I love your excitement for common material based on the topic. That’s a good reason why people get interested in collecting. I personally don’t get excited for common material only because I’m working in philately to make a living. But I’m glad there are people like you who add value and excitement to the common material. We need that in our space.
My brother recently asked me what I believed the value of the stamp collection our father entrusted me was worth. I told him that I believed I had spent more on Vario sheets/ stamps, additional albums than what the initial mess I was entrusted with was worth. Not to mention time. To this day, I've yet to find one stamp that made me think there was any value in the hobby....but you are right! It's worth something other than $ and is an abyss of knowledge and history and art and relaxation. That is invaluable to me:) Thanks for another wonderful video:)
I just had this conversation with a few family members, and it can be tough, especially when our loved ones put a lot of time and energy into their collections. But, those collections can live on, even if they aren't as 'valuable' as they thought they'd be
My insurance company covers my GB collection at 65% of Stanley gibbons CV so I will only purchase at prices below this. It means sometimes I have to search long and hard to find what I want but that is part of the fun. My collection has a value but not to me, I collect because like you it gives me more, relaxation, knowledge and a connection to my father. Also like you I hold onto the hope that one day my son will catch the bug and continue the collection. Thanks again for another great video, looking forward to the next.
Love your shows! My Grandson's also watch your shows with me when they visit and work on their stamp collectios. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRIZE! The boys, Coldin and Liam will be opening the package with me. We will have a wonderful time going through the prize. The boys love learning about stamps and World history with the foreign stamps.
a short tip on catalogues for old stamps: both Scott and Yvert have catalogues for all stamps of the world 1840-1940 in one book, which is very handy for valuing old stamps
Nothing better than sorting through stamps while enjoying another Silk video! Another outstanding video with excellent advice! Looking forward to your Canadian collection re-org! Retail is also highly dependent on location. Seattle-area retail rates are about 50% face for 1990s until Forevers, 10-20% for 3,4,5-cent stamps. Collections like the starter collection and the Strand book are found in box lots and sell for $5-10/each. Often many of the stamps in old albums are damaged so if counting based on catalog value it's something like 50% of the total number of stamps times realistic retail for MCV stamps, which seems to be about 1/10 to 1-cent/stamp in bulk. As mentioned in the video the value of reusable supplies also affects value; stock books in good condition, or good specialized albums still sold such as Scott specialized are more expensive. Example - I just saw a box lot of Nordic Scott specialized albums with pages through early 2000, nice binders and 10% filled with stamps including mint in mounts that was priced at $90. This box would be a wonderful way to get into collecting stamps from the Nordics and the albums could be extended with supplements. However, these prices are due to having a few local dealers in the state, several local stamp shows, etc. On a recent visit to Vancouver BC, retail rices were triple above due to local conditions there; with some things more plentiful like Canada, UK and Commonwealth.
Such a great point... I'd never considered that where you live can impact the prices of stamps! But it makes sense, as there's a lot of shows and dealers where I live, relative to other places I bet
Fantastic and very helpful video. Thanks Silk! I love your Canadian Method. I am going to use that as I work on mine. Currently combing through a huge haul from another stamp collector friend generous enough to just give me a grapefruit box full of stamps.
You are absolutly right to know, how much stamps are worth. I don´t sell a lot, in the past sometimes via ebay, but in Germany it is a bit complicated. You can easy be a stamp dealer, even if you are only a private collector and you want to sell the stamps you don´t need. It is difficult nowadays. I don´t want to be a stamp dealer, I only want to be a collector. With this if you buy stamps, you should know what something costs and is a fair price. It is the same like discovering fake stamps, what dealer want to sell you as a genuine. I don´t know how it works in America, but in Europe you have many people who want to steal your money. Especially when you are not experienced. You need your time to get experienced and when I look for example to some stamps I bought 20 - 30 years ago, there is a lot I would not buy today or not for the price I paid. You have to learn this and for sure it will hurt you. Even today this can happen to me, but it is very seldom. You showed it quite well. 90% of all existing stamps are worth nothing, but in a nice album you get some $$. Your 1911 album is a bit different, you have no magical stamps in there, but they are some interesting because they are old and there are collectors out there looking for them. Especiually for the more often variants up to the 1920s there is far more demand than 10 years ago. The one album you have with all the nice sets from the UK colonies has some worth, it is really valuable. I like old stamps and the appearance is always key. Take the first stamp from UK from 1840: If it is in a good condition (4 white margins), a very nice malteser cross (we don´t talk about the plates), you can pay easy 200 EUROs on auctions and on top 25% for taxes/auction house etc., thats 250 EUROs. Cat worth overall till 1900 is difficult, because the appearance is key. I paid sometimes even a cat price or above. For example a perfect stamp from Westaustralia number 1A inperforated, which is 200 EUROs in the catalogue for 220 EUROs. You don´t get such a stamp in this condition very often and with this the cat worth is only a suggestion. But I know, if I sell it again, I will get something similar. Because there are many collectors who want this stamp. But you can get only a fair price with experience. If someone has no experience I suggest, if the collection is something worth to contact an auction house. If it is nothing worth or only some 10 $, set it for 1 $ in ebay and you will get something near the fair price. Because there are many experienced collectors out there who are searching for such collections. Or you simple start to collect yourself. Most collections are not that valuable and in most cases there is no need to get 20 or 30 $ from ebay. Better start collecting them with the small collection you have. Nothing wrong with it.
