How much is my stamp collection worth – straight talk about real market values of stamps
During the weekend I bumped into a couple of very interesting conversations (and articles) about stamp market values and collection estimates. I know most collectors are interested about stamp values at some level, me included. So what’s latest story with a very simple question: how much is a stamp collection worth? Below are few very different views on the topic.
UPDATE: To get a quick (and rough) estimate/calculation of Your collection value, please follow this link: Setting a value for worldwide stamp collection.
About stamps as investment
Everybody dreams that they have a stamp collection worth big bucks. Here’s the painful truth: About 99,9% of all issued stamps are worth nothing else than they’re handling costs. Even my collection (which is about 50,000 philatelic items) is worth very little if looked as an investment.
USA Alexandria postmaster stamp, "Blue Boy cover". Sold by Feldman auction for 1 million US$.
But still, with every philatelic magazine and auction, we can read of auction results where stamps and collections are sold with selling price equivalent to a new computer, car or even apartment. This is IMO where stamp collecting has turned from hobby to investment – no casual stamp collector has or is willing to spend thousands, possibly tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars/euros just to get few stamps or single item. These stamps are bought and sold only with investment in mind.
The first interesting comment is by Geoff Anandappa, Stanley Gibbons’ investment portfolio manager. He was interviewed by Rick Morrison, Financial Post (actual story was published in StarPhoenix):
Collectors are driven by passion, whereas investors are driven by fear and greed. All these factors make stamps a very stable investment.
This is very true in a way, but also a kind of devil in disguise if thought more precisely.
If investing stamps seriously, then one doesn’t buy the common stamps, or not even the slightly better ones (worth few hundreds like Black Penny, Finnish roulettes etc early stamps). If investing, then one does acquire items worth 4-6 figures at least. This is what stamp investing programmes provide with their investment portfolio: a chance to own a small monetary share on valuable collectors/antiques items.
And here’s the contradiction. Stamp collectors want to personally own items – touch them, feel them, have them physically in their collections. Investment programs don’t provide this option… So these stamp investment programs are by investors and for investors – driven by greed of money and future expectations. My advice would be: do not touch stamps as investment if you don’t want to get burned. Afinsa scandal was just the tip of the iceberg.
About stamps as business
Another opinion for real stamp market values comes from Glen Stephens, one of the best known stamp dealers worldwide. He said recently on StampBoards discussion forum topic:
So, several times a week I end up with near worthless junk, and you need to break the news to the owner of it.
…
[Common worldwide stamps collections]…on its own is virtually unsaleable via a mail order dealership, as it is exceedingly common. And in 50 years time will still be exceedingly common – so there is little point in you holding onto it, as it takes up room and space, and attracts pests.Stamp DEALING is a business. Stamp COLLECTING is a hobby.
Huge difference. Collectors think nothing of spending a few hours fossicking and sorting and arranging. For them it is pleasure, fun and enjoyment. For me it is WORK!
Something stamp dealers dislike seeing in stamp collection: common stamps. 1973 Equatorial Guinea ships miniature sheet, Michel #Bl.54
As a small business owner (working inside ITC & marketing industry), I can relate to this. A business owner must keep the money rolling and make profit for each deal. And the most valuable asset a business owner has is time.
One of my early mentors in stamp collecting once said, that if you where ever to sell your worldwide collections, most of the stuff would end up in dealer’s junk box for 5 cents/piece. And that 5cent selling price would need to include all sellers’ expenses like storage, handling, time etc. My share of the deal would be 1-2c/piece or less.
Of course not all stamps are equally invaluable, and the larger the collection the more likely it is to contain something of more value. Thus I have developed a “general stamp collection real market value”-rule of my own: for each 10 000 different (worldwide) stamps you have, you should double the minimum value of 1 cent. For example my 50k different worldwide items collection is worth 3 100€/$ using this formula (10000×1+10000×2c+10000×4c+10000×8c+10000×16c).
So how to make most money when selling a stamp collection to a dealer? If personal time is not the not be counted, then the best practice would be breaking down a collection to bits and pieces: separate the gems from the junk. Sell the gems to dealer as single pieces and place the rest on sale as single lot on eBay or other online auction for no reserve.
