United Nations Medallic First Day Covers -Info Needed

hello,first let me say i'm glad I found this forum.i hope y'all can help me.

i have a chance to buy the 72,73, and 74 set of U.N. Medallic First Day Cover sets.

i have done a search on here and nothing came up.what can y'all tell me about them?how many years did they make them?what would be a fair price to pay for them?

also, another dumb question - each cover has a sterling silver medal.
what is sterling silver?i have always heard the term but don't know what it means is it solid silver like a silver dollar or is it plated silver?

any help or advice y'all could give would be greatly appreciated.i have to let the guy know if I want it pretty quick before he sells to someone else.so,please let me know.

thanks,
T.J.

Hey TJ-

I all am not that familiar with UN stamps, but in answer to your qustion about Sterling, here's what Wiki says:

Sterling silver is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% by weight of silver and 7.5% by weight of other metals, usually copper.

The sterling silver standard has a minimum millesimal fineness of 925.

Fine silver (99.9% pure) is generally too soft for producing functional objects; therefore, the silver is usually alloyed with copper to give it strength, while at the same time preserving the ductility and beauty of the precious metal.

Other metals can replace the copper, usually with the intent to improve various properties of the basic sterling alloy such as reducing casting porosity, eliminating firescale, and increasing resistance to tarnish.

So, as to the medallions with the UN stamps, how much do they weigh; and, are they solid sterling silver or plated?

Silver prices are around $30 per ounce (Sterling 92.5% of that price) less fees, if you were to sell them.

Just part of what you have to consider in buying the stamps and medallions.

Hope I helped.

Is this the sort of thing you're talking about?

http://www.icollector.com/United-Na...dal_i8693212

XNBer,
thanks for the help.i never thought about looking on Wikki.i dont know if it's solid or plated.the cover (under the medal) says first edition proof . sterling silver

22crows,
yes that is it.the one you linked to is the first in the set of 5.

there is 15 total covers in the album.5 for each year

thanks for the help.i appreciate it.
T.J.

so $16 dollars for each cover wouldn't be that bad of a price...would it?

thanks for all the help.i appreciate it

T.J.

I do not have a Gaines catalog, so I cannot tell you the catalog value of the medallic covers.

I would recommend contacting Gitner Philatelists (1-800-94STAMP). They cover everything UN.

At this point, I'm not sure if you are considering buying this because you simply enjoy them and want to collect them; or, you are looking at this from a financial value/investment perspective.

If you want to get a better idea of the true market value of something, see what the dealers are willing to pay to buy it. If they won't even consider it, then pay whatever you are willing to pay for your enjoyment and throw out any ideas regarding financial gain/investment.

If someone is pressuring you to buy something by saying he has other buyers ready to buy, well then why are they waiting to sell to you?

Just my opinion.

That being said, there are people who collect them and enjoy them.

khj,

i am a new collector.the guy who has them wanted to offer them to me because they are addressed to a family member.if I dont buy them he intends to sell them for the value of the silver.i just had no idea of the value and didn't want to get charged too much.they have more of a sentimental value to me than anything else.

thanks,
T.J.

That, to me, would be a great and wonderful reason and the main reason. Thanks for mentioning that. I think it's great that you are considering purchasing it for that reason.

I do not know the value of the silver content for those covers. However, it may be worth considering one option if the dealer is willing -- maybe purchasing only a couple of the covers, rather than the entire set. These types of medallions are not the preferred method for buying/selling silver, and it will be reflected in the buy price a metals trader offers you based on the silver content.

Thanks again for posting. Your reply is quite refreshing!

Best wishes...

k

By the way, did you try posting your question on the Coin side of this Forum?

i want to thank everyone for all the help and advice.it is greatly appreciated.

i am going to go ahead and buy them.thanks to the link 22crows posted : I figure if one cover sold for $13.50 in '09 it will be worth $16 each to get my Grandfathers sets back to where they belong.

thanks again,
T.J.

Those items are worth their melt value to anyone other than family...
So you made a good save there. Otherwise these would have been
transformed into rings or something by the end of the year.

Oh, and $16 per cover is a steal.
They are worth at least $25 bux each to turn them in for melting at this moment.

ratio411,

thanks for your help.i agree with you totally.i am grateful that he offered them to me.he also offered them to a couple of other family members before me but they all declined the offer.

thanks,
T.J.