Any stamp collectors?

[blackriver]

I received a large stamp collection in exchange for a debt owed. Anyone out there collect stamps? I am curious as to how they are valued. Most of the stamps are packaged with a “Scott #” on them. If I look these up online is the value represented accurate? I have heard that the stamp values have gone down in the past years. If I look up every stamp, I’m guessing it will take me 25 years to finish. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

When my dad was a kid, he collected them. When I was a kid, I collected them. My mother-in-law collected them. I've got several albums full in a medium-sized carboard box in storage. No one seems to be interested in them any more. You are correct that the value has declined. For awhile I would have given them away for free to a responsible interested party, but that person never appeared despite inquiries I made of friends. I'm sure somewhere there is someone who still collects stamps, but I haven't met anyone for a long time. I have no explanation, as it was an interesting hobby that only had the fault that it would nickel and dime you to death kind of like reloading ammo! I'm sure that somewhere there are still very knowledgeable people who can evaluate and price an entire collection and then give you a value figure to operate with, but finding a buyer at that price may be difficult. Also, let me pass along a warning I was given by a fellow who was a long time collector when I was a kid. He said that if I ever decided to have my collection valued that I should keep the stamps and the assessor in sight at all times because it is so easy to pilfer the more valuable stamps in a collection and there is no way to identify one from another of the same type. I wish you good luck in converting the collection to currency, but there is someone somewhere for everything. Next time I'd insist on cash!

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Are these stamps canceled (used & removed from envelopes?)
Or are they new? Intact and full sheets?

There are Coin and stamp shows, just like there are gun shows. That is the best place to get them valued if you don't know anyone you can trust...because there will be several vendors under one roof at a show and you can get multiple peoples opinions in a short time.

I also inherited some stamps and tried to sell them (15 years ago):

>The new stamps (full intact sheets) were from the 1960s and 1970s. When I talked to some experts, they were only willing to buy them at wholesale prices which were about 60% of face value, I was surprised and shocked and upset...this was 15 years ago. I ended up just using them as postage.

<The used stamps (which were applied/archived in a few collector books) were mostly from the 1930 and 1940s (when my Mom was growing up). I was told they had little to no value, they said typically used stamps don't have much value, unless they are over 100 years old...again, this was 15 years ago.

My theory why stamps have little to no value...and hardly no one collects them anymore is:
<The Internet and email. There is almost no correspondence by snail mail, so there is no stamps for children to collect. If you didn't collect them when you were young, you will likely not collect them as an adult.
that's my 2¢

[DocSavage]

Ages ago I worked in a sramp/coin shop and honestly there aren't many stamps that are worth serious money,an upside down airmail stamps from the 1920s/30s is one I recall was worth at the time mid 70s 20k.

[JBinMN]

I collected them as a lad. Still have them in the basement. Don't have a clue if they are of any value to anyone but myself. I think I just keep them as a memento of other times.

I was hoping when I opened this topic to find out more as well, but it seems that thus far, no one has anything very positive about them. Kind a sad, but oh well, for me.

I agree with the, "Next time, take cash" advice. I hope that you find at least some value for them & it is at least the value that you seek!


G'Luck!

P.S. - Thanks again for the Hulls! Check your mail on Monday-Tues..

[blackriver]

Thank you for the input. It is along the lines I was thinking also.
The majority of the stamps are unused. This is a very large collection of stamps from all over the world, and a lot of old documents (?). It filled up two truck beds.
Even if I only considered the value to be 25% of what the value is listed at, it will add up to be a considerable amount of money (to me).
Just pondering what to do and how to do it.

[sparkyv]

Still have mine. Maybe they'll catch on again with the hipsters, much like vinyl has.

[rancher1913]

if you find a buyer, send them my way as well, have grandparents collections that nobody in family wants.

[blackriver]

I may end up using them to start a fire. I’m tired of them taking up needed space in the shop.

[OS OK]

I still have mine from the 50's...then it was the triangles we were all after.

[pete501]

We helped a friend settle her mother's estate. Mom was a Post Master and had boxes of First Day of Issue in folders. Turns out the folders were worth more than the stamps.

The uncanceled postage stamps value totaled about $350. Mostly in the $0.25 and less denominations.
I am still using them to mail letters today.

[mold maker]

All collectables have highs and lows.
check what I have collected for today's lows.��

[Conditor22]

In the mid 90's I found an MFRB sized box of stamps in a house I was cleaning out. I shipped it to my (now deceased) dad (an avid collector for 70 years) He was really excited, kept what he wanted and sold the rest sending me $450. This was in the LA area

[lightman]

I still have my collection. I have no idea of its value. Would be tickled to find it a new home! I've also got a bunch of 60's and 70's baseball cards. And several autographed pictures from the same time period, both baseball and football.

[Petander]

I still have my Finland collection.

I take a look at it every ten years or so,sort of like looking at a World history book. It will be more valuable after a few hundred years I guess.

If I find the right person I'll give it for free to a good home.

[Ziggy]

We've got some Nazi Third Reich stamps my grandpa collected when he was in Patton's Army rolling through Europe. It's pretty cool looking at and holding something that old.

[skeettx]

I have Danzig stamps, go figure

Mike

[richhodg66]

Thank you for the input. It is along the lines I was thinking also.
The majority of the stamps are unused. This is a very large collection of stamps from all over the world, and a lot of old documents (?). It filled up two truck beds.
Even if I only considered the value to be 25% of what the value is listed at, it will add up to be a considerable amount of money (to me).
Just pondering what to do and how to do it.

It's always a shame when you see something like that someone was very passionate about and means nothing to anyone anymore.

You could almost wall paper a large room with that many which might be a neat project, but would take forever.

[NyFirefighter357]

The issue with stamp collections is just this. As older people died and no one else was collecting stamps the market was flooded with stamp collections from the past 100yrs. There are so few ppl collecting now and so many older stamp collections the market took a big hit. My kids are between 9-12 they've never used a stamp.