About stamps as collector’s items
Stamp catalogues (like Michel)are a usefull tool for collectors, but I would not trust the catalogue values too much.
My personal take on real market values of stamps is complex. And what else could you expect from someone who has collected stamps as a hobby for over two decades.
Like most collectors, I have started by being obsessed with catalogue values. Then I have grown to realize harsh truth – catalogue values are a relative metric. Two stamps with similar catalogue value will do for 1:1 kind of trade/exchange between collectors, but very few (if none) collectors are willing to pay even one third of the catalogue price for common stamps.
Getting familiar with dealers has thought me a lot about business side of stamps (like how dealers appraise, buy and sell collections). If nothing else, it has taught that I would make a crappy stamps dealer. Just to get few new (low value) stamps for my collection I’m ready and willing to go through a messy box hoard for hours.
I simply love these small pieces of paper too much to care about time spent, profits or market values. For a collector like me, a single stamp is worth precisely how much one is willing to pay or consume other resources in order to get it. It’s that simple.
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Started collcting stamps when I was a young lad,got a few albams with various themes, GB, LATE AND EARLY, BRITISH EMPIRE, THE SAME AS;-OTHER STUFF FROM OTHER COUNTRIES;-LOOSE STUFF IN A TIN BOX AND BITS AND PIECES. GRAND KIDS ARE NOT INTERSTED,TO BORING! NOW I DO PHOTOGRAPHY,EXPENSIVE! COULD DO WITH A REPLACMENT LENS, ITS KNACKED,SEEN A MINTER, SECONDHAND,OF COURSE,WHICH WILL FILL THE BILL;-NOT A CLUE AS HOW TO SELL THE STAMPS,CAN YOU HELP?
ITS ALL RELIGON TO ME? NOT A CLUE,VICAR GAVE UP ON ME SOME YEARS AGO!
Hi Bernard,
“NOT A CLUE AS HOW TO SELL THE STAMPS,CAN YOU HELP?”
The simplest option is to drop in at your local stamp dealer, show the collection and “let it go”. This way you will very likely get less money than with the alternatives (as the dealer has to make profit too), but it could not be any simpler.
The other dealer related alternative is to offer the collection/lot for auction or private sale. This way you’ll usually get (at least a bit) more than with a direct sale, but you wont get your money before the auction/sale is over.
The alternative route is to sell everything by yourself. This way you will end up with (lot) more money, but it will require you to spend some resources (especially time) as well… As how to sell… You could sell stuff online (like eBay,delcampe etc), or put a add an paper/magazine, or pick up a sales table at local market, or… It’s all up to imagination. The better you sell/market your lot, the more you get.
Hope these hints do help,
regards,
-keijo-
Hi Keijo,
For the past few I have been doing a lot of research on the topic. I have a huge collection that I have inherited from my father. The stamps are from India and also worldwide. I know that my father always used Stanley Gibbons. However, I gather from your post that this is generally used for GB & colonies. What do you suggest I do. I gather that the Scotts catalogue needs to be bought volume wise or is there any way that I can get the complete thing for a good amount.
Regards
Amit
Hi Amit,
The answer to your question about catalogues really depends on where you live, what you collect and what are youre future plans… And of course personal preferences do affect….
As your father used SG, it might be a good idea to carry on with that. Stanley Gibbons single country catalogues are highly recommendable and amongst the best of the breed (IMHO their quality is much better than Scott, sometimes – especially with GB and commonwealth countries – it even excels the otherwise superb Michel catalogues… but these are just my opinions).
PS. Your first post at thestampserver.com is very good. You’re definitely on the right track
Hi Keijo,
Thanks for your reply.
What I am interested in knowing is how to reference the stamps with the price listed in the catalogue. Is that the price that one expects in the market when one wants to sell or is this price only for reference. If I have one stamp that is listed in SG at GBP 250/- what does this mean ?
Hi Amit,
it’s mainly a reference, something that helps to compare stamp values between each other. Catalogue value and selling price have usually very little in common.
