Can You Help Me?

Hello everyone. I am hoping that you all can help me. First of all, let me tell you that I am NOT a stamp collector, but I did recently purchase a shoe box full of stamps from a local estate auction(I only paid $5 for the whole box). They were very poorly organized; they were all basically just grouped together in envelopes by country(there are stamps from all over the world). Most of them are old(some 1800's and early 1900's) and some are not. I have been trying to identify all of the stamps for each country(as far as year issued, etc) but I am not so sure I am understanding everything correctly and it seems to be taking me forever. I will be re-selling most of them on ebay(however, I must say that I have gotten a slight bit of interest in stamps, so I may keep some of the duplicates and maybe more to start my own collection), so I wanted try and get as much information as I could about them and I also want to make sure I don't have anything worth any real money before I group them all together in a lot and list them. Would it be ok if I started posting pictures up here? I don't necessarily need appraisals, I guess I would just mainly like to know if any are worth listing separately(I don't want to list one that might be worth more than a couple of dollars in a large lot if I could have made more money on it) and any information you guys, as collectors, would feel I would need to know to add into the auction listings(I guess year issued and series names). I sure hope you guys can help because I'm about ready to give up!

Sorry to disappoint you, but you paid $5 for a box of stamps
[>2] anymore than two, and you are a stamp collector.
That's OK we won't tell anybody, your reputation is safe

Certainly post a page of stamps here,
the guys and gals like to assist.
We can generally advise the broad quality
I would strongly advise you secure a world wide
stamp catalogue, using a stamp catalogue
is generally fun (until you can't find an issue)
then we can help again.

Welcome to the greatest hobby on earth.

Hello bidetsith, welcome to Stamp Community or SCF.

To post pics here is OK, but, if you actually get the picture size within the forum limits (100kb) size and then post that, most pics of a large group of stamps will be unrecognizable for us to help you generally value them or get a better idea of what you are dealing with.

Try putting the pics on a photo hosting sight like photobucket or flickr or something like that and just put the link to the pics here. Less clutter and easier to handle.

If you have them arranged by country then start a new topic and put the country name (to attract people who know about that area) or other info that would help explain what you are posting.

Just a general idea of a few pics or so (we get bored easily, lol) to get us to give you an idea of what you have, generally speaking, you can post in this topic.

= = = = = =
Generally speaking, stamps are separated by country, era or time frame, used (postally cancelled) or unused (mint with gum), and condition. Condition is most important, whatever you have.

Unless you might have a few really rare (you never know, but the rare ones are rare for a reason) stamps have to be in really good condition to be worth any great value.

Of course, all stamps are valuable to a collector, lol.

Condition factors are

Centering of the stamp image or design within the stamps' edges.

The paper, is it thinned, ripped, torn, cut, damaged, punctured, scratched, etc etc?

The cancellation or cancel, is it nice and readable (for a cancel collector like me) or well centered or, for the general stamp collector, lightly cancelled, not ruining the picture on the stamp or it's presentation?

Colour, is the stamp like new or faded or altered by coming into contact with chemicals of some sort?

Is the stamp all there? Are there perf points (perforations are the wiggly bits around the edges) pulled or torn or missing?

Creases in the paper, small and large detract from a stamps value.

Rust (looks like) or toning or mold (mould) around the edges or as spots on the stamps. Very hard to remove (almost impossible) and can spread to other stamps in your collection too. (Keep stamps away from dust and too much moisture).

And, to sell them, it depends on how you want to sell them and to whom? How do you sell a stamp or stamps depicting buildingsto a person who collects stamp with airplanes or cats or dogs? You see, there are lots of different ways to collect stamps and envelopes and postcards and anything to do with stamps.

Try not to touch the stamps too much (wash your hands!) as most collectors use special tweezers, rounded off to avoid damaging stamps) called stamp tongs to avoid transferring dirt, finger oils, peanut butter and jam, and ice cream to valuable stamps, and remember, all stamps are valuable.

