How do I sell rare stamps?
If you know you have rare stamps, you can sell them through several means:
- Local Dealer: Dealers handle both collections and individual stamps.
- Mail Order Dealer: If you’re not going local, consider working with a mail order dealer.
- American Philatelic Society Circuit Sales:
- Auction House:
Do pawn shops buy stamps?
Pawn shops have to account for the condition of the stamps and the market for selling them when making you an offer. A stamp can have a high catalog value, but if it’s in poor condition the price can drop. The buyer should drop their expectation by 15 percent or more.
How do I get a stamp collection appraised?
Look for an appraiser through authoritative sources like official stamp collection societies. The American Philatelic Society notes you may pay anywhere from $75 to $250 an hour to have the stamps/collection appraised. Some local groups, like the Northern Philatelic Society, may offer free appraisal services.
How can I sell my old stamps?
Here are 6 of the best places to sell old stamps:
- A Collector. If you’re able to contact a collector directly, this may save you a lot of time.
- A Dealer. Selling to stamp dealers is the fastest way to gain immediate money.
- On Consignment.
- A Stamp Show.
- An Auction House.
- An Online Auction.
- Know Your Stamps’ Worth.
What is the rarest stamp?
Inverted Jenny
What is the practical purpose of a postage stamp?
The fundamental purpose of a stamp is to indicate the prepayment of postage. Since different kinds and sizes of mail normally pay different amounts of postage, the stamps need to carry a value.
What do I do with used stamps?
Recycle your postage stamps Postage stamps are recyclable and you don’t even need to remove them from the envelope they’re on — just throw the whole envelope in the recycling bin and you’re done!
Are old stamps worth any money?
Stamps may also have value if they were issued no later than about 1960, though this doesn’t mean the older the stamp, the more valuable they are. Interestingly, stamps with genuine errors of production (for example missing colours) are often worth considerably more than ‘normal’ issues.
What are the most valuable British stamps?
The rare and valuable UK stamps and coins that could be worth a fortune
- Penny Black – potential value: £348,000.
- Plate 77 Penny Red – potential value: £550,000.
- Roses Error Stamp – potential value: £130,000.
- Brown Lilac Stamp – potential value: £21,000.
- 1937 Edward VIII Brass Threepence – potential value: £45,000.
Is stamp collecting a dying hobby?
In the end, philately is not dead, nor is it dying. Rather, it is changing every day in the people who pursue it and in the way that it is pursued.
What stamps are worth money in Australia?
Top 10 Most Valuable Australia Stamps
- Inverted Swan. As is often the case with stamps, mistakes seem to pay off for collectors.
- First Kangaroo And Map Stamp. Australia’s very first Kangaroo and Map stamp sold at auction for $130,573 in 2006.
- Queen Victoria.
- Penny Red.
- Queensland Sixpence.
- 1895 Halfpenny.
- Classic Victoria.
- 1865 4d From Western Australia.
How much is a stamp collection worth?
Stamp collections are typically categorized by value: High (worth more than $3,000): Auction houses typically accept only high value collections. Medium (worth $1,000-$3,000) Low (worth up to $1,000)
Where is the best place to sell a stamp collection?
The auctioneer receives a percentage of the sale price from both the buyer and the seller (approx 15% each) and it is in their interest to get the best possible price for you. If you are disposing of a stamp collection, the best place to start is the Philatelic Traders Society.
What are the most valuable Australian stamps?
The Most Expensive and Valuable Stamps of Australia
- Inverted Swan. Price realized: 171,543.
- Essay Stamp. Price realized: 142,563.
- Map Stamp. Price realized: 138,000.
- Classic Victoria. Price realized: 94,875.
- 2-Penny Scarlet. Price realized: 90,520.
- 4-Pence Stamp. Price realized: 75,000.
- Queen Victoria Pair. Price realized: 44,270.
- 5d Stamp Block. Price realized: 23,490.
Are used stamps worth more than unused?
Mint stamps are often more valuable than used ones as in many cases fewer mint items survive. However, sometimes used stamps may be more expensive than mint ones. For example, if a great number of unused items, even very old ones, are preserved, they lose their value.
Can I use old stamps?
They are valid forever as long as they can be validated as legitimate postage. This means if you put an old stamp that looks stained and ratty on a letter with tape, it will likely be rejected. However, if it is clean and adheres, you can send with it.
Are first day of issue stamps worth anything?
The one certainty in the world of first-day cover collecting is that blank first-day covers are virtually worthless in today’s stamp collecting marketplace. In general, only stamps canceled with the first-day date are deemed collectible without a cachet.
What is the point of a stamp?
Postage stamps are used to pay postage rates before delivering your letters or parcels. The postage fee has to be paid by the sender. Each stamp has a denomination and the sender has to pay that amount. Postage stamps also highlight a country’s leaders, cultures, traditions and many other aspects through their designs.
Is there an app to identify stamps?
United States Stamp Catalog is an app for stamp collectors who want to track or identify their collections value. Created by Pep, the app is 29 MB in size and requires Android 2.2 and up.
How do I know if my stamps are worth anything?
Option 1: Find out the Stamp Values by Yourself
- Identify the stamp.
- Find out when was the stamp issued.
- Know the stamp’s age and material used.
- Determine the centering of the design.
- Check the stamp’s gum.
- Determine the condition of the perforations.
- See if the stamp has been cancelled or not.
- Find out the rarity of the stamp.
How can you tell a fake stamp?
How can I spot used or counterfeit stamps?
- Cost less than the official Royal Mail prices.
- Security ovals on each side of the stamp are missing or uneven.
- Unusual colourings.
- Uneven borders.
- An unusually shiny surface.
- Stamps may be stuck on to what appears to be greaseproof paper.
What makes a stamp rare?
There are various factors that determine the rareness of a stamp, which often require philatelist and expert opinion. Stamps that have errors in printing, content, and perforation are considered rare, as are those limited-issue stamps where only a small number exist.
How much are Queen Elizabeth stamps worth?
According to The Telegraph per The Sun, experts evaluated the queen’s impressive stamp collection and estimated its worth to be £100 Million or about $124 million.
Are stamps a good investment?
The answer is: very valuable. A British Guiana One-Cent Magenta stamp set a world record selling for $9.48 million. If you’re looking to invest in something different, stamps are often considered a reliable investment.
How do you identify a stamp?
The only way to tell these two stamps apart is to measure their perforations and watermark them. Some stamp designs look the same, but have been issued for different purposes. The only difference when you look at them may be the number of sides with perforations. A sheet stamp has perforations on all four sides.
Are stamps still collectable?
You might find that the stamps in your collection of significant catalog value are worth much less than you believed. “Buy the best you can afford,” isn’t just a casually tossed-off phrase, but words to live by in stamp collecting. Inferior quality stamps are, in fact, nearly worthless.
Are stamps with postmarks worth anything?
Yes. Used stamps have a value as a collectible even if they can not be used again in mailing letters. Most philatelists assemble a cancelled stamp collection because they are more rewarding to collect that the mint stamps. The value of recycled used stamps increases according to its rarity and beauty.
Why are stamps so important?
While the primary purpose of stamps has been to pre-pay for the transportation and delivery of mail, postage has helped preserve histories around the world. The world’s first postage stamp was the Penny Black invented by Sir Rowland Hill, founder of the Penny Post.