For low value stamps (say anything catalogued below 5€/$/£) catalogue value and selling price come from everything else but the stamp itself. This means things like dealers time, storage etc. Their true retail value is tenths of pennies. I think it says a lot that I just bought 1kg of off-paper stamps for 20€ (+postage 9€). Roughly speaking the box has anything between 10-100,000 stamp; even in the worst case it cost me tenths of a cent per stamp.
For better stamps (anything catalogued over 25€/$/£) catalogue prices give a somewhat accurate picture of dealers selling price. On the low end there are usually discounts (from 10-50%), on the mid range catalogue values are somewhat 1:1 for selling prices, and on the very high end catalogue values are usually notably lower than selling prices.
And above all, it’s always about condition, demand and the moment. Catalogue values are for copies in fine to very fine condition. Anything worse will sell notably lower than the catalogue value, anything superior will fetch notably higher prices. And above all, real life prices are a question of demand and supply… Is your item worth the 250 quit? If all the circumstances match. But it’s equally possible that something is/goes wrong with the markets and you end up with very little.
Hi Keijo,
Great thoughs on what a worldwide collection is worth. I’ve wondered a lot about this too. There is currently an ad in Linn’s advertising a 100,000 different collection in 37 scott international albums for $9,995. I don’t have 10K for a collection like that, but it would sure improve my stamp count a tad!
Hi Pete,
and thanks…
That kind of collection sounds like a stamp collectors “wet daydream”. LOL. .I think one could self-finance most of such purchase by selling unnecessary stamps (and albums) etc, but it would definitely require lots of time (and free money of course)… But 10K is 10K… Well, hopefully something like that is available in 18 years of time after I’ve dealt with my bank / apartment loan. LOL.
Hello, if you could please help, if know of a reputeable stamp appraiser in Montreal Canada, that would help. Thank-you..
Hi,
as I have no first hand experience of Montreal dealers, I’m going to recommend you to contact collectors at RPSC and ask their recommendations.
Have 2 albums of stamps collected over the last 60 years 1920 till 1980.
any idea the value ?
Mel
Hi Mel,
with these details it’s pretty impossible to say. For example album size may vary hugely (from few pages up to hundreds of pages); the number and quality of stamps may vary etc… But as a very rough estimate I’d say that 30-50$ should be in the ballpark if there is nothing of better value/interest stamps involved.
Sir:
I have a collection of stamps that my father purchased for me at about the age of 10. I’m 34 years old now. I still have them in the exact same packaging. I’m assuming since he paid for them at some kind of “stamp show” they’re probably not worth much. But that was 24 years ago. I have a set of stamps from Spain from about 1969 to 1973, a set of 1983 “monkeys and apes” from Rwanda, a set of “French Empire” stamps (Congo, Niger, Chad, Daho, Dahomey, etc) from about 1968 to 1970, and a package that says “British Empire” with a variety of locations inside (Iraq, New Zealand, Jamaica, Zanzibar, Uganda, Hong Kong, as well as countries I’ve never heard of.)
I don’t really have an interest in keeping them. They’ve just been stored away for many years. Is it safe to assume they’re worth nothing more than the price paid for stamp originally?
Thank you for your assistance.
Keijo
some time back one of your correspondents asked about a stamp dealer in Montreal. I had a good experience with les Timbres Riesz Stamps, reiszstamps@videotron.ca
fyi
Dell from California
Thanks Dell,
I think many will value your tip.
Here’s something I’ve been wondering about that maybe you or other readers have an opinion on:
It seems to me (both from a common sense standpoint, as well as things I’ve read in the past) that *collections* are inherently worth more than *accumulations*. So for instance, in a huge worldwide accumulation, a subset of particular items – for instance a topical collection – would seem like it would have more monetary value if it were organized, researched, and displayed in a custom album, such as for exhibition.
Does that seem more or less an accurate assessment?
Does that seem more or less an accurate assessment?
Sorry to say, but that is pretty false assessment IMHO.
As sad as it is, most collections and accumulations are doomed to split-up the minute they are sold. Gems end up usually as single lots to auctions, medium quality items end up to dealer stockbooks, and all the cheap stuff goes to box sales (often with complete pages, despite all the time and devotion put to them).