Great video! The value of a stamp collection is not only in the total catalogue value of the collection and/or individual stamps but in the eyes of the buyer. A collector may not care how much time is involved to integrate a new collection or a lot into his current one.. A dealer on the other hand wants to sell the best items to recoup his cost and make a profit to cover his overhead ! Time is money! As you mentioned, many collections are remaindered after having been picked over. Another factor to value is the condition of the best items: hinging or not, centering and generally if the stamps are defect free. Stamps values decline rapidly, even for rare or scarce items if they are faulty, off-center or have no gum. Be well! Ed From NYC!
Cool show I have my name is Mike and I have a wide variety of stamps and some I just nobody's giving me the right answers and you seem nice to watch this show before and I believe that you're an honest man and I would like to send you some pics if any way possible and maybe you can help me out and maybe
Philatelic knowledge is key to buy and sell stamps. It is a skill acquired over time. For valuable stamps, expect to buy them with a reputable certificate like PSE, PSAG, etc. Dealers are here to make money and like any profession they are good and bad dealers. I have noticed that stamp prices are more expensive in stamp shows than buying on auction sites like Ebay.
It's important to remember that there is a difference between selling to a collector than selling to a dealer! A collecter can spend a little extra on an ordinary collection. A dealer may not invest in a collection containing stamps that he already has a lot of in stock!
Many of us grew up with these Harris albums, slowly graduating from the Traveler through the Senior Statesman, and maybe dreaming of the massive Citation, not realizing how unwieldy a thick single volume like that would be.
Yes, although not considered "premium" they were ubiquitous. Another publishing company was Grossman, not as well done as H E Harris, but cheaper . The more advanced collectors usually bought Scott albums. I'm not sure the albums mentioned by Mr. Silk even existed in the US in the 50s-70s.
Congrats Steven! Thanks Silk for doing a great give away. Great video as usual. I have year books that my grandmother bought for me back in the 80s. I hold on to them mostly because of the sentimental value. I appreciate your take on value and agree with you for the most part, however I must say I have always been a purchaser and not a seller.
This was most interesting. I love your videos. A few observations, however. MNH stamps before 1949 or so should not be lumped in with average stamps. You may observe that the same trends apply as to highly graded items in other collectible fields, most obviously baseball cards, comics, and coins. Terms like Extremely Fine and Superb will govern the market and drive up the price of high grade stamps. If you look at dealers ads in Linns, this is obviously happening. Secondly, mint sheets are much more desirable than single stamps, which have become awkward to collect as self adhesives have become the rule. Mint sheets are becoming harder to find-0post offices don’t stock them much. A whole new standard applies to something like the recent Walt Whitman issue, which already sells far above the issue price. I would buy them all day at 150 percent, but I wouldn’t find them at that price. No souvenir sheet should sell at issue price, unless it’s brand new, especially since Forever stamps have a built in appreciation. There’s much more I could say, but my main point is that if we treat stamps as inferior collectibles to comics or sports cards, they will be always less regarded, which makes absolutely no sense. Cheers and God bless from Texas!
Thanks for another great video Mr Silk, great information. I like how you have arranged your Canadian stock album collection, it's similar to what i see dealers doing at stamp fairs. Terry from Devon uk 😊
The premise behind the valuations given is that the owner will actually take the time to correctly value, photograph, list (correctly describe), and deliver each item to be sold. That time and effort has value. Most non-stamp collectors (as well as many collectors) are unwilling to put in that effort to sell their collections/inheritance/etc. They also lack the expertise to correctly identify, described and price their holdings. So when a dealer offers 70% (or less) of catalog or face value, they are not trying to rip off the owner, but reflecting the cost of selling plus some profit margin.
Absolutely... and there are a lot of reputable dealers who work hard to maintain the customer base and infrastructure needed to sell stamps for what they're actually worth...
I think you covered every topic properly and truthfully! Great job! And…I can’t wait to see your maple syrup themed stamps! 😂 And…not only are prices increasing right now…our local stamp club membership has almost doubled since the pandemic years! Nice! 👍 Congrats to the winner of the album! 🤌
Great advice to all of us, but if those collectors have passed away what to do with the collections [if you don't have family to pass them on] 1/write a will so that it can go to a certain friend or relative..or to a library. Anther thing is in the event of a disaster what happens if you didn't look after them.For the collectors who are in the Florida way, i hope that none lost valuable collections.
Another great video! Thank you Mr Silk. I also have a King George VI album, but cannot seem to face hinging the stamps into it. I really like your new stock book with labels approach and I’m wondering how I can adapt this approach to replace my KG VI album. As a positive, it will allow the inclusion of varieties etc.
Great video, as always! I think another layer to a stamp value can also be the types of cancellations on the stamps. Unfortunately, it can be quite difficult to determine if a cancel is rare or not, especially when the stamp comes from a country for which there isn't enough documentation.
Great point! There are so many variations and color, paper shades etc etc... I get why it's tough for folks outside the hobby to know what they have...
I have to respectfully disagree on the value of yearly package. Ok, maybe from a money point of view but from a knowledge point of view it's great! Learned a lot!
