's partial set auctions.

My particular interest these days is Classic Musicals.  The sets for stuff from the golden age was broken up years ago, and it is very difficult to find a complete set for Easter Parade, Singin In the Rain, etc.  The only realistic choice is to continue building from singles and try to make a set.  I will say that when I sell off, I will have more complete sets available than I have been finding.

[Simes]

Sorry, maybe I wasn't completely clear.

Yes, I too collect entire sets.  Individual cards to my nature are messy; the inner completist freak in me would never let it go.

All I was saying was, only for those who collect complete sets, post 70's, the cards are more likely to be found as a complete sets, and pre 60's, to make a full set, one is more likely to have to find, card by card.

Selling pre 60's individual cards is more likely to elicit higher profit.  Attempting to sell post 70's cards is likely to fail as complete sets are more readily available.

Yes, I am sure there is a market for single cards but I don't know about this.