Where do I even start?!? Selling Daddy's HO Scale collection...

Do you know of any model RR clubs in your area? You could donate the collection to them, and let them do all the work. A larger group should have some knowlegable modelers who could give you a good idea of the value of the collection. The donation could be considered a tax deductable contribution. The key is to be sure that they are a registered not-for-profit organization, and they should provide you with the proper documentation for the tax people - maybe BigRusty can comment on that as well.

I volunteer with the Modelers Group at the Boothbay Railway Village in Maine. We have accepted a number of donations over the years that we use to fund the new layout we are building. I am not pushing or offering our group’s services; just letting you know about another alternative.