There's a lot of good stuff in this video - Thanks! I've been putting my more serious collections in EZ stamp which is convenient for several things - generating want lists, estimating the value of your collection - but also producing a detailed inventory of your collection with all grades of condition and ball park catalog values. I'm still not sure what to do with the big mass of pre-1940 that I have in my Big Blue set.
A lot of the stamps in the Traveler album looked like CTO's, or cancelled-to-order stamps. CTO's, for those of you who don't know, are stamps that possibly didn't sell in a given year and so a stamp-issuing entity will then fake cancel the stamps to sell at a steep discount to dealers in "used" packets. Why not sell dealers MNH stamps at a steep discount? Because then people might use those unused stamps for postage and they will have gotten it for very cheap, so this prevents stamp-issuing entities from losing a ton of money from people who wait for stamps to expire in order to buy them on clearance. So, the issuing country will "cancel" the stamps to protect from losing money on stamps that could still be used for sending mail, but I digress. Back to CTO's. Usually, the postmark on a cancelled-to-order stamp is on the edge or, more likely, the corner of the stamp so as not to obstruct the image on the stamp too dramatically, but it jumps out at you when you know what to look for. A lot of the stamps truly did look like CTO's. Nothing wrong with that, but I wouldn't want to fill too much of my album with those. That is all.
Definitely right on the CTO, thanks for pointing it out. I've got a slightly different take though... what value there is in these (not much) I think is from topical collectors, and as one -- trains!! -- I don't mind much when they're CTOs I just like the images
I agree. I am actually one of the people who don't mind the existence of CTO stamps. I just don't want too much space in any of my albums filled with them. That doesn't appear to be the case with your Traveler album, but I did notice a couple of spots where I saw several. I actually like that stamp-issuing entities actually "cancel" unused expired stamps in order to get them in the hands of more collectors. I know a lot of people cannot stand even the thought of CTO's, but I am not one of them. I actually respect what post offices are trying to do with the existence of CTO's. They are trying not to lose as much money, slash, they are trying not to go bankrupt and in our country that is $35 trillion in debt, I can get behind that idea. Also, the post offices are finding a way to do this by targetting and catering to collectors specifically which feels like a win/win to me. Just my [carmine lake] two cents.
Hi Thanks for your insights. I got some great ideas. I have 3+ albums collection in Hagner pages of mostly pre 1940 US and some classic Canada. 99% are VF+ NH. Some blocks many early Ducks, and multiples, better airmail ,BOB and some Confederate . Also a few used better older stamps. I was going to try to insure these as the value invested is growing. Should I try the long process of rating each item? Or bringing it to a dealer for a guesstimate? I have been collecting since 6th grade so I have alot of experience. I am hesitant to buy line pairs, arrow or center blocks basically anything where a line increases value. For me the same with the Washington/Franklin heads that need specialist knowledge to sort. The fancy cancels on early stamps caught my attention for awhile , but without expertising how do I know its real. Same with all the Confererate reprints.Not to mention regumming . Which brings me to another frustration I`m seeing alot in this hobby. I have many,many stamps that rival some offered by high profile dealers offering a $10 stamp for $100 or more because of SMQ... They all have Certs. which does help but does not really justify the huge markup on them . I could I suppose face the expense of getting certificates for alot of mine but would it be worth it for collections of great mostly handpicked copies of mid range value with no rare or $$$ value? Anyway I just retired so I`m going to have more time . Possibly a winter project to value my collection myself. I was asked by APS to state the value for insurance. Pondering that now.
The Traveler's album is barely basic and holds a mostly-CTO mix of "penny stamps." If a dealer even wanted it, I'd say 5 bucks. I'm not sure he could even sell it.
Hi, my dad recently gave me a box of letters that my great grandma saved. They are from the 1920-1940s. Lots and lots of stamps, vintage Christmas cards, and cool letters. I’d love help on figuring out what to do with all these things in limited time. Thanks!
How wonderful! Stamps are such a personal connection to our past, what a treasure box. I'd suggest scrolling around stampworld.com for awhile, and if you want to learn more about each stamp check out it's catalogue. Just remember that's not a price guide...
The stamp album, I cant see the title but at about 20 min. Stanley Gibbons Limited. Its not in pristine condition as a book. I saw clear signs minor bumping and edgewear. The covers look slightly bent, probably due to being filled with stamps and being left on its side. The pages show warping, either due to the thickness of that stamps. And the pages are clearly browning, typical of a book of this age but say it was stored in perfect condition. The pages would be much lighter, that is pristine condition for a book. Sorry you nerd about stamps, I nerd about books.
You can find them in hobby stores sometimes, though for a box of random stamps that are fun to sort through... and have a chance of finding something good... I'd check out shopgoodwill.com. There's a stamp category... lot of random stuff, and some fun lots too
One more point. Ignorance reigns in EBay. It is no place to sell something you really care about. It’s a shame that stamp or book auctions are so much more uncommon than was once the case. This is not true in Europe, particularly the UK, where the stamp and book markets are much more vibrant.
I totally agree... personally, I rarely buy individual stamps off ebay, though I think it's a market worth understanding as it is a primary tool for most of us to sell things like stamps, so it can help us understand what things are actually worth
A few years ago,to check the value of a Stamp Book,pre 1900 Book ,a Very reputable dealer working for the biggest Stamp Company World wide,he offered me $100 Dollars for this Book,this Book had very valuable Stamps including Scott 596,the whole Stamp industry is a total mess,I haven't got a clue how to fix it,you might have a solution.