There can be a lot to stamp collecting but you only have to do one thing to start and keep doing it all the time. Have fun. Enjoy your stamps while you have them. Appreciate the little bits of beauty, history, and knowledge that each holds.

Most collectors sell some of their stamps (it's hard to part with them!) so they can finance the purchase of their next stamps. It's addictive. Number one hobby in the world after collecting out-dated video games, lol.

Sounds like your hooked and just have to admit it now. As Rod suggest a good catalog is your best friend for guidelines but a far cry from realized prices. The average shoe box catalogs at about $50 so you did well for first purchase (just kidding) If you have more North/south america go with Scotts if its more eurpean British based definatly Stanley Gibbons . You may be able to borrow from the library but by all means we love pics and will be happy to help the addiction right along. Welcome aboard !
PS My name is Nitro and I'm a Stamp addict!

The fellows are mentioning stamp catalogues, and the names of the publishers of these catalogues, which are lists of stamps issued in each year by each country. Rather overwhelming if you are just starting out, but it is nice to have it all at your fingertips to see what they are roughly worth and when they were issued and all the details about them.

Libraries usually have them in the reference section or to borrow sometimes also.

I like catalogues to let me know what I have and if there are any more to that set or sets of stamps. You don't need one to start if you don't want.

If you have rare stamps you will need specialized types of catalogues which will tell you more than you thought you wanted to know about each stamp. Some change value because of the shade of colour or the perf measurements or something detailed. Good to know but takes a while to take it all in.

Doesn't stop one from selling r collecting at all. Appreciation is the key. If it looks beautiful to you it will probably look beautiful to someone else and that makes a stamp popular and, if printed in small numbers, valuable too.

Wow! I can hardly wait not to post my pics to see what I have! I guess you are right, I think I am hooked. My mom and I go around to local estate auctions, get good deals, and re-sell them on ebay....She has been telling me over and over again "Can't you work on anything but them stamps?" and "I'll be glad when you get through with those stamps!" LOL. I have actually been doing my own research for about a week, so I have seen all of the catalog numbers and different types. I will start posting some pics immediately! Thanks everyone! (I already have some pictures taken as I joined a different forum a few days ago but I haven't gotten any responses there yet).

Hi bidetsith, welcome and just show us a couple of examples and we might be able to tell you "that's enough" or "let's see some more" - jeff

In addition to the excellent advice of my more experienced colleagues, I would add that since you live in the US, almost all public libraries carry a full set of of the Scott worldwide stamp catalogs which will help you identify and price out stamps. This may be a more efficient way of handing the identification of your stamps, and as has already been noted, please show us those stamps you have questions with.

Happy collecting!

Congrat on your find. You wil have fun collecting, trading etc. I am just getting back up to speed on collecting stamps after a 30 plus year break

Hello and hope you stay hooked. You may also want to check around and find a used cd copy of Scotts Guide. As for the world guides they don't come in just one volume, the Scotts Guides are in 6 volumes and new can be very pricey. But you can look around and hopefully find the Scott Guides on a cd disk very reasonable.

Just to reiterate what Puzzler and Smauggie stated: Public libraries are a great source for Stamp catalogues. Scott catalogues are the most common catalogues found in the US. You may also find a local stamp club with a philatelic library.

It's great to see another victim person take up the hobby. Welcome to SCF!

I gotta get out more. I never manage to find such "good deals" on stamps. It's sort of Murphy's Law that it happened to a "non-collector". Still,
alot of collectors have started out that way. They grow on you! :)

Good Morning & to S.C.F. I too am just getting back into the swing of things myself with my old collection. I always love to see other folks collections. I am most inclined to agree with the others the you are most certainly hopelessly addicted to stamp collecting! Welcome to your new addiction friend. Seriously though, Please feel free to ask any questions you may have because there is certainly a wealth of information on this board and the finally atmosphere isn't intimidating as some other places can be and no pressure to compete with anyone, you know to "keep up with the Jones's", as it were.
Very friendly and helpful to be sure! Again,-
and
~Jeff