The Inheritor's Guide to Valuing What You Received

Inheriting a collection is equal parts gift and puzzle. You may face shelves of glass, boxes of records, or a garage of tools with no idea what is treasure and what is clutter. The worst mistakes, throwing out value or selling cheap in haste, are easy to avoid with a patient, methodical first pass.

Slow Down and Document First

Before anything leaves the house, photograph and inventory everything. Resist the urge to clean, polish, or refinish, because original surface and patina often carry the value, and well-meaning cleaning can destroy it overnight.

• Photograph each item, including any marks, labels, and damage.
• Keep groups and sets together; separating them can lower value.
• Set aside any paperwork, receipts, or photos that establish provenance.

Identify and Research by Category

Sort the collection into categories and tackle them one at a time, since each has its own tells and references. Hunt for maker's marks, signatures, edition numbers, and labels, then search those details alongside sold comps to build a realistic value range rather than an emotional one.

• Group by category: furniture, ceramics, vinyl, toys, jewelry, and so on.
• Record marks and search them with completed sold listings.
• Build a range from several comps, not a single hopeful price.

Know When to Bring in a Professional

For anything that might be genuinely valuable, or for figures you need for insurance, estate, or tax purposes, get a written appraisal from an accredited specialist in that category. A professional protects you from both underselling a hidden gem and overinsuring a common piece, and gives you a defensible record.