Same destiny awaits every collection or accumulation. Stamp dealers are not museum keepers. Their job is to sell stamps – with profit and ASAP.
So it’s the included stamps that matter – not the fact that they are part of collection or accumulation. As collections usually have more high value items than accumulations, they usually fetch higher value. But a properly build accumulation could easily achieve same or even more.
Another thing that may matter is presentation. A messy output is worth a discount; whereas same stuff with proper display (and preferrably with gems highlighted) is bound to get some sort of premium. The difference comes not from visual aesthetics, but from the fact that dealer can spot more easily items worth $$$.
please could let me know how much a stamp album of lady diana and prince charles wedding in a velvet case limited edition of 3000 albums beham silk collection
Hi Alan,
this will be a purely educated guess (as I’m not a dealer nor UK specialist)… I’d say not much, possibly £10-20 or similar…. The best indicator of real markets price would be if You’d find something similar sold on recent online auctions (like eBay,Delcampe or similar). Or then take a visit to Your local stamp shop with the album, and ask how much it’s worth.
Amy,
You need to have an honest buyer or someone who is knowledgeable look at your stamps. There a very few stamps, for example, Chinese New Year Stamps from China, that have appreciated a great deal during the period you have had those stamps.
There is probably nothing of any value, but you never know.
Fred
I have been saving stamps now for the last 18 years.They were for my grandson but he is not interested in them, so I started to look for rare and most wanted stamps.I found quit a lot of them, but nobody seems to be interested in them .I sent a email to “we buy any stamps” kind of website, but I was told that they have got plenty of what I have. So how is it that the stamps I have found are not of any value, yet they are rare and most wanted. Can any one help or advise me please.
Hi John,
shortly put it all depends on markets…
Stamps that are rare (printed in limited quantities or similar) can be of very low value if there’s no demand for them. For example in UK most collectors collect either UK or British Commonwealth countries, but very few are interested in countries like Ruanda or Venezuela.
The most wanted part can be equally skewed… What was “burning hot” 10-20-30-40 years ago, might be considered junk today. And vice versa (thinking of stamps from countries like People’s Republic of China & India).
Re, dealers that say “we buy everything”… Sadly a lot of dealers misuse this phrase in their advertising just to catch up as many “innocent newbies” as possible. In reality many of them are only after “quality material” (=catalog value 3-4 figures minimum) that could be purchased for a bargain. If the provided lot doesn’t contain anything as such, they simply turn it down for some excuse… A lot of smaller stamp dealers are decent folks that buy pretty much anything dropped on their door step, so I’d definitely shop around a bit…If you want to do “something good” with the stamps, then You might want to consider donating them to some charity close to You. That way the stamps will end up to some lucky collector eventually, and the funds will go to good cause.
best wishes,
-keijo-
value my stamp collection
@Adam… No. I’m not a dealer/auctioneer, so I don’t do any kind of appraisals. You can always show some images and ask for opinion, but that’s what it will always be… My biased opinion as a regular stamp collector.
Jesus Christ!!…what else can you do?…one of this days someone will ask you to take the stamps personally to his home!!! stamps are for the brain…not for the bank!
I have 2 rare stamps. One; Atom bombs end WWII; and one Olympic baseball misprint. I wish to find out how I can get an appraisal. Thay are over 15 years old and cost me
Hi Kerry,
Shortly put:
Step 1. Locate local / international stamp dealers and auctioneers / auction houses
Use google, phone book etc. other sources.
Step 2. Go and visit them
If they have opening hours, then going there & physically showing the stamps is the fastest way forward.
If not, then call up and email, and ask for advice on how to proceed.
That’s all there is.
This is reason (few line in this article like: “…if you where ever to sell your worldwide collections, most of the stuff would end up in dealer’s junk box for 5 cents/piece…), when someone asked me, where to invest/what to buy for my collection. I always try to explain people, that even one cent spent on Your collection is investment – and if to do it, do it in more clever way – NOT TO BUY “junk” material first!
Most people have money available on monthly base, say, 10$ every months, by my opinion – it is better to pass few months and obtain set for 50$ – that will possibly in the future, have same or bigger value.