@@tedlawrence4189 I have never heard the terms Amateurs or Professional's in your terms before,Sportsman and Woman yes.Their is no such a thing as Amateurs In Stamping terms, Collectors and Seller's.I think you inquiry is what I know about Stamps.My Grandfather collected stamps before 1900,I do know the ins and outs discussing Stamp Knowledge.I am super pleased theirs at least a few on the Tube,promoting Stamp collecting.I did ask many year's past why, Antique Road Show, did not have a Stamp Expert, answering it wasn't worth the uncontrollable risk,and do I have a 596 yes I have 3,and a collection of the same,from Half a cent onwards including 613 unused.The most interesting is a( 314 B )I will let you finger it out.These Stamps were collected in the early 1930,hand printed and perfect 11 by hand and issued urgently to USA defence personnel heading to the Australia and the War 2 heading out way,and obviously they needed stamps to communicate with Home USA.I am too old to collect now,and hope you fight like hell to keep it going.
Me and my family from before 1900 collected Stamps,if Stamp collecting is to survive,massive changes need to take place.The term that no person can spell or know it's meaning,has to go.STAMP Collecting should be enough,theirs no such a word Amature in collecting ,only Sport Athletes,relate to amateurs and professionals.As for Certified Stamp,I don't trust this unregulated system in any way.And far few good Certifiers than bad ones.I have failed many verry valuable Stamps as Rubbish,and Verry valuable Stamps good that Certifiers did not.Summing it all up I hoped Stanley Gibbons might step up to the plate. and be the beginning to a new Stamp collecting World,and it is the whole world,it huge this Stamp Collecting.Summing it up it a Mess,and is fixable.Their better be a back up when the Baby Boomer disappear,it could easily become nothing.
I think within the online stamp communities, there's a lot of pessimism and hostility towards stamps being worth anything monetarily. The community can survive and thrive with those who collect purely for fun and those who get fun from obsessing over the finer details with the stamps and the market as a whole. Other hobbies have the inverse problem where everyone is trying to be an investor and everyone thinks everything is worth a lot of money. There is the opposite problem within the stamp collecting sphere
So well said, and I completely agree with you. I touched this topic figuring I'd get blowback because there is such hostility... I wonder how much of it stems from lessons learned during the crash in the early 80s and then onward. Truth is, though, they can still be valuable pieces of paper and I, as a collector, can care about their history, their art and their value at the same time. That being said, I disliked immensely how my childhood hobby (baseball cards) became so heavily focused on dollars and cents over the years and I love that there isn't that same focus in philately for the most part... so I'm of several minds on it, I guess...
This was most interesting. I love your videos. A few observations, however. MNH stamps before 1949 or so should not be lumped in with average stamps. You may observe that the same trends apply as to highly graded items in other collectible fields, most obviously baseball cards, comics, and coins. Terms like Extremely Fine and Superb will govern the market and drive up the price of high grade stamps. If you look at dealers ads in Linns, this is obviously happening. Secondly, mint sheets are much more desirable than single stamps, which have become awkward to collect as self adhesives have become the rule. Mint sheets are becoming harder to find-0post offices don’t stock them much. A whole new standard applies to something like the recent Walt Whitman issue, which already sells far above the issue price. I would buy them all day at 150 percent, but I wouldn’t find them at that price. No souvenir sheet should sell at issue price, unless it’s brand new, especially since Forever stamps have a built in appreciation. There’s much more I could say, but my main point is that if we treat stamps as inferior collectibles to comics or sports cards, they will be always less regarded, which makes absolutely no sense. Cheers and God bless from Texas!
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
I love your excitement for common material based on the topic. That’s a good reason why people get interested in collecting. I personally don’t get excited for common material only because I’m working in philately to make a living. But I’m glad there are people like you who add value and excitement to the common material. We need that in our space.
My brother recently asked me what I believed the value of the stamp collection our father entrusted me was worth. I told him that I believed I had spent more on Vario sheets/ stamps, additional albums than what the initial mess I was entrusted with was worth. Not to mention time. To this day, I've yet to find one stamp that made me think there was any value in the hobby....but you are right! It's worth something other than $ and is an abyss of knowledge and history and art and relaxation. That is invaluable to me:) Thanks for another wonderful video:)
I just had this conversation with a few family members, and it can be tough, especially when our loved ones put a lot of time and energy into their collections. But, those collections can live on, even if they aren't as 'valuable' as they thought they'd be
My insurance company covers my GB collection at 65% of Stanley gibbons CV so I will only purchase at prices below this. It means sometimes I have to search long and hard to find what I want but that is part of the fun.
My collection has a value but not to me, I collect because like you it gives me more, relaxation, knowledge and a connection to my father. Also like you I hold onto the hope that one day my son will catch the bug and continue the collection. Thanks again for another great video, looking forward to the next.
Isn't long search part of thr fun!😂
Loved this video! Love your passion! Very informative, very helpful. Keep doing what you're doing.
My God, that King George VI album is a sight to behold. I could stare at it all day.
Love your shows! My Grandson's also watch your shows with me when they visit and work on their stamp collectios. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRIZE! The boys, Coldin and Liam will be opening the package with me. We will have a wonderful time going through the prize.
