| The easiest way would be to hold an auction or massive garage sale (be | prepared for people to stand around with their hands in their pockets | and expecting to get items for pennies on the dollar.)
Things are worth only what people will pay for them. In many cases, people will only pay pennies on the dollar.
| Make sure that it's held in the early fall
Of course, this is only an option if it's early fall now, or you want to hang onto this stuff for a while. Ultimately, I doubt the time of year matters much.
| and every club in the area is informed.
Absolutely.
| You'll probably make more money from the coffee service.
No way, unless he has junk. The local glow club has had auctions for the R/C parts of their late member's estates, and generally each one brings in several thousand dollars. (Granted, it's been estates with like 10+ planes, lots of radios, kits, etc ...)
| Alternative would be to put items up for sale on eBay (same | warning....)
Ebay will probably get you the most money for anything that's easy to ship. New in box kits go for a lot on Ebay -- often for more than they cost new if they're something old and not available now. But if he's started the kit, the value goes way down.
Completed airplanes are much harder to sell on Ebay, unless they're something special. Damaged airplanes rarely go for much of anything.
Just having a normal garage sale will get you the least amount of money.
There are advertisements in the back of the AMA magazine about people who will buy entire R/C estates. I'm guessing they'll only pay pennies on the dollar and will then resell on Ebay and such, but if you just want it gone and not thrown in the trash that might be the best option. | I'm going to assume that you're in the US or Canada. In which case, I | would contact the appropriate AMA vice-president or MAAC zone director | and donate the whole item to the respective organization in return for | a tax receipt.
Does the AMA really take large donations of R/C gear like this?
| If not, they would certaily help you to organize an auction or | garage sale.
I don't know if the AMA would, but the local clubs might, especially if he was an active member of the club.