How to Get the Most Money for Your Fur Coat

There are plenty of convenient ways to offload a fur coat thanks to all the professional fur reselling, recycling, and donation services that are available online and off. But the value or salability of used fur depends a great deal on its quality, how well it’s been cared for and the type of skin. Your first step is to be honest with yourself as you assess its worth.

Key Takeaways

• First assess the worth of your coat, considering its quality, how well it has been cared for, and the type of skin.
• Get a professional appraisal if you plan to sell it directly. Fur resellers or consignment shops will insist on their own appraisals.
• Go through eBay or another consumer marketplace that puts controls in place to protect you if you’re considering selling a fur directly.
• Protections can include buyer ratings, clear return policies, and standards on who pays to ship.
• Consider a knowledgeable specialist reseller to find the right buyer instead of selling it yourself if you have a top-notch fur.

Assess Its Worth

The value or salability of used fur depends considerably on its quality, how well it has been cared for and, of course, the type of skin. Many owners have an unrealistic expectation of their used fur’s value. Depreciation kicks in and the value begins to diminish the moment you take a fur home, just as it does with virtually every other article of clothing, certain brand-name jewelry excepted.

Fur pelts also dry out over time so the longer a coat has been sitting in your closet, the less valuable it has potentially become. 

Obtaining an appraisal is highly recommended if you plan to sell the coat yourself. Determining the value of a garment requires an inspection by a fur appraiser to determine its current market value (CMV). Locate a professional furrier either in your local area or online.

They may even sell your coat for you if you can find one locally. Online fur consignment or reselling services will probably insist on performing their own appraisal, however.

Sell It Yourself

eBay offers a healthy secondary market for fur coats. It even offers a guide outlining everything you’ll have to know to successfully “eBay” your garment. This selling route takes time and commitment on the seller’s part, however.

First, identify all of your coat’s attributes: the type of fur, its brand, measurements, lining fabric, and any embroidery. Have a realistic idea of your coat’s current worth. How have other eBay sellers priced similar garments? Yours should price competitively to stand out from the fur crowd if you genuinely want to sell it.

Important

Good quality photos and plenty of them are a must.

You’ll also have the responsibility of packaging, insuring, and sending the garment when it sells even if you pass on shipping costs on to the buyer as many eBay sellers do.

Some furriers with Internet sites will even buy your fur from you directly if it’s in excellent condition.

Have Someone Else Sell It

Designer-oriented consignment and vintage clothing stores often deal in used or “estate” furs. Specialist fur resellers and consignment platforms are in abundance online, too. You’ll have to split the proceeds with them but they do take all of the hassles out of selling your garment.

Some will insist on a physical assessment of your coat before providing a listing price. Others like BuyMyFur will provide an estimate via email. Simply ship your fur to them if you’re happy with the quote and they’ll market and sell your garment on your behalf.

Another site with a unique approach is Cash For Fur Coats. They’re dedicated to recycling furs. They’ll pay “fair market value” in exchange for your used garment which they’ll craft into other creations such as teddy bears or pillows. An inspection is required by their professional furrier to determine a coat’s condition and to offer a price.

Be Charitable

You might consider donating your fur to assist in the rehabilitation of injured and/or orphaned animals across the U.S. if you’re in a position to be generous or want to give back to nature. Numerous charities exist that will help you do so. Born Free USA has accepted 2,594 fur items for donation with an estimated value of $5.4 million since its inception in 2014.

The annual fur drive initiative Coats for Cubs is run by the used clothing retailer Buffalo Exchange. You can simply drop off unwanted furs at any of its stores during a specified annual drive period, usually from January through April. Donated furs are sent to wildlife rehabilitation centers where they’re used as bedding, providing a more natural, nurturing environment for recovering creatures.

Donations are tax-deductible but Buffalo Exchange is unable to provide receipts so claiming a deduction over $500, the standard for noncash items, for the garment could be tricky. You could donate it to a local thrift store or charity if your coat is worth four figures. Just be sure to get a receipt and keep that appraisal handy as proof of your charitable contribution.

How Do I Know What My Fur Coat Is Worth?

The best way to find out how much your coat is worth is to have a professional furrier appraise it. Search the Internet for a furrier in your area and contact one or more to find out if they do appraisals and whether they charge for the service. Many do it for free.

Choose one for an evaluation of its condition and quality and to authenticate the type of fur it is. The appraiser should be able to give you paperwork on company letterhead with the coat’s value.

What’s the Best Way to Sell a Used Fur Coat?

Selling your used fur coat depends on several factors, including the coat’s age and condition, its quality and type of fur, and whether it’s made by a known designer. It’s a good idea to get the coat appraised by a professional furrier who can evaluate all of these factors and provide you with a certificate that states the current market value of the coat.

You then can list the coat on an online site at the right price with this information and some good-quality photos of the fur.

Another route is to take the coat to a consignment shop where they’ll likely want to do their own appraisal.

What’s an Ethical Way to Dispose of a Vintage Fur?

One way is to donate it to an animal shelter or wildlife rehabilitation center. Some of these organizations use fur coats to line crates or create comfortable bedding for wildlife that may have sustained an injury or animals that have no home. Check with your local animal shelter regarding its donation policies.

You might also contact an organization that repurposes furs into objects like teddy bears or pillows and other household decor, like Cash For Fur Coats.

The Bottom Line

There’s an Internet full of services ready to sell, recycle, or accept your fur for you whether you’re ready to upgrade to a more fashionable style, simply want more space in your closet, or no longer feel comfortable owning fur. Just remember that the longer you leave it in your closet, the more it will deteriorate in quality and depreciate. The sooner you act, the better.

Read the original article on Investopedia.