The boys love learning about stamps and World history with the foreign stamps.
In terms of quality albums don’t forget about lighthouse! My favorite hingeless
a short tip on catalogues for old stamps: both Scott and Yvert have catalogues for all stamps of the world 1840-1940 in one book, which is very handy for valuing old stamps
Whoops you got some liberty bell forevers! More than the others. You can get 80-90% 15:49 face for forevers
Nothing better than sorting through stamps while enjoying another Silk video! Another outstanding video with excellent advice! Looking forward to your Canadian collection re-org!
Retail is also highly dependent on location. Seattle-area retail rates are about 50% face for 1990s until Forevers, 10-20% for 3,4,5-cent stamps. Collections like the starter collection and the Strand book are found in box lots and sell for $5-10/each. Often many of the stamps in old albums are damaged so if counting based on catalog value it's something like 50% of the total number of stamps times realistic retail for MCV stamps, which seems to be about 1/10 to 1-cent/stamp in bulk.
As mentioned in the video the value of reusable supplies also affects value; stock books in good condition, or good specialized albums still sold such as Scott specialized are more expensive. Example - I just saw a box lot of Nordic Scott specialized albums with pages through early 2000, nice binders and 10% filled with stamps including mint in mounts that was priced at $90. This box would be a wonderful way to get into collecting stamps from the Nordics and the albums could be extended with supplements.
However, these prices are due to having a few local dealers in the state, several local stamp shows, etc. On a recent visit to Vancouver BC, retail rices were triple above due to local conditions there; with some things more plentiful like Canada, UK and Commonwealth.
Such a great point... I'd never considered that where you live can impact the prices of stamps! But it makes sense, as there's a lot of shows and dealers where I live, relative to other places I bet
11:18 very correct. Good knowledge. Yes they are worth a fraction of face value. Very good Silk
Fantastic and very helpful video. Thanks Silk! I love your Canadian Method. I am going to use that as I work on mine. Currently combing through a huge haul from another stamp collector friend generous enough to just give me a grapefruit box full of stamps.
How fun!!
*not all unused stamps command a premium. Some authentically period used stamps are worth more used than unused. ie US Scott #39
Great video with interesting content . I'm an advanced stamp collector with a variety of back of book collections.
You are absolutly right to know, how much stamps are worth. I don´t sell a lot, in the past sometimes via ebay, but in Germany it is a bit complicated. You can easy be a stamp dealer, even if you are only a private collector and you want to sell the stamps you don´t need. It is difficult nowadays. I don´t want to be a stamp dealer, I only want to be a collector.
With this if you buy stamps, you should know what something costs and is a fair price. It is the same like discovering fake stamps, what dealer want to sell you as a genuine. I don´t know how it works in America, but in Europe you have many people who want to steal your money. Especially when you are not experienced. You need your time to get experienced and when I look for example to some stamps I bought 20 - 30 years ago, there is a lot I would not buy today or not for the price I paid. You have to learn this and for sure it will hurt you. Even today this can happen to me, but it is very seldom.
You showed it quite well. 90% of all existing stamps are worth nothing, but in a nice album you get some $$. Your 1911 album is a bit different, you have no magical stamps in there, but they are some interesting because they are old and there are collectors out there looking for them. Especiually for the more often variants up to the 1920s there is far more demand than 10 years ago. The one album you have with all the nice sets from the UK colonies has some worth, it is really valuable.
I like old stamps and the appearance is always key. Take the first stamp from UK from 1840: If it is in a good condition (4 white margins), a very nice malteser cross (we don´t talk about the plates), you can pay easy 200 EUROs on auctions and on top 25% for taxes/auction house etc., thats 250 EUROs. Cat worth overall till 1900 is difficult, because the appearance is key. I paid sometimes even a cat price or above. For example a perfect stamp from Westaustralia number 1A inperforated, which is 200 EUROs in the catalogue for 220 EUROs. You don´t get such a stamp in this condition very often and with this the cat worth is only a suggestion. But I know, if I sell it again, I will get something similar. Because there are many collectors who want this stamp.
But you can get only a fair price with experience. If someone has no experience I suggest, if the collection is something worth to contact an auction house. If it is nothing worth or only some 10 $, set it for 1 $ in ebay and you will get something near the fair price. Because there are many experienced collectors out there who are searching for such collections. Or you simple start to collect yourself. Most collections are not that valuable and in most cases there is no need to get 20 or 30 $ from ebay. Better start collecting them with the small collection you have. Nothing wrong with it.
Great video! The value of a stamp collection is not only in the total catalogue value of the collection and/or individual stamps but in the eyes of the buyer. A collector may not care how much time is involved to integrate a new collection or a lot into his current one.. A dealer on the other hand wants to sell the best items to recoup his cost and make a profit to cover his overhead ! Time is money! As you mentioned, many collections are remaindered after having been picked over. Another factor to value is the condition of the best items: hinging or not, centering and generally if the stamps are defect free. Stamps values decline rapidly, even for rare or scarce items if they are faulty, off-center or have no gum. Be well! Ed From NYC!
