Where is the best place to sell your stamp collection?
Sotheby’s is your best resource for selling rare stamps at auction. Since our first postage stamps auction was held in 1872, Sotheby’s has represented the most significant and famous philatelists, including Sir Maxwell Joseph, Ryohei Ishikawa, Robert Gibbs, Sir Gawaine Baillie and Lady Mairi Bury.
How do I sell my old stamp collection?
9 ways to sell your stamp collection
- Stamp magazines. The reputable publication ‘Stamp Magazine’ (above) is available from larger newsagents and the classified advertising section will help you to locate dealers and collectors who offer a valuation service.
- Stamp fairs.
- Philatelic Traders Society.
- Sell at auction.
Is there a market for stamp collections?
Are stamp collections valuable? The short answer to this is yes. Stamp collections can be valuable. Not all stamp collections will be worth a significant amount of money.
Do stamp collections still have value?
A Note About Modern Postage
Nearly all unused U.S. stamps issued after 1930 are worth face value.
How much does it cost to have a stamp collection appraised?
$75 to $250 an hour
Appraisals. – A formal appraisal may not be needed unless required for legal purposes. A formal appraisal could cost $75 to $250 an hour and provides no guarantee that the material can be sold for the valuation provided.
How do I know if my stamp collection is worth anything?
How to Determine Stamp Values
- Option 1: Find out the Stamp Values by Yourself. Identify the stamp.
- Option 2: Check out a Printed Reference.
- Option 3: Research the Stamp Values via the Internet.
- Option 4: Attend a Stamp Show.
- Option 5: Find out the Stamp Values via a knowledgeable Stamp Expert, Dealer or Appraiser.
How do you find out if my stamps are worth anything?
Is stamp collecting a dead hobby?
The true value of stamps
Stamp collecting will never die out. Collections will be bought, sold and inherited and there will be new collectors who may gain an interest from an inherited collection, they just don’t know it yet!
How can I tell if my stamps are valuable?
Which old stamps are worth money?
21 most valuable stamps in the world
- Mauritius 1847 Post Office Stamps: $12,760,600.
- British Guiana 1856 1 Cent Magenta: $11,601,700.
- Benjamin Franklin Z Grill: $4,441,000.
- Swedish Treskilling Yellow: $4,238,000.
- Sicilian Error of Color: $2,570,600.
- Two Penny Blue: $2,322,400.
- The Whole Country Is Red: $2,302,700.
How do I find out if my stamps are worth anything?
What rare stamps are collectors looking for?
Three Rare and Valuable Collectible Stamps
- The Inverted Jenny, Source: Wikimedia Commons.
- 1847 5 Cent Benjamin Franklin Stamp, Source: Wikimedia Commons.
- 1851 Hawaiian Postage Stamp, Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Why have stamps lost their value?
Billionaires still trophy hunt ultra-rare specimens, but most stamps have seen their values collapse due to dwindling demand—and even market collapse as public auctions are put on hold in the wake of a pandemic.
What type of people collect stamps?
Stamp collecting is generally accepted as one of the areas that make up the wider subject of philately, which is the study of stamps. A philatelist may, but does not have to, collect stamps. It is not uncommon for the term philatelist to be used to mean a stamp collector.
How do I get my stamps 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.
What Year stamps are valuable?
The 10 Most Valuable U.S. Stamps
- The Inverted Jenny. (Courtesy of Siegel Auction Gallery)
- 1847 Issue Block of 16 of Ben Franklin.
- Almanac Stamp of 1765 or 1766.
- ‘Blue Boy’ Alexandria Postmaster’s Provisional.
- 1869 Pictorials—Inverted Center Errors.
- Two-Cent Blue Hawaiian Missionary.
- 1860 Stolen Pony Cover.
- Pan American Inverts.
What is the rarest US postage stamp?
USA 1868 1¢ Benjamin Franklin Z Grill – $3 million (£2.6m) The 1868 Benjamin Franklin Z Grill is the rarest and most valuable of all US postage stamps. This example, which belongs to storied collector William H. Gross and is listed in the Scott Catalogue for $3 million (£2.3m), is only one of two in existence.
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. You will, indeed, get out of it what you choose to put into it. Good luck and happy collecting!
Are old stamps worth anything if used?
They are hardly ever worth anything significant unless, of course, they contain a rare stamp error.
What is the most essential rule of stamp collecting?
Stamps should be stored away from light, heat and moisture or they will be damaged. Stamps can be displayed according to the collector’s wishes, by country, topic, or even by size, which can create a display pleasing to the eye. There are no rules and it is entirely a matter for the individual collector to decide.
What country has most valuable stamps?
The British Guiana 1c Magenta is the most valuable rare stamp in the world. In 1856, The British Guiana (now the independent nation of Guyana) post office issued the initial run of 1c magenta stamps for use in newspaper circulation.
What do you call a person who collects stamps?
Definition of philatelist
: a specialist in philately : one who collects or studies stamps.
What is the rarest stamp ever?
British Guiana 1 Cent Magenta
British Guiana 1 Cent Magenta: $11,601,700
Known as the rarest stamp in the world, it was sold in 2014 to shoe designer Stuart Weitzman for $9.5 million, equivalent to $11,601,700 in inflation-adjusted 2022 dollars.
