[brian1961]

You never, EVER, trade down on your crown jewel card. Afterwards, when you look at what you got in return, regardless of the cash left over after taxes, you would feel the most intense seller's / trader's remorse and regret the day you agreed to the deal.

In this day and age, or in the next few years, should you decide to replace that now-gone crown jewel with one that is very close to it in eye appeal and condition, you will spend a lot of time and effort to only find it cannot be done. You'll just feel all the more worse about your decision.

When ya get a card you consider to be a crown jewel, the time to part with it is when you're ready to call it quits and retire from collecting, and generate funds for your demise and your surviving family. Hate to say it; sell it while it's still very desirable and the price at least near its high. Sounds like a stock---but you better believe you must break off the emotional attachment you've enjoyed with the card to psychologically feel released to say goodbye to it.

These are decisions we ALL have to face one way or another. Ask God for wisdom as to what to do. --- Brian Powell