Posted on 01/30/2015 9:47:40 AM PST by kjam22
I've inherited this good size stamp collection, and I'm trying to figure out what its worth and how to sell it without getting taken to the cleaners.
Do any freepers have any experience with this sort of stuff?
I would take it to a dealer and ask how much I should insure it for. It may cost you a few bucks, but you’ll get a more honest answer than if the dealer is looking to buy it.
An good and Honest dealer will not charge!! Do some research online first.
That’s a good idea. Everyone I talk to wants to give me a free appraisal.... and an offer to buy it.
I’m not a philatelist, more of a coin collector. As well as love other old things like cars.
1 thing to know - never assume things are worthless, OR valuable just because they are old. Some will give you nothing, others will buy glibly at exhorbitant dollars. Of course you eant that latter, but as a buyer don’t accept that something should be very expensive because it is old.
Are you familiar with the American Commemorative Collection?
Unfortunately, they will lowball the number because they want to buy it at a discount and resell it at a profit. I would rather pay for his services for insurance purposes than if he thinks he is going to buy it.
When my grandmother died she left behind a stamp collection album that someone else had left to her. We took it to a stamp collector and he said the stamps were not all that valuable and he gave them back to us.
But then he offered us $2500 for the album because it was so rare!
Didn’t see that one coming! (-:
It’s worth plenty if you decide to take up stamp collecting yourself.
Sorry am not.
I have a complete collection of the USSR back to 196ô. I need to sell it one of these days. My son has no interest so giving it to him is not useful.
The hard part for something like this is figuring out if you want to sell fast or get max value. Selling fast means selling to a dealer, the dealer will be selling to collectors for max value, since he needs to make a profit he’ll pay you around 1/2 max value tops. Getting max value means selling to collectors, which involves a lot of time and leg work and probably going to shows, and could become a hobby in its own right. I’m lazy on inherited collections, I want one sale, take the cash, and move on with my life.
I have a complete collection of the USSR back to 1968. I need to sell it one of these days. My son has no interest so giving it to him is not useful.
“They aren’t worth that much.”
How do you know?
I’m probably not cut out for stamp collecting. Nothing wrong with it... just not my thing.
I recently was given a stamp collection as well. The stamps dated from 1845 to 1938. I had a stamp dealer appraise my collection too. I also bought a used set of Scott Catalogs on Ebay which allowed me to learn more about my stamps.
Good idea.
It's all worth LESS than the face value. Why? Because "ain't nobody got time" to lick 'em and use them... And there isn't enough SPACE on an envelope for the quantity needed to mail a letter.
So, it's a dust collector.
OR...
Now that you are a philatelist... do you want to BUY them?
LOL
No thanks... I inherited a few collections. One of them has 727 pages in it. (multiple books)
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