Author Topic: Stamp Collections  (Read 5436 times)

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Offline Ballygrl

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Stamp Collections
« on: July 11, 2011, 11:52:53 AM »
BH asked frank in another thread if he was into stamps and I just thought I'd post this.

Is there anyone who's into Stamp Collecting?

We inherited a HUGE stamp collection a few years, went to the Library over a number of months to take out a guide on Stamp Collection values, I forget the name of it now, but it was really overwhelming, although there were a few stamps we weren't sure about as far as value goes, it could be worth a nice amount of money or maybe not. Any idea where we should start to get either some stamps appraised? or the collection appraised?

Thanks!
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Offline franksolich

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Re: Stamp Collections
« Reply #1 on: July 17, 2011, 05:04:42 PM »
Take it to a long-established stamp dealer; the whole bit.

If you're interested in selling it to him, there won't be any cost for an appraisal.

But if you're not sure about selling, and want an appraisal, there'll be rather low charge for the service; ask.

Reputable long-established stamp dealer.
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Offline franksolich

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Re: Stamp Collections
« Reply #2 on: July 17, 2011, 05:10:28 PM »
U.S. stamps, or from all over the world?

The age of the newest-seeming stamp?  (1970s, 1960s, 1950s, whatever).

In albums, or not; or some in albums and some loose?

Who collected them?  A parent, grandparent, uncle, aunt, cousin?
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Offline Ballygrl

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Re: Stamp Collections
« Reply #3 on: July 21, 2011, 10:10:04 AM »
Thanks frank, we don't have any appraisers around here so we'd have to go into NYC. And the stamps are from all over the world, a lot are from the early 1900's up until the 70's, overwhelming majority of them are organized in albums, there are some loose ones, and my Husband's Grandmother and Aunt were the ones who started the collection.

I can't do it right now because the stamps are stored away, but I'll take some pictures of some of the stamps and show it to you when I get a chance.
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"The nation that couldn’t be conquered by foreign enemies has been conquered by its elected officials" odawg Free Republic in reference to the GOP Elites who are no difference than the Democrats

Offline franksolich

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Re: Stamp Collections
« Reply #4 on: July 21, 2011, 10:16:30 AM »
Thanks frank, we don't have any appraisers around here so we'd have to go into NYC. And the stamps are from all over the world, a lot are from the early 1900's up until the 70's, overwhelming majority of them are organized in albums, there are some loose ones, and my Husband's Grandmother and Aunt were the ones who started the collection.

I can't do it right now because the stamps are stored away, but I'll take some pictures of some of the stamps and show it to you when I get a chance.

It sounds as if it's worth appraising.  I'm assuming the grandmother and aunt started collecting stamps in their childhood or teenaged years, and that was a long time ago.

One doesn't necessarily need someone listed in the yellow pages as an "appraiser" for such a collection, since I have a hunch you just want a casual idea of what it's worth (and then if that casual estimate turns out to be mucho money, then one goes to an "appraiser").  Any coin-and-stamp dealer who's been around a while (say, at least 20 years) could give at least a casual estimate, and I'm sure New Jersey has tons of coin-and-stamp dealers who've been around a while.

You want a vague idea first.  And then if it looks too good to be true (i.e., worth more than what you suspected), then one goes to an appraiser.  A long-time coin-and-stamp dealer, even if not advertised as an "appraiser," can give you the vague idea.
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Offline Ballygrl

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Re: Stamp Collections
« Reply #5 on: July 21, 2011, 11:56:39 AM »
It sounds as if it's worth appraising.  I'm assuming the grandmother and aunt started collecting stamps in their childhood or teenaged years, and that was a long time ago.

One doesn't necessarily need someone listed in the yellow pages as an "appraiser" for such a collection, since I have a hunch you just want a casual idea of what it's worth (and then if that casual estimate turns out to be mucho money, then one goes to an "appraiser").  Any coin-and-stamp dealer who's been around a while (say, at least 20 years) could give at least a casual estimate, and I'm sure New Jersey has tons of coin-and-stamp dealers who've been around a while.

You want a vague idea first.  And then if it looks too good to be true (i.e., worth more than what you suspected), then one goes to an appraiser.  A long-time coin-and-stamp dealer, even if not advertised as an "appraiser," can give you the vague idea.

There's 1 stamp in particular I want to get a picture of to show you, it could be worth $3,000 or about $100.

Oh! I didn't even think about contacting a coin dealer and ask for a recommendation.
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"The nation that couldn’t be conquered by foreign enemies has been conquered by its elected officials" odawg Free Republic in reference to the GOP Elites who are no difference than the Democrats

Offline franksolich

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Re: Stamp Collections
« Reply #6 on: July 21, 2011, 11:58:44 AM »
There's 1 stamp in particular I want to get a picture of to show you, it could be worth $3,000 or about $100.

