You can’t take it with you.

[willz]

This post is not meant to be morbid but whilst reading the post on “how do you control yourself post by Thuseld” and a conversion with my wife several years ago.  She asked if I passed away before her what was she to do with all my wargaming toys, (this wine tastes funny dear and why have you taken out an insurance policy on me).  Now I hadn’t thought about it, my Wife’s idea was to sell it all at a car boot sale for next to nothing as she says she does not understand the worth.  Horror what to do, so this is why I started to down size my collection, I mean 1400 20mm tanks far to many to game with in anything other than an aircraft hangar and then I don’t think I could muster enough gamers to push them around.

So for the past 6 – 7 years I have been selling my collection on, toy soldiers 54mm, 20mm WW2, 28mm Napoleonic, 28mm medieval and a whole host of other items.  Don’t get me wrong I am still buying wargaming items but sticking to fewer periods, 25mm Medieval, 18mm and 28mm 18th century, 20mm WW2 and board games.  So far I have sold about half of what I had sat up the loft, working on the premise if I have not gamed with it for over a year sell it.

As to what to do with my collection after I have gone to the great wargame room in the sky, do I nominate someone to sell the collection for my Wife but what happens if they pass on, do I nominate two or three?

My slightly irreverent idea is……

 I have taken photographs and made a journal of my collection that I will update monthly,  when I kick this mortal coil I will be placed on a wooden barge on the Tamar (local river inlet, leading out too sea) with all my wargaming collection and launched to sea.  Prior to this an announcement will be advertised in the wargaming press and web sites informing wargamers that my wargaming collection is to be launched to sea and anyone swimming out may have the items.  This will all be filmed by the local news of wargamers fighting for pride of place and trying to get a free wargaming army.

Not sure if the local authorities would allow this to go ahead, not least the number of fast food joints that would be overwhelmed by the influx of wargamers  .

Any other ideas are welcome.

[Ruarigh]

Heh, I like the idea of pushing it out to sea and letting the gamers fight over it.

I’ve been slowly downsizing by selling and giving away bits of my collection over the past years. I’m not playing much these days so I figure I should focus on what interests me most and get rid of the rest. I have also put a clause in my will about the disposal of my gaming stuff and books. That way it makes life easier for my executors. I’ve been involved in sorting too many estates over the past ten years, and I know what a pain it is when there are no specific instructions.

Of course, what I would really like is to be buried in a chambered tomb with my wargames armies arrayed around me like a miniature terracotta army. The walls of the tomb can be lined with my books. Books and games can be arranged in the centre of the tomb to form a stand on which my corpse will lie. The participants at my funeral will have to roll dice into the open grave at the end of the ceremony. It will be amazing and should make for a fantastic story for the archaeologists who dig me up in 1000 years’ time.

Never argue with an idiot. They'll only drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

https://roderickdale.co.uk/
https://emidsvikings.ac.uk/

[Sane Max]

My father realised the same thing when he was told to estimate the value of his rare books for Insurance purposes. He put a sticky in each book ‘bought for £x in 1975, should be of interest to (type of people)’ or ‘Patrick loves this book, please make sure he gets this’ (thank you father.)

it may have taken him forever, but as a collector I bet he had quite a lot of fun doing it – and it meant we made a sodding fortune at a Book Auction, rather than selling them for pennies to some shyster, and that I now have a first edition of ‘Falconer’s Dictionary of the Marine’ and a nice first edition ‘Eikon Basilike’ rather that the tenner we would have got otherwise.

I plan to do something similar – stage one, putting each army in a clearly labelled box – done. I still need to work out a way of estimating how much each box of figures are worth, which is daunting – But I will at least make sure my family know that these things ARE worth something and not to just car-boot them!

[Jim Jackaman]

My wife says she’s going to pile up all my books under my coffin in the church then tell everyone who turns up to help themselves, with what’s left going to charity.

Like the Tamar raft idea…

 

 

http://jimswargamesworkbench.blogspot.co.uk

[Tony Hughes]

Buried at sea with half my lead each at my head & feet, wound up in my gaming cloths.

 

 

[John D Salt]

There is a company called KitRescue here in the UK that was specifically set up to rescue the plastic stashes of deceased modellers. At some point I may grit my teeth and dispose of the mass of unbuilt Airfix kits in the garage that have gone through the last two house moves still in their boxes.

I am aware of no similar service for finished models.

All the best,

John.