But if You spend this 50$ in 500 or more “space filler” stamp, or “junk” (like You say) stamp – that will never return this 50$ investment.
I always suggest, and personally prefer, to complete one country collection, that can at the time to come, more attract other collectors/dealers to buy it.
best regards to all
Milco
http://picasaweb.google.com/balkanstamp
@Milco…
I definitely agree with You about “DON’T COLLECT JUNK” statement. And with junk I specifically mean stamps that are of poor condition / grade. It will not affect just to (potential resale) value of collection, but also to how much enjoyment You will get from your collection.
From investment perspective I’d say that the biggest challenge for anyone would be to predict / keep up with the collecting trends regarding condition / grade, and paying a proper price for stamps. For example I’m pretty sure that nobody in the 1940/50s imagined a situation where mint never hinged would become the “collectible” standard, and mint hinged the pariah. And history of stamp collecting / philately is full of trend changes like this.
I’ve always preached “don’t mix stamp collecting and investing” with each other. And I mean it…
If you want to collect, then don’t worry too much about catalog values. They will change each year (after all, that’s what keep the catalog publishers fat & rich
). I’m in this group. In my case it will be totally up for my family & kids to decide what to do with my collections when I’m dead. If they get more than what I paid, jolly good. If they get less, well… Live with it. I loved my collection and it was worth every cent I paid; that’s enough for me 
If you want to invest, then I’d say don’t sit on top of your stamps / collection. Buy cheap, sell high. It’s all about timing, and keeping up with trends. For example in northern Europe the market for SOTN stamps was burning hot about 5-10 years ago, and even modern and common stamps with SOTN cancels easily fetched 5-20€ in auctions. These days they are worth a fraction of that, and in most cases they don’t sell at all. I know a lot of collectors who got burnt badly with this.
hey
I have stamps almost all countries nd they are around 270 stamps i am having with me. but the problem is i dont know about the sites where i can sell them or auction them.
And please tell me that should i get enough money for that or not?
@chiraq… Nearly all online auctions (eBay,Tradera, DelCampe etc) have separate sections for stamps and collectibles. As each service has different terms-of-service (and fees), I can only recommend that you take a cup of coffee/tea next to you, and do some reading before making your pick. The rest is purely following the instructions and finding a proper market / pricing for your items.
I’ve always taken the view that collection values are about 25 – 30% of the catelogue value, and physical condition has to be considered as well.
I tend to apply that rule to any eBay purchases I make and stop bidding when it goes over.
Presentation and format can enhance the value of a stamp or collection.
Bill
Please explain what IMHO means
Thanks John
IMHO = In my humble opinion .
It’s somewhat common acronym in online world; similar to BTW,WTF,ROFL,LOL and dozens of others.
i have a stamp collection of north korea from 1966 thur 2006 and was wondering whre i can find out how much it is worth.
thank you
@lord jakk… I’d say that in case of North Korean stamps your guess would be about as good as mine. This is one of those countries where looking at catalog values is close to utterly useless in my opinion.
If the stamps are either mint, then they are likely of best value as they attract a wide range of topical collectors.
If the stamps are real used, then eccentric worldwide collectors (like me) might like them quite a lot, and if sold they might fetch a decent price (compared to CTO-used prices). But they are not going to make you rich…
If the stamps are CTO-used, then the value of stamps is pretty close to value of junk paper.
And of course this is all subjective, and fully dependent on quality of items, extend of collection, your location etc.
I’ve always wondered why someone would want to purchase a complete collection given the fact that the whole point of collecting is already accomplished! Where is the fun in that?
Okay, perhaps they see it as an investment, but why not invest in Gold instead.
Huh?
@Bill… I agree. There’s no catch in buying it all done and prepared. It’s much more fun to build it step by step.
