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?
For some reason, they all seem to be located in New England/New York.
Keep in mind that dealers resell to collectors for a profit, so if you want maximum value and have the time, the stamp show circuit where you can sell directly to collectors work the best.
The problem with collectors is that, while they will pay more, they will also cherry pick and often devalue sets by taking what isn't common and leaving what is.
I think Mystic or Linn's even publishes a catalog which will give you a guide to value. It isn't expensive if you Google or Bing them.
Yes... I have panels 1 through 727 in that collection. That’s 1972 through about 2005.
I may have misunderstood your question. The big collection is American Commemorative Stamps. Its a deal where he bought stamps each month when they were released.
Thanks for the info. Another freeper mailed me info about mystic and I just left them a message. Yeah... there aren’t many stamp dealers here in OKC. Mostly gun dealers :)
The modern self-adhesive stamps are uncollectable as far as I’m concerned, which simplifies the hobby quite a bit. The older gum-type stamps are fun to soak off the envelope (if you collect canceled stamps as I did).
More and more philatelists are coming out of the closet, no longer ashamed.
The U.S. Postal Service also re-issued some panes of non-inverted Jennys.
They re-issued very few of the non-upside down Jennys.....
they are worth a lot per pane....as much as $45,000.
I think these non-inverted Jenny re-issues were sent at random to lucky buyers who purchased the inverted Jenny re-issue along with a “Congratulations” note.
I’m noticing that!
It was a compulsion with me for quite some time. I would practice philately right in front of my wife.
I don't know if anybody has every come up with a good model to predict. In a previous life, I dealt with some people who did a great business with art. They had a top notch gallery in London at a great address. The art market crashed and the bank foreclosed on their property. These guys then negotiated a lease with the same bank which was about 40% of their payment and, when the art market started to return a few years later, bought back the property for less than their lost equity.
The reason these type of deals work is because those in the banking and real estate business don't know the art market. Their entire perspective consists of turning income consuming properties into income producing properties within a matter of days, weeks, or, at worst, months.
I'd be very wary of the clowns who tell you the stamps are worth more being used for postage. That might even be true today, but it won't forever.
LOL.... Even Mrs Kjam22 thought that was funny. She said funny in a weird sort of way :)
I tried to get her to participate but she wouldn’t.
Thanks!
My good friend had an extensive stamp collection. It was sold by the weight. And not much
He ruefully said, I should have collected coins.
I've kept a few of the high denomination kind ($2 and more) from friends and family to whom I have sent packages. I've just asked them to cut off the whole square around them and include in the next letter of package heading my way.
I inherited my dad’s collection years ago and have done nothing. I know there is a computer program that you can buy and it has stamp values and you can put your stamps into your program to get thier worth...i assume that would be retail worth.
I have not decided whether to do anything with it. Since I am on fixed income maybe save it cause my dad spent a lot of time putting it together there is a whole slew of first day covers and United Nations issues.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
Freegards
LEX
ps...probably best not to sell it to a gun collector there in OKC he might do a great stamp robbery..ha ha..
Good luck
You can donate the collection and get a tax deduction;
or, you can sell the better items on ebay,
and then donate the rest.
I am in the business and more than happy to help you. Can walk you through the process of selling. Will have some relevant questions which will speed the process along. Do not sell ANYTHING to an appraiser. A dealer will take a look and make an offer. An appraiser will tell you what it is worth. Some very cute appraisers will give you an estimate and the phone numbers of so called reputable dealers. Then the dealers make an offer: one a low ball, another one that fits right into the appraised amount. Only this is the appraised amount is BS and you have been scammed.
I have seen so much nonsense in this business. There are very good dealers and appraisers out there. Finding one is hard.
But keep in mind the stamp industry has taken a huge dive in value over the years. Unless they are very early US stamps, are well centered etc. They are not worth much.
Check for Chinese material. Much if that material brings huge money. Feel free to contact me.
“I would practice philately right in front of my wife.”
Oooo....kinky!
Right before my Dad died in 1979, he sent his entire collection out for auction to Apfelbaum, Inc (http://www.apfelbauminc.com/).
He was a big collector. As far we know, he didn’t inventory it before hand, just put it on a pallet and shipped it. He frequently sent high value packages to various collectors and dealers and I (as a kid) asked how he could trust them. He said that if there was any kind of problem, word would get out and they would be unable to conduct any more business.
I see Apfelbaum is still in business.
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