[Norm S]

Having already thought about this question previously, I have already come to the surprising conclusion that I don’t care … after-all, I won’t be here. I also know that my family don’t care to be burdened by the problem, so I have told them to just get rid.

If money is a thing – then there are people who will buy up collections I have no issue with that because it is just re-cycling and at least that is a beneficial step up from things going into the refuse centre.

The question of value …. Hmmnnn, I wonder how much I have spent on coffee in the last 12 months and a myriad of other things that are in effect just dead money, but bring momentary pleasure, so is it just a mindset thing that we don’t see ‘possession’ in the same way. Better just to be grateful that life has provided me with an opportunity to own this stuff in the first place.

Of course, some of this may seem an arrogance, but I am determined not to allow my hobby to be tinged by ‘what if’ thoughts 🙂

 

[Deleted User]

Ruarigh wrote:

<p style=”font-size: 16px !important; line-height: 20px !important;”>
<p style=”font-size: 16px !important; line-height: 20px !important;”>Of course, what I would really like is to be buried in a chambered tomb with my wargames armies arrayed around me like a miniature terracotta army. The walls of the tomb can be lined with my books.

I like to think that’s what the Chinese emperor had in mind. Maybe he was a wargamer too.

Considering my 3mm minis were intended for a travel set, I will be taking them with me. I’d casually told a few people if I don’t return from my travel after 2-3 years, everything is to be burned. No one is good enough to play with my babies.

[willz]

Ruarigh wrote:

. Of course, what I would really like is to be buried in a chambered tomb with my wargames armies arrayed around me like a miniature terracotta army. The walls of the tomb can be lined with my books. Books and games can be arranged in the centre of the tomb to form a stand on which my corpse will lie. The participants at my funeral will have to roll dice into the open grave at the end of the ceremony. It will be amazing and should make for a fantastic story for the archaeologists who dig me up in 1000 years’ time.

Oh I like that idea, I have just informed the Wife and she is digging the chamber as I type,

[willz]

Sane Max wrote:

I plan to do something similar – stage one, putting each army in a clearly labelled box – done. I still need to work out a way of estimating how much each box of figures are worth, which is daunting – But I will at least make sure my family know that these things ARE worth something and not to just car-boot them!

Go on ebay this will give a reasonable idea of what items are worth painted or on painted, then look at what you paid for them and use a historical price calculator.  Add or subtract as you feel necessary  to achieve what you think the item is worth.

[willz]

Jim Jackaman wrote:

My wife says she’s going to pile up all my books under my coffin in the church then tell everyone who turns up to help themselves, with what’s left going to charity. Like the Tamar raft idea…

I like this one, wow the ideas are rolling in.

[Mike]

Norm S wrote:

Having already thought about this question previously, I have already come to the surprising conclusion that I don’t care … after-all, I won’t be here. I also know that my family don’t care to be burdened by the problem, so I have told them to just get rid.

Pretty much this.
As I will be dead I won’t care, so the family can do whatever they wish.

[willz]

Tony Hughes wrote:

Buried at sea with half my lead each at my head & feet, wound up in my gaming cloths.

Having spent 36 years in the Royal Navy do I fancy an eternity at sea, there again I am entitled to be buried at sea, hmmmmmm?

[willz]

Mike wrote:

Norm S wrote:

Having already thought about this question previously, I have already come to the surprising conclusion that I don’t care … after-all, I won’t be here. I also know that my family don’t care to be burdened by the problem, so I have told them to just get rid.

Pretty much this. As I will be dead I won’t care, so the family can do whatever they wish.

This is all conjecture as I am going to live for ever or die trying.

 

[McKinstry]

I’ve been downsizing but age still seems to be outpacing disposal.

The tree of Life is self pruning.

[Phil Dutré]

I guess it will happen naturally. Either I will die of old age, by which time most of the hobby stuff probably will have been lquidated or given away already; or I will die suddenly, and then there’s not much you can do about it. I guess my wife will then contact some of my wargaming friends to take care of it.

Contrary to what some belief, wargaming collections are not worth that much. Sure, you can sell a well-painted army to the gamer who was looking for something like that at that point in time, but most wargaming “collections” are really piles of junk that are worth something only to the original owner: lots of unpainted figures, assorted books & rules from many years ago, a bunch of homemade scenery. Sure, it is worth something to you because it’s useful in *your* games, but wargaming is a very personal hobby, and that means many items have been personalized not usable to others. Look at the “B&B” at any wargames show, and you have a good idea of the useful vs junk ratio.

