Posted on 11/15/2024 6:15:27 AM PST by fwdude
I have inherited my late grandpop's stamp collection from my late mother's estate. We're talking about 8 banker's boxes of tightly packed volumes.
His son, my uncle, had previously taken them to a stamp appraiser but was told that the stamps were not mounted or handled correctly, and therefore have no marketable monetary or collector value beyond their face value. This was about 20 years ago, so I don't know if the landscape has changed since then.
Can anyone in the know direct me to an authority or resource for determining the best move to make on these? I'd don't want to throw away value unnecessarily, but I don't want to waste time either.
You could try eBay. My impression is that amateur collections typically are not going for much. Stamp collecting as a hobby is not what it once was.
This might not apply to you, as I am certainly no expert. But…
I recall reading a story about a guy who tried to buy every stamp issued by the US Post Office, starting when his daughter was born. His idea was to sell the collection to pay for her college education.
It turned out that absent a rarity such as a misprint, the collection was worth little more than face value. So I guess stamps are worth collecting for their beauty only - and some of them really are miniature works of art.
I took my dad’s pristine sorted mounted million stamp collection to a dealer. They wouldn’t take it for free. It went in the dumpster.
There is no demand.
I would suggest taking photos of the contents of sample boxes and sending them to dealers or auction houses and just ask if they’d like to see the collection.
Note: this can be very tricky to value. For example, Scott #610 is the 2 cent Harding stamp. A normal used copy is worth about a penny because it was so common. However, when the flat press plate cracked, they cut out the crack and heated the remaining part of the plate and put it on the drum of a rotary press. Because rotary presses “stretch” the paper as they print, the 613 is 1/4mm taller than its flat press version. Because the rotary version was only in use for a very short time, a used copy of the 613 is valued at about $40,000. Noticing such differences is called “fly specking”. Further details on 613 at:
Ebay’s a great idea. I lived in Japan for a few years and collected Japanese stamps just for fun because they were so different. Got back home, decided to weed through my stuff and unload and ebay’ed those stamps. They were nothing special but in decent shape. Certainly not “collectable”. About 250 of them, ended up with $100.
There’s always someone on ebay looking for what you have. If you can get some pocket change for it, good deal!
I’m speaking out of ignorance here, but I find it hard to believe that all stamps that are 75 years or older have zero added value. I’m also making a presumption about their age, but still. If there are other collectors out there trying to add to their collection, then there must be at least some stamps in the collection that people would pay for.
it’s called philatelist.
sounds dirty
Can't even give them away.
Anyone interested?
They are pretty pieces of paper..............
I’ve been a collector of tramp stamps but I’ve forgotten which is which. /s
I have gotten letters in the mail (usually from collector-dealers) that stamped their letters with uncancelled old stamps from 30s-40s-and 50s. Seemed like such a waist.
I'd advise getting a 2nd opinion, but if you get another opinion that also says they have no monetary value, then either keep them to remember and honor your grandpop, or trash them.
Try the American Philatelic Society. They may want you to become a member, but they do offer some resources.
I started collecting first day covers decades ago until I discovered there was very little market for them. They look nice although the stamps are postmarked.
These are collections from the early 20th Century, and many from Old Europe. Grandfather emigrated from Bavaria to the U.S.
If they are unmounted, it will be tough to get any kind of value out of them. Why not just go through them with a price guide and see if you have any good ones?
I had a relative who was a member for years. He had a stamp collection worth big bucks. When he died, it went to auction sold for not as much as was hoped but nothing to sneeze at either. Im sure it was properly archived so there may be some help with that.
Thanks for the referral. I’ll give it a try.
Too bad he wasn’t a civil war weapon collector, now that stuff pays.
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