Interesting read.. I collected in my youth 50 years ago and my past collecting has limited value if any. A few years ago I decided to start again due to the economy and many collections are being sold off.Here’s my thoughts, today I focus on old collections dating before the 1920’s. I bought one 1898 world collection with a French mint stamp valued at $800.. my thought is with these large collections there are far too many stamps for a dealer to evaluate everything..more of a chance of a sleeper… In 10 years when I’m ready to sell I see if it works
Dear Keijo, I am fascinated by all the questions and answers. I have a US and foreign collection that would choke a horse. Thirty five volumes, from A to Z, loaded. I do agree that a large amount of this collection is “junk”. But, I always felt that maybe one of these stamps is my winning lottery ticket. My attitude is “it just takes one”. How in Gods name will I ever find out. Most of these buyers are would never let me know which stamp is the diamond in the rough. what should I do. thank you, R. Calla
@Ralph… Just go through it all; properly and one stamp at a time. And have fun while at it
Seriously, there is no magic trick for finding gems.
I’ve been going through my U.S. collection over the past week, transferring the stamps to my new pages. I realized that a suprising number of the stamps are damaged “space filler” stamps. As used stamps, most, if not all, of these would be low value in perfect condition. I’ve kept these as I would rather have an example of what a stamp looks like than nothing. I enjoy looking at them.
I know many (or most) collectors may disagree but what I realized is that, to me, damaged means unsellable not uncollectible. I would not buy damaged stamps – there are too many inexpensive undamaged stamps out there to buy – but to collect them is OK by me.
When I get a better example, I can and do replace the damaged stamp to enhance the appearance of my collection. The “junk” may lower the value of my collection, but I honestly don’t intend to ever sell the collection so valuing the collection is merely an intellectual exercise.
As always, just another point of view. I reserve the right to change my mind if it suits me.
@mrprgrmr… It’s definitely relaxing to know that I’m not the only collector who finds out a surprisingly large number of ’space fillers’ when viewing their albums more critically
Keijo, seems to me you are too hard on space fillers. If you look at ebay listings and which sell and for what price, it seems to me that what ebay does is make common stamps expensive and high priced items reasonable (with the exception of China covers pre 1970, which now sell well above a dealers price in the UK or in Shanghai.) As a collector I am willing to pay 99p for a stamp catalogued at 25p and sold at a stamp fair for 15p if it fills the space. We all know that some common stamps in many sets are hard to find or hard to find mint or hard to find used but valued by SG and Scott as though they were like every other member of the set. So the advice has to be sell on ebay in the smallest quantity you have the patience to list. You can probably get between 25c and 50c for a collection of 50,000 stamps if you package it properly if they are pre 1980 stamps. i.e you can clear about one third at US$1/pound/euro and one third at 50c and one third bundled together at about 13c each.7-8 for US$1.(This would actually work out at over US$26,000. but I would bet on the low side. Post 1980 stamps you will have problems even giving most of them away. I have more views on this which I will happily share after you respond as it looks like I am out of space.
The key message is actually buy in bulk and sell in the smallest quantity the collector would buy in. And churn the collection – I have a number of friends who buy album or box lots in UK auctions take what they like, throw in some left overs from old accumulations and sell again usually for the same price
Anyway good debate Tony
@Tony Michell… I agree that stamp collecting is one of those few hobbies where it’s possible to re-finance the hobby by selling “leftovers”. I’ve done it, likely You’ve done it, as well as many people reading this blog… It does pay off, but it’s definitely not a gold mine (unless you happen to have some truly exceptional stuff)…. I remember reading somewhere a calculation that most people selling individual stamps on eBay for $0.15-0.25 likely make out less in hour than they’d make serving burgers on McDonalds
Another spot on observation…Of course the risks on eBay are slightly higher than buying from traditional dealers/auctions (thinking for example classic US).
I don’t know about you but I would have more fun selling my stamps than flipping burgers, so breaking even (dollar-wise) is just fine!
Anyway, thanks for the info about buying and selling. I really appreciate all that sort of advice!
Tony, can you explain further what this part of your post means:
“You can probably get between 25c and 50c for a collection of 50,000 stamps if you package it properly if they are pre 1980 stamps. i.e you can clear about one third at US$1/pound/euro and one third at 50c and one third bundled together at about 13c each.7-8 for US$1.(This would actually work out at over US$26,000. but I would bet on the low side.”