Cool show I have my name is Mike and I have a wide variety of stamps and some I just nobody's giving me the right answers and you seem nice to watch this show before and I believe that you're an honest man and I would like to send you some pics if any way possible and maybe you can help me out and maybe
Philatelic knowledge is key to buy and sell stamps. It is a skill acquired over time. For valuable stamps, expect to buy them with a reputable certificate like PSE, PSAG, etc. Dealers are here to make money and like any profession they are good and bad dealers. I have noticed that stamp prices are more expensive in stamp shows than buying on auction sites like Ebay.
Dig the Jim Henson/ Muppets sheet! LOve the Muppets! My folks and I watched them...!!
It's important to remember that there is a difference between selling to a collector than selling to a dealer! A collecter can spend a little extra on an ordinary collection. A dealer may not invest in a collection containing stamps that he already has a lot of in stock!
Absolutely... and just because something's worth X doesn't mean someone will give you X tomorrow for it...
Many of us grew up with these Harris albums, slowly graduating from the Traveler through the Senior Statesman, and maybe dreaming of the massive Citation, not realizing how unwieldy a thick single volume like that would be.
Yes, although not considered "premium" they were ubiquitous. Another publishing company was Grossman, not as well done as H E Harris, but cheaper . The more advanced collectors usually bought Scott albums. I'm not sure the albums mentioned by Mr. Silk even existed in the US in the 50s-70s.
Congrats Steven! Thanks Silk for doing a great give away. Great video as usual. I have year books that my grandmother bought for me back in the 80s. I hold on to them mostly because of the sentimental value. I appreciate your take on value and agree with you for the most part, however I must say I have always been a purchaser and not a seller.
I've got something similar... and they are by far more valuable to me than my 'expensive' stamps...
🎯 Enjoy your show about stamps and thanks for letting us see you're collection
This was most interesting. I love your videos. A few observations, however. MNH stamps before 1949 or so should not be lumped in with average stamps. You may observe that the same trends apply as to highly graded items in other collectible fields, most obviously baseball cards, comics, and coins. Terms like Extremely Fine and Superb will govern the market and drive up the price of high grade stamps. If you look at dealers ads in Linns, this is obviously happening.
Secondly, mint sheets are much more desirable than single stamps, which have become awkward to collect as self adhesives have become the rule. Mint sheets are becoming harder to find-0post offices don’t stock them much. A whole new standard applies to something like the recent Walt Whitman issue, which already sells far above the issue price. I would buy them all day at 150 percent, but I wouldn’t find them at that price. No souvenir sheet should sell at issue price, unless it’s brand new, especially since Forever stamps have a built in appreciation.
There’s much more I could say, but my main point is that if we treat stamps as inferior collectibles to comics or sports cards, they will be always less regarded, which makes absolutely no sense.
Cheers and God bless from Texas!
I'd push your date back from 1949 to 1915-1920. Stamps from the 20th century are terribly easy to find.
Thanks for another great video Mr Silk, great information. I like how you have arranged your Canadian stock album collection, it's similar to what i see dealers doing at stamp fairs. Terry from Devon uk 😊
New subscriber! This was such an informative video! And I love how you emphasize the value of stamps beyond their monetary value!
Welcome!
The premise behind the valuations given is that the owner will actually take the time to correctly value, photograph, list (correctly describe), and deliver each item to be sold. That time and effort has value. Most non-stamp collectors (as well as many collectors) are unwilling to put in that effort to sell their collections/inheritance/etc. They also lack the expertise to correctly identify, described and price their holdings. So when a dealer offers 70% (or less) of catalog or face value, they are not trying to rip off the owner, but reflecting the cost of selling plus some profit margin.
Absolutely... and there are a lot of reputable dealers who work hard to maintain the customer base and infrastructure needed to sell stamps for what they're actually worth...
I think you covered every topic properly and truthfully! Great job! And…I can’t wait to see your maple syrup themed stamps! 😂
And…not only are prices increasing right now…our local stamp club membership has almost doubled since the pandemic years! Nice! 👍
Congrats to the winner of the album! 🤌
Great advice to all of us, but if those collectors have passed away what to do with the collections [if you don't have family to pass them on] 1/write a will so that it can go to a certain friend or relative..or to a library. Anther thing is in the event of a disaster what happens if you didn't look after them.For the collectors who are in the Florida way, i hope that none lost valuable collections.
Another great video! Thank you Mr Silk.
I also have a King George VI album, but cannot seem to face hinging the stamps into it. I really like your new stock book with labels approach and I’m wondering how I can adapt this approach to replace my KG VI album. As a positive, it will allow the inclusion of varieties etc.
early Canada might be it. Looking forward to this.
Great video!! Congrats Steven K.
Great video, as always! I think another layer to a stamp value can also be the types of cancellations on the stamps. Unfortunately, it can be quite difficult to determine if a cancel is rare or not, especially when the stamp comes from a country for which there isn't enough documentation.
Great point! There are so many variations and color, paper shades etc etc... I get why it's tough for folks outside the hobby to know what they have...
I have to respectfully disagree on the value of yearly package. Ok, maybe from a money point of view but from a knowledge point of view it's great! Learned a lot!
That’s not a bad estimate. Since some will be worth a few bucks and most have no value. 20 cents seems realistic for volume. 18:56
Awesome
There's a lot of good stuff in this video - Thanks! I've been putting my more serious collections in EZ stamp which is convenient for several things - generating want lists, estimating the value of your collection - but also producing a detailed inventory of your collection with all grades of condition and ball park catalog values. I'm still not sure what to do with the big mass of pre-1940 that I have in my Big Blue set.