I don’t think you should buy wargaming stuff in the hopes of every recovering that money back 😉

It’s much  more realistic to think about them as consumables.

[jeffers]

Here is a handy online guide for my family:

https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/household-waste

More nonsense on my blog: http://battle77.blogspot.com/

[Ruarigh]

Deleted User wrote:

I like to think that’s what the Chinese emperor had in mind. Maybe he was a wargamer too.

I wouldn’t be surprised if he was a wargamer, but preferred 1:1 scale over anything else.

Never argue with an idiot. They'll only drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

https://roderickdale.co.uk/
https://emidsvikings.ac.uk/

[Ruarigh]

willz wrote:

Oh I like that idea, I have just informed the Wife and she is digging the chamber as I type,

In 1000 years they will dig you up and wonder who you were. No doubt they will conclude that you were a wealthy king and war leader. Reinforce that impression by being buried in an SUV. 😀

Never argue with an idiot. They'll only drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

https://roderickdale.co.uk/
https://emidsvikings.ac.uk/

[Andrew Beasley]

With two kids interested in wargaming / roll playing I’m not convinced there will be an issue (unless it ends with a roll off with loaded dice for ownership).

Now excuse me while I get back to my odd tasting cup of tea…

[ian pillay]

My thoughts around this changed for me after the August bank holiday weekend. After I got home from hospital from having a TIA. It put things in to perspective for me. Started shedding a load of stuff that’s never going to get finished and I have started to educate my little lad on some of the rear ness of the collection that he will slowly inherit overtime.
My main aim is to finish off my ‘collect’ two armies for every period in One Hour Wargames and paint all my warmaster armies of which I have 8! Gulp!

Once I am gone I am gone, so I will not really care what happens to my collection but hopefully the little lad still enjoys them and appreciates that they are painted and there to play with.

 

Tally-Ho! Check out my blog at…..
http://steelcitywargaming.wordpress.com/

[MartinR]

I have designated some of my gaming pals to dispose of the stuff on my behalf and save my wife and kids the hassle  Given our advancing years we have already had to do this for a few people.

Yes, it is worth some money, but compared to the house, not so much. There is just so much of it….

"Mistakes in the initial deployment cannot be rectified" - Helmuth von Moltke

[Steve Johnson]

My wargaming chums are my age or older, with only one some tens years younger and they will be living in France by the time I pop my clogs. So no ‘youngesters’ to help dispose of my collection, assuming anyone would be interested in loads of 10mm figures. The books I’ve got are currently worth something which is nice. Frankly I’ll be be dead and don’t care what happens to my figures, books etc. I’m sure my family will have more important things to worry about than disposing of my ‘toys’ for sometime after I’m gone!

I am slowly downsizing my collection but Covid-19 has put the hold on that as I prefer to sell at local shows than online.

[Shaun Travers]

I am with Norm.  I don’t really care.  Some of my gaming friends know of my collection and my wife would happily let them take what they wanted.  But then only yesterday my 12 yo son said “Hey Dad, when you die can I take all your figures?”  i said “Sure.”  No idea what he is gong to do with them (and don’t care but at least it will be his problem and not mine!).  He is a computer gamer and has said to me a few times that miniature gamers are (and I quote) “the lowest of the lowest gamers.” The banter then starts from there 🙂

But he still wants those figures!

For boardgames, I had around 150 five years ago. I have already sold off or given away about 30 of them.  I plan to rid myself of about another 30 or so over the next 5 years then have a serious look at what I will actually play and get rid of the rest.

[Phil Dutré]

Over the past 10 years or so, I have also done away a large part of my boardgaming collection.

For each game, I ask: “Is there a significant chance I will ever play this game again in the next 10 years?” If the answer is no, and especially if the game has been sitting on my shelves for years unused, it goes.

“But what about all the good memories?” Sure, I keep a game or 2 that have some special emotional meaning. But if I want a fix of nostalgia, I go to boardgamegeek and look at some images. Much easier 😉

[willz]

All this leads me to ask the question why do we not have a national wargaming / hobby / modelling museum, we have national football museums, car museums , wool museums and even a national bag pipe museum but none as far as I am aware for our hobby or related hobby’s.  We could donate our collections to the museum.

I wonder why are we embarrassed or a bit self centred or can’t be bothered, we are a large minority niche group could we ask for lottery funding to set up a museum.  Though I foresee some problems not least what edition of wargame rules would be displayed or what would be classed as the most popular scales.