Oh! I didn't even think about contacting a coin dealer and ask for a recommendation.

Skip the picture, madam.

What does the stamp depict, and where does it come from?
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Offline Ballygrl

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Re: Stamp Collections
« Reply #7 on: July 21, 2011, 12:15:02 PM »
Skip the picture, madam.

What does the stamp depict, and where does it come from?

frank, I just went down the basment to look for the stamp collection, not sure where my Husband put it and I can't ask him now, when he gets home tonight I'll find out where it is and let you know. The stamp though is foreign and it's black and white, according to the official catalogue we checked out of the library, the stamp could be $3,000 or $100. While looking for the stamp collection I just came across the baseball card collection we got from his Dad, that's in boxes though, not sheets.
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"The nation that couldn’t be conquered by foreign enemies has been conquered by its elected officials" odawg Free Republic in reference to the GOP Elites who are no difference than the Democrats

Offline franksolich

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Re: Stamp Collections
« Reply #8 on: July 21, 2011, 12:18:06 PM »
frank, I just went down the basment to look for the stamp collection, not sure where my Husband put it and I can't ask him now, when he gets home tonight I'll find out where it is and let you know. The stamp though is foreign and it's black and white, according to the official catalogue we checked out of the library, the stamp could be $3,000 or $100. While looking for the stamp collection I just came across the baseball card collection we got from his Dad, that's in boxes though, not sheets.

Uh oh.

You'd better look at that baseball card collection.  I'm assuming your father started collecting them as a child, which was a very long time ago, and so it's eminently reasonable to speculate that there's some gems in there, worth some bucks.

You know, I hope all this stuff is insured.
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Offline Ballygrl

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Re: Stamp Collections
« Reply #9 on: July 21, 2011, 02:16:54 PM »
Uh oh.

You'd better look at that baseball card collection.  I'm assuming your father started collecting them as a child, which was a very long time ago, and so it's eminently reasonable to speculate that there's some gems in there, worth some bucks.

You know, I hope all this stuff is insured.

For some weird reason they're not older cards, there's a box there that has all the cards issued in 1990, and there's a few other years there, nothing that I saw that's really old. I think there's a Mark McGwire card in the collection, we looked it over briefly last year after my FIL died, but there were so many things going on we just put it in a storage container.
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"The nation that couldn’t be conquered by foreign enemies has been conquered by its elected officials" odawg Free Republic in reference to the GOP Elites who are no difference than the Democrats

Offline franksolich

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Re: Stamp Collections
« Reply #10 on: July 21, 2011, 02:20:38 PM »
For some weird reason they're not older cards, there's a box there that has all the cards issued in 1990, and there's a few other years there, nothing that I saw that's really old. I think there's a Mark McGwire card in the collection, we looked it over briefly last year after my FIL died, but there were so many things going on we just put it in a storage container.

Rats.

I was thinking they were perhaps at least 50 years old, in which case there'd be some jewels.

By the way, you should have that appraised too.  In a vague way, after which you could decide whether or not to have a professional appraisal.

Some coin and stamp dealers also deal with baseball cards.....and if they don't, they know of others who do.

All one has to do is ask.

You could kill two birds with one stone here.

Long-time established dealer, remember; and I'm sure there's lots of those in New Jersey.
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Offline thundley4

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Re: Stamp Collections
« Reply #11 on: July 21, 2011, 02:32:53 PM »
I had sort of collected stamps when I was a kid, but never had anything too valuable.  Back then Woolworth's even sold stamps for collectors, but they only sold used ones, and mostly in a "grab bag" style.  Literally you could buy a small cloth bag of stamps, many still stuck on a torn corner of envelope.  Those were lost during moves and growing older.


About 10 years ago I tried getting back into it, but I was only buying mint sheets of stamps that I liked.  That only lasted a few years, and the last time I added it up, there was about $350 based on the face value of the stamps.

Offline BattleHymn

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Re: Stamp Collections
« Reply #12 on: November 14, 2011, 08:32:00 PM »
frank, I just went down the basment to look for the stamp collection, not sure where my Husband put it and I can't ask him now, when he gets home tonight I'll find out where it is and let you know. The stamp though is foreign and it's black and white, according to the official catalogue we checked out of the library, the stamp could be $3,000 or $100. While looking for the stamp collection I just came across the baseball card collection we got from his Dad, that's in boxes though, not sheets.

BG,

Is it a Penny Black? 

I've got a Penny Red floating around.  My father, of course, has both.   :p