A lot of the stamps in the Traveler album looked like CTO's, or cancelled-to-order stamps. CTO's, for those of you who don't know, are stamps that possibly didn't sell in a given year and so a stamp-issuing entity will then fake cancel the stamps to sell at a steep discount to dealers in "used" packets. Why not sell dealers MNH stamps at a steep discount? Because then people might use those unused stamps for postage and they will have gotten it for very cheap, so this prevents stamp-issuing entities from losing a ton of money from people who wait for stamps to expire in order to buy them on clearance. So, the issuing country will "cancel" the stamps to protect from losing money on stamps that could still be used for sending mail, but I digress. Back to CTO's. Usually, the postmark on a cancelled-to-order stamp is on the edge or, more likely, the corner of the stamp so as not to obstruct the image on the stamp too dramatically, but it jumps out at you when you know what to look for. A lot of the stamps truly did look like CTO's. Nothing wrong with that, but I wouldn't want to fill too much of my album with those. That is all.
Definitely right on the CTO, thanks for pointing it out. I've got a slightly different take though... what value there is in these (not much) I think is from topical collectors, and as one -- trains!! -- I don't mind much when they're CTOs I just like the images
I agree. I am actually one of the people who don't mind the existence of CTO stamps. I just don't want too much space in any of my albums filled with them. That doesn't appear to be the case with your Traveler album, but I did notice a couple of spots where I saw several. I actually like that stamp-issuing entities actually "cancel" unused expired stamps in order to get them in the hands of more collectors. I know a lot of people cannot stand even the thought of CTO's, but I am not one of them. I actually respect what post offices are trying to do with the existence of CTO's. They are trying not to lose as much money, slash, they are trying not to go bankrupt and in our country that is $35 trillion in debt, I can get behind that idea. Also, the post offices are finding a way to do this by targetting and catering to collectors specifically which feels like a win/win to me. Just my [carmine lake] two cents.
💲 P.S. I'm still looking for one of those three missing Inverted Jennys ✳️ 24ct. Airmail somewhere in thrift store... lost
Very nice 👍
Hi Thanks for your insights. I got some great ideas. I have 3+ albums collection in Hagner pages of mostly pre 1940 US and some classic Canada. 99% are VF+ NH. Some blocks many early Ducks, and multiples, better airmail ,BOB and some Confederate . Also a few used better older stamps. I was going to try to insure these as the value invested is growing. Should I try the long process of rating each item? Or bringing it to a dealer for a guesstimate? I have been collecting since 6th grade so I have alot of experience. I am hesitant to buy line pairs, arrow or center blocks basically anything where a line increases value. For me the same with the Washington/Franklin heads that need specialist knowledge to sort. The fancy cancels on early stamps caught my attention for awhile , but without expertising how do I know its real. Same with all the Confererate reprints.Not to mention regumming . Which brings me to another frustration I`m seeing alot in this hobby. I have many,many stamps that rival some offered by high profile dealers offering a $10 stamp for $100 or more because of SMQ... They all have Certs. which does help but does not really justify the huge markup on them . I could I suppose face the expense of getting certificates for alot of mine but would it be worth it for collections of great mostly handpicked copies of mid range value with no rare or $$$ value? Anyway I just retired so I`m going to have more time . Possibly a winter project to value my collection myself. I was asked by APS to state the value for insurance. Pondering that now.
The Traveler's album is barely basic and holds a mostly-CTO mix of "penny stamps." If a dealer even wanted it, I'd say 5 bucks. I'm not sure he could even sell it.
Yeah, that's fair... I probably inflated it a bit out of respect to the owner, and since it's part of the giveaway...
Hi, my dad recently gave me a box of letters that my great grandma saved. They are from the 1920-1940s. Lots and lots of stamps, vintage Christmas cards, and cool letters. I’d love help on figuring out what to do with all these things in limited time. Thanks!
How wonderful! Stamps are such a personal connection to our past, what a treasure box. I'd suggest scrolling around stampworld.com for awhile, and if you want to learn more about each stamp check out it's catalogue. Just remember that's not a price guide...
$25 to $45 seems OK for a starter album with lots of CTO's in it.
😌😌
Hi Silk. What about valuing for insurance purposes. Great video. Best regards from james in Scotland.
Excellent idea for a future video!
The stamp album, I cant see the title but at about 20 min. Stanley Gibbons Limited. Its not in pristine condition as a book. I saw clear signs minor bumping and edgewear. The covers look slightly bent, probably due to being filled with stamps and being left on its side. The pages show warping, either due to the thickness of that stamps. And the pages are clearly browning, typical of a book of this age but say it was stored in perfect condition. The pages would be much lighter, that is pristine condition for a book. Sorry you nerd about stamps, I nerd about books.
Hi Silk. What way does it work for unmounted mint stamps. Here in ireland, CV prices and dealer retail prices are the same. Great video
from iraq- i love you hahhahaha i love the stamps
Silk, as a person making his first stamp purchase…. Where is the best place to buy a mix bag of stamps to start?