Any ideas welcome.

 

[Deleted User]

“All this leads me to ask the question why do we not have a national wargaming / hobby / modelling museum, we have national football museums, car museums , wool museums and even a national bag pipe museum but none as far as I am aware for our hobby or related hobby’s. We could donate our collections to the museum.”

The British Library collects every kind of books, from news paper to manga and comics. I wonder if they also keep wargame rules.

[Thuseld]

This has become very relevant to me as my dad passed on 6 weeks ago and has left a sizable collection of model railway paraphernalia. We have what looks like tens of thousands of pounds worth of engines and train stuff that needs a new home. Luckily there are organisations in the model rail world that help with this.

As for mine, I am not sure. My dad’s old wargaming stuff is in my garage. We played with it all as boys and largely ended up ruining most of his old Airfix 1/72 models. I hope to pass mine onto my children as time goes on, or have a club that I can donate it all to should my time come. But who wants 6mm sci fi skirmishing miniatures made from deodorant bottles?

Experiments here: http://inexperiencedmodelmaker.blogspot.co.uk/

Tranquil Stars updates: https://tranquilstars.wordpress.com

[willz]

Thuseld wrote:

This has become very relevant to me as my dad passed on 6 weeks ago and has left a sizable collection of model railway paraphernalia. We have what looks like tens of thousands of pounds worth of engines and train stuff that needs a new home. Luckily there are organisations in the model rail world that help with this. As for mine, I am not sure. My dad’s old wargaming stuff is in my garage. We played with it all as boys and largely ended up ruining most of his old Airfix 1/72 models. I hope to pass mine onto my children as time goes on, or have a club that I can donate it all to should my time come. But who wants 6mm sci fi skirmishing miniatures made from deodorant bottles?

My condolences Thuseld for your recent loss, my Dad passed away over 10 years ago and I still miss him.  He organised a subscription  to Military Modelling for me when I was 13, as we lived in Cyprus at the time it was not the easiest thing to arrange.  He also bought me my first Funken uniform books and encouraged me with wargaming and military modelling.  So thanks to him I developed a love for this hobby.

[willz]

Deleted User wrote:

.” The British Library collects every kind of books, from news paper to manga and comics. I wonder if they also keep wargame rules.

Looked on the British Museum web site entered wargaming nothing, toy soldiers got these.  Slim pickings.

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/search?keyword=toy&keyword=soldiers

[willz]

Better luck V and A.

https://collections.vam.ac.uk/search/?q=toy+soldiers&offset=0

[Jim Jackaman]

As a former archaeologist it would be very strange to dig up a burial surrounded by thousands of tiny metal people.

I’m sure it would be interpreted as of mysterious ritual significance 😂

http://jimswargamesworkbench.blogspot.co.uk

[willz]

We could aspire to this museum.

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=forbes+museum+of+tangier&qpvt=forbes+museum+of+tangier&form=IGRE&first=1&scenario=ImageBasicHover

[willz]

This link is form one of the chaps over on the “Fife and Drum forum”  in response to me asking about what to do with your collections and I thought we had a niche hobby.

[hammurabi70]

I first met this topic about 20 years ago when there was an article in one of the magazines covering this.  It made the important point of being active by stipulating in Your Will so Executors had some idea of what to do and advising your family so they had some concept of value and what to do.  In my experience wargaming friends from the deceased’s club normally deals with disposing of it in the formal or informal market.

While some might feel it would not be there problem and do not care I feel we owe to the family to make some provision to help them; I shall aim at some point to thin out my stock.

www.olivercromwell.org; www.battlefieldstrust.com
6mm wargames group: [email protected]; 2mm wargames group: [email protected]

[Steve Johnson]

Most of my wargaming chums don’t belong to clubs anymore, so sadly that’s not an option for us in our family disposing of our assets as it were.

[Geof Downton]

Jim Jackaman wrote:

I’m sure it would be interpreted as of mysterious ritual significance

…but surely that’s exactly what it would be?

One who puts on his armour should not boast like one who takes it off.
Ahab, King of Israel; 1 Kings 20:11

[Ruarigh]

hammurabi70 wrote:

While some might feel it would not be there problem and do not care I feel we owe to the family to make some provision to help them;

Absolutely this. Make life easier for those left behind. It’s hard enough losing someone you love without having to worry about what to do with their stuff on top of that.

Never argue with an idiot. They'll only drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

https://roderickdale.co.uk/
https://emidsvikings.ac.uk/

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