What are the rarest US stamps?
The Inverted Jenny
Debatably the rarest stamp error in U.S. history, the Inverted Jenny is among the most mythical. The plane depicted on the stamp is the JN-4HM, built by the Curtiss company in the middle of World War I (95 percent of U.S. pilots trained on JN-4s during WWI).
Why is stamp collecting a good hobby?
Stamp collecting inculcates the values of orderliness and a sense of responsibility. Children who pursue this hobby are very particular about how their stamps are displayed. Stamps of the same themes or countries are kept together in albums.
How can I sell my stamp collection?
Where can I find the value of stamps?
Auction sites, stamp dealer sites, stamp forum sites, and stamp sites put up by stamp collectors and enthusiasts can easily be found online and these can give you an idea of the current market price of a particular stamp. You can easily and quickly find stamp values at StampWorld.com.
Does anyone buy old stamp collections?
You can also sell your collection to a stamp auction house. However, their fees are upward of 40-50% of the sale price. Comparatively, many stamp dealers will consider 20-30% profit of the sale price. Some may even go as low as 10%, depending on how fast they can resell the material.
Are old Cancelled stamps worth anything?
Cancelled stamps do have value but it is usually far less than stamps without cancellation marks on them. The value attached to a cancelled stamp will depend on the stamp’s rarity and desirability for collecting. Generally, the heavier the cancellation mark, the lower the stamp’s value and it will get a “poor” grade.
Is there an app to identify stamps value?
Stamp Identifier uses advanced image recognition technology to find that stamp and provide you more details about it, courtesy of colnect.com, a social network for worldwide collectors which has the world’s largest online stamp catalog.
How much are stamps from 1970 worth?
Adjusted for inflation, $0.06 in 1970 is equal to $0.44 in 2022. Annual inflation over this period was 3.92%. On January 1, 1970, a first class U.S. postage stamp cost $0.06. This is equivalent to $0.44 in 2022 dollars.
Are stamps from the 1930s worth anything?
Nearly all unused U.S. stamps issued after 1930 are worth face value. While 1930 is nearly 100 years ago, stamps issued after this date are considered to be modern in the stamp collecting and stamp dealing community. There was a giant boom in postage production after this period of time.
What are stamp collectors looking for?
In the United States, a collector may search for a few of the country’s original issued stamps, which date to 1847. If one hunts even further, they may find stamps that were produced in 1845 and 1847, as certain Postmasters distributed their own stamps or so-called Provisionals.
Is there a free app to identify stamps?
Stamp ID Pro is a stamp collecting app that makes it easy to identify United States stamps quickly. It uses the process of elimination to identify each stamp in the least number of possible steps.
What is the rarest stamp?
What are old 1 cent stamps worth?
Most 1¢ green Benjamin Franklin stamps are common and valued at less than $1, but two rotary press varieties that look almost the same as common flat-plate issues are scarce and worth thousands.
How much is a 1932 George Washington stamp worth?
1932 Regular Issues
Denom. | Description | Used |
---|---|---|
3 cent | George Washington | $0.20 |
3 cent | George Washington Perforated 10 V | $0.25 |
3 cent | George Washington Perforated 10 H | $0.70 |
6 cent | James Garfield Perforated 10 V | $0.30 |
Are stamps worth collecting anymore?
Why do inmates put stamps upside down?
There’s no better way to tell someone in jail you love them. An upside-down stamp means “I love you.” The stamp posted slightly off-kilter means “I miss you.” There’s a lot more crammed into the placement of one little square on a slightly larger square.
What stamps are rare to look for?
What 3 cent stamps are worth money?
The rarest three-center, an 1867 rose-colored likeness of George Washington, is worth $45,000 in mint condition. But most old 3-cent stamps bring under $50, says Mr. Katz. “Everyone has them; they were printed by the millions.
What are the most valuable presidential stamps?
Most valuable U.S. stamps
- $1,400,000. 15c Abraham Lincoln stamp, 1867.
- $1,350,000. Inverted Jenny stamp, 1918.
- $1,200,000. 24c Declaration of Independence stamp with inverted center, 1869.
- $900,000. 3c George Washington stamp, 1867.
- $850,000. 1c Benjamin Franklin stamp, 1868.
- $800,000.
- $600,000.
- $375,000.
Why is stamp collecting dying?
The overall effect of all this is that stamp prices have declined due to numerous part time and one-time sellers willing to undercut the market in order to liquidate their collections. Since many of these sellers are retired, they put a very low value on the time and effort needed to conduct their business.
Is it OK to put tape over a postage stamp?
Affix your stamps securely, but do not put tape over the stamp(s) — this invalidates the postage. If your envelope is textured, or contains decorative fibers or floral inclusions, you may want to secure the postage using a glue stick.
What are the most sought after stamps?
What is the rarest 3 cent stamp?
USA 1867 3¢ George Washington B-grill Rose – $900,000 (£768k) This exceedingly rare version of the 1867 3¢ George Washington stamp in rose is one of America’s most sought-after philatelic treasures. The last example to come up at auction sold for a staggering $900,000 (£768k).