You can find them in hobby stores sometimes, though for a box of random stamps that are fun to sort through... and have a chance of finding something good... I'd check out shopgoodwill.com. There's a stamp category... lot of random stuff, and some fun lots too
@@HarperBombTry Hobby Lobby
I picked up some bags for my grand sons. We enjoyed them a lot. 😃
One more point. Ignorance reigns in EBay. It is no place to sell something you really care about. It’s a shame that stamp or book auctions are so much more uncommon than was once the case. This is not true in Europe, particularly the UK, where the stamp and book markets are much more vibrant.
I totally agree... personally, I rarely buy individual stamps off ebay, though I think it's a market worth understanding as it is a primary tool for most of us to sell things like stamps, so it can help us understand what things are actually worth
A few years ago,to check the value of a Stamp Book,pre 1900 Book ,a Very reputable dealer working for the biggest Stamp Company World wide,he offered me $100 Dollars for this Book,this Book had very valuable Stamps including Scott 596,the whole Stamp industry is a total mess,I haven't got a clue how to fix it,you might have a solution.
Did the 596 have expertization? You sound like an amateur.
@@tedlawrence4189 I have never heard the terms Amateurs or Professional's in your terms before,Sportsman and Woman yes.Their is no such a thing as Amateurs In Stamping terms, Collectors and Seller's.I think you inquiry is what I know about Stamps.My Grandfather collected stamps before 1900,I do know the ins and outs discussing Stamp Knowledge.I am super pleased theirs at least a few on the Tube,promoting Stamp collecting.I did ask many year's past why, Antique Road Show, did not have a Stamp Expert, answering it wasn't worth the uncontrollable risk,and do I have a 596 yes I have 3,and a collection of the same,from Half a cent onwards including 613 unused.The most interesting is a( 314 B )I will let you finger it out.These Stamps were collected in the early 1930,hand printed and perfect 11 by hand and issued urgently to USA defence personnel heading to the Australia and the War 2 heading out way,and obviously they needed stamps to communicate with Home USA.I am too old to collect now,and hope you fight like hell to keep it going.
I have such a large collection that its overwhelming. I need to talk to someone about selling them.
I, too, have the sense that stamp collecting is picking up steam a bit, but am wondering why you think that.
LOST SOUND AT 10:30; regained a couple minutes later.
Thanks for the heads up, I appreciate it... I'll correct...
We just moved to Spain and I had just unpacked my Pc last night. I thought it was a sound card error. Thankfully it wasn't.
They are worth 100 % face value
For postage, not in cash
Me and my family from before 1900 collected Stamps,if Stamp collecting is to survive,massive changes need to take place.The term that no person can spell or know it's meaning,has to go.STAMP Collecting should be enough,theirs no such a word Amature in collecting ,only Sport Athletes,relate to amateurs and professionals.As for Certified Stamp,I don't trust this unregulated system in any way.And far few good Certifiers than bad ones.I have failed many verry valuable Stamps as Rubbish,and Verry valuable Stamps good that Certifiers did not.Summing it all up I hoped Stanley Gibbons might step up to the plate. and be the beginning to a new Stamp collecting World,and it is the whole world,it huge this Stamp Collecting.Summing it up it a Mess,and is fixable.Their better be a back up when the Baby Boomer disappear,it could easily become nothing.
I think within the online stamp communities, there's a lot of pessimism and hostility towards stamps being worth anything monetarily. The community can survive and thrive with those who collect purely for fun and those who get fun from obsessing over the finer details with the stamps and the market as a whole. Other hobbies have the inverse problem where everyone is trying to be an investor and everyone thinks everything is worth a lot of money. There is the opposite problem within the stamp collecting sphere
So well said, and I completely agree with you. I touched this topic figuring I'd get blowback because there is such hostility... I wonder how much of it stems from lessons learned during the crash in the early 80s and then onward. Truth is, though, they can still be valuable pieces of paper and I, as a collector, can care about their history, their art and their value at the same time. That being said, I disliked immensely how my childhood hobby (baseball cards) became so heavily focused on dollars and cents over the years and I love that there isn't that same focus in philately for the most part... so I'm of several minds on it, I guess...
Hi.i have over 1500 postal stamps.. can I send you pics of them..to check about the values..plz help 😁
..this must be stamped out..😅
Ha!!! Ten points for a great pun
Traveller is spelt wrongly.
Can somebody help me sell my collection of stamps?
How do I know the value of my stamps?
This was most interesting. I love your videos. A few observations, however. MNH stamps before 1949 or so should not be lumped in with average stamps. You may observe that the same trends apply as to highly graded items in other collectible fields, most obviously baseball cards, comics, and coins. Terms like Extremely Fine and Superb will govern the market and drive up the price of high grade stamps. If you look at dealers ads in Linns, this is obviously happening.
Secondly, mint sheets are much more desirable than single stamps, which have become awkward to collect as self adhesives have become the rule. Mint sheets are becoming harder to find-0post offices don’t stock them much. A whole new standard applies to something like the recent Walt Whitman issue, which already sells far above the issue price. I would buy them all day at 150 percent, but I wouldn’t find them at that price. No souvenir sheet should sell at issue price, unless it’s brand new, especially since Forever stamps have a built in appreciation.
There’s much more I could say, but my main point is that if we treat stamps as inferior collectibles to comics or sports cards, they will be always less regarded, which makes absolutely no sense.
Cheers and God bless from Texas!
A very good point regarding how we value our collections... I do think we do the hobby a disservice when we ignore the financial aspects of collecting