recommendations for giving away post-Unity issues?

[brettculp]

I need to consolidate my comic book collection for space. I have a few short boxes with duplicate copies of post-Unity VH1 books. Nothing with any real monetary value - I don't think it's worth trying to sell them.

Any recommendations for giving them away? I suspect my LCS wouldn't want them. And I don't think the library or Goodwill accepts comics in bags/boards.

Thoughts?

[IMJ]

Just take your longboxes and bring them to your LCS and take whatever they give you. A common LCS longbox buy is 20 - 25 bucks. Take in store credit so that you see a little more out of it and then buy the best key you can with the credit.

I mean that's the best way to get value out of common back issues when you are done run building. Unfortunate truth. Not ever comic turns a profit and most comics don't work well as silver or bonds.

[brettculp]

Just take your longboxes and bring them to your LCS and take whatever they give you. A common LCS longbox buy is 20 - 25 bucks. Take in store credit so that you see a little more out of it and then buy the best key you can with the credit.

I mean that's the best way to get value out of common back issues when you are done run building. Unfortunate truth. Not ever comic turns a profit and most comics don't work well as silver or bonds.

Thanks, IMJ. I may give that a shot!

[greg]

Someone on another site mentioned donating comic books to charity, estimating their value at $2 each, and getting something like $0.65 each in tax credit.
In the case of post-Unity Valiant books, the original cover price was $2.25 or $2.50, so I don't think the IRS would get too upset if you estimate the value at $2 each... but that's a risk I haven't tried yet.

[brettculp]

Someone on another site mentioned donating comic books to charity, estimating their value at $2 each, and getting something like $0.65 each in tax credit.
In the case of post-Unity Valiant books, the original cover price was $2.25 or $2.50, so I don't think the IRS would get too upset if you estimate the value at $2 each... but that's a risk I haven't tried yet.

Excellent thought, Greg. I will look into this!

[kjjohanson]

You might be able to sell some if you price them cheap ($1 a book would be worth more than the .65 tax credit) and put a list on the Facebook Valiant Buy/Sell page.

[brettculp]

You might be able to sell some if you price them cheap ($1 a book would be worth more than the .65 tax credit) and put a list on the Facebook Valiant Buy/Sell page.

Thanks for the idea, kjjohanson!

[IMJ]

You might be able to sell some if you price them cheap ($1 a book would be worth more than the .65 tax credit) and put a list on the Facebook Valiant Buy/Sell page.

Just to build on this idea, if you do it maybe you can ask for friends and family payments to help with the fees. That way you'll actually capture a buck-a-book.....

And then anything that isn't picked can go into a longbox for your store credit trade at an LCS, or your tax-deduction donation.

[ckb]

So I am not a tax pro but deducting donated property on your taxes is no longer the automatic thing it used to be. I think you have to itemize, and the number of people who have some benefit in doing that has never been smaller. The explosion in "free stuff" groups all over the country is not an accident. Anyway, please check into it before you think you will get some benefit from a donation.

[caxiotis]

So I am not a tax pro but deducting donated property on your taxes is no longer the automatic thing it used to be. I think you have to itemize, and the number of people who have some benefit in doing that has never been smaller. The explosion in "free stuff" groups all over the country is not an accident. Anyway, please check into it before you think you will get some benefit from a donation.

I am a CPA and this type of donation of property would need to be itemized. With the new Trump taxes he increased the standard deduction so much that, from a federal tax perspective, the average American will no longer itemize because they get a bigger return using the standard deduction. You might be able to itemize them on your state return depending on the state you live in.

Also, if you take more than a $500 donation for donating property you are at a higher risk of audit as the government asks for more evidence of what you donated. A lot of people have tried to take advantage of this and the gov’t looks at this line if it is big number. I personally donate a lot of stuff and never go above $500 if the value is squishy.

Just my

[nycjadie]

So I am not a tax pro but deducting donated property on your taxes is no longer the automatic thing it used to be. I think you have to itemize, and the number of people who have some benefit in doing that has never been smaller. The explosion in "free stuff" groups all over the country is not an accident. Anyway, please check into it before you think you will get some benefit from a donation.

I am a CPA and this type of donation of property would need to be itemized. With the new Trump taxes he increased the standard deduction so much that, from a federal tax perspective, the average American will no longer itemize because they get a bigger return using the standard deduction. You might be able to itemize them on your state return depending on the state you live in.

Also, if you take more than a $500 donation for donating property you are at a higher risk of audit as the government asks for more evidence of what you donated. A lot of people have tried to take advantage of this and the gov’t looks at this line if it is big number. I personally donate a lot of stuff and never go above $500 if the value is squishy.

Just my

This.

I used to give cheap books to a children’s hospital, but they started turning me away, like most other places. It’s just not stuff kids want. Most people don’t. I sell that crap at $20 a short box because that is easier than giving it away.

[IMJ]

So I am not a tax pro but deducting donated property on your taxes is no longer the automatic thing it used to be. I think you have to itemize, and the number of people who have some benefit in doing that has never been smaller. The explosion in "free stuff" groups all over the country is not an accident. Anyway, please check into it before you think you will get some benefit from a donation.

I am a CPA and this type of donation of property would need to be itemized. With the new Trump taxes he increased the standard deduction so much that, from a federal tax perspective, the average American will no longer itemize because they get a bigger return using the standard deduction. You might be able to itemize them on your state return depending on the state you live in.

Also, if you take more than a $500 donation for donating property you are at a higher risk of audit as the government asks for more evidence of what you donated. A lot of people have tried to take advantage of this and the gov’t looks at this line if it is big number. I personally donate a lot of stuff and never go above $500 if the value is squishy.

Just my

This.

I used to give cheap books to a children’s hospital, but they started turning me away, like most other places. It’s just not stuff kids want. Most people don’t. I sell that crap at $20 a short box because that is easier than giving it away.

That was where I was going with my recommendation as well, although 20 bucks a short box is pretty good man. Most LCS will do 15 to 20 a long box! Unless you are talking direct sales to someone..... But still that's pretty good.

The dark truth about comic books "investing".

I've been spending a lot of time across this last year going through my boxes, making sure everything is bagged and boarded properly, accounted for in my inventory, checking for outilers on grade (both high and low). It's been fun, but I can't help but think that I'm also doing this as part of a long-term letting go project.

[brettculp]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Lots to consider!