Blimey!!! I think it’s time to put the stall on the street: …stamps, stamps, here, here! …one for the price of 3…and go laughing all the way to the bank!..Oh, yes…don’t forget Inland revenue will be behind you!!!
How much is your collection worth? Whatever some one will pay for it. Two pigs, one buyer, pigs is cheap; one pig, two buyers, pigs is dear. Regarding Tony Mitchell’s comment about post 1980s I would maybe even say post 1970s. I collect Canada and had a ‘new issues’ service, bought in the U.K. with GB£. I would expect those stamps to be worth about 80% ‘face’ if I could find a user of Canadian Postage, e.g. a cousin with a business. This would still be, at best about 25 to 50% of what I paid, not allowing for inflation. BUT, and this is an important BUT, they were not bought for investment. Thet were bought to be looked at, shown of to friends and fellow stamp collectors at club meetings and just admired.
I hope you can help give me some advice.
I collected stamps as a child and have been a casual collector of mint US postal stamps over the years. I recently inherited my great grandfather’s stamp collection. This is a small dealer collection (maybe 10-12 storage tubs – 30 quart size) with boxes of glassine envelopes containing multiples of the same stamp, stock books, collections of first day covers, etc. The stamps are international, with a concentration on the US and Israel, and range in date from the late 19th century through the early-mid 20th century.
It hasn’t been indexed nor cataloged since the 1950’s and I don’t have the time at the moment to start that huge undertaking. On the other hand, I would like to protect it through insurance but without a full inventory I need to provide my insurance company with a certified appraisal.
How do I go about doing that? Everything I have read in the past suggests that I bring the full collection to an independent appraiser, who may take months to appraise it. I don’t feel comfortable letting any of this out of my hands.
Is my only real option to uncatalogued and index the entire collection before I can get it appraised?
Any advice would be helpful.
Thanks!
@Spencer…
Most dealers I know simply take a quick look on bulk lots like this, and give out a quick sum based bulk/size of the lot. If you want something else, then you have to either put up some serious $$$ on the table for their time & effort to go through the lot in more detail. From the sounds of hoarde, it’s likely not worth it.
I’d suggest that you try to go through the lot yourself for starters. If You notice lots of items with catalog values higher than $5, then you might have something worth appraising.
“I recently inherited my great grandfather’s stamp collection. This is a small dealer collection (maybe 10-12 storage tubs – 30 quart size)…”
It’s like a beautiful daydream to me
I have 25 albums of stamps my grandfather collected after the second world war. Prince charles and di. All types of stamps. I would like to find out how can i find out how much they are worth. I am in south africa.
@Pierre… For starters, I suggest you spent some time reading some of the answers above, or head to Ask Anything About Stamps – archives (there are lots of similar “I inherited a collection, how to find out it’s value” questions/answers) . These have lots of good and solid advice for you to follow.
I also took the liberty of editing your message a bit. It’s good practise to use sentence case instead of WRITING EVERYTHING WITH CAPITALS.
Hi Sir
I have a stamp collection of various countries dating back I think 50-60 years, maybe even more. The thing is how do I value it here in Singapore?
Regards
@Randy… If we lived in world 20-30 years ago, the location would have had much difference when valuing a collection. But these days it’s very little of importance as everything you need is just one mouse click away. The whole world is one huge marketplace.
If you want to find out the value yourself, get yourself some stamp catalogs. You can easily buy them from catalog publishers (each have online shops) or used copies from online auctions; or you can even subscribe to some online catalogs.
If you want to reach out dealers and professional appraisers to do it for You, then Google Places is Your friend. Simply write something like “Stamp dealer Singapore”, and you are offered with a map of local dealers with full contact details. Could not be any easier.
I love your blog and your (and other readers) obvious passion for stamp collecting. Thanks so much for all the valuable and interesting information posted here. I don’t know anything about stamps by have been fascinated by the conversations. Like many others I have inherited a stamp collection from my Father and his Father (which I’m now realising is very small and probably very worthless) and found you by googling “how much is my stamp collection worth”. Just wanted to say thanks so much as I feel quite well informed now about what the next steps are if I want to sell or give away the collection.
@Nadia… Thanks for the kind words