WW2 Stamps And Maybe Some From WW1? Queen??

Hello!

First Post, Be easy on me

Its very late here in the UK, So keeping it short on this part. I have a large stamp collection. Stamps from Definatly WW2 and I think from WW1 Aswell But im not 100% on that one! Basically wondering value for this time date? Ones of the queen when she was really young spring to mind. And ones from Canada,Spain. Vietnam aswell I believe? And Lots of ones from England aswell.. Were collected by a soldier whilst he was on duty. If needed I can upload some pictures tomorrow. Im not expecting much £ But just would be nice to know the value. Thanks!

Edward.

First off, welcome!

We encourage all newcomers to post a little something about themselves on the "Introduce yourself here" forum. That said, I'll move on ...

As for your collections. There were too many stamps printed by all of the aforementioned countries so giving an accurate, if not intelligent, answer to your questions would be impossible. I would recommend posting a few, high resolution images of your stamps and wait for an answer.

When choosing what pictures to post, the best advice I can offer is that as a rule, unused stamps and stamps with a higher face value (EG: a stamp with 1£ face value is almost always worth more than one with 1p) tend to be the most valuable. Post those first.

Good luck!

Brian

Hello StampNewbie!

Value for timedate is good for these eras compared to modern stuff usually.

Condition plays a big part in assessing value, the eye appeal and all that. Stamps on paper should be kept that way (do not soak off (yet)) as there may be cancels or other markings that would prove interesting to many. If any are used stamps that is. Mint new stamps are another story.

If you want a quick assessment a big pic is OK. keep within this forum's limits by using the pic resizer provided or post on photobucket or something similar and place a link here.

For possibly expensive stamps the bigger higher resolution scan is needed to determine any special printings or varieties.

A good thing to happen to a collection that is passed on to another is for it to be learned about and studied up up and appreciated for the love and care (hopefully) that has gone into it. Sometimes common stamps are saved and not all old stuff is valuable especially if printed in the millions like many stamps were.

Collecting stamps is a relaxing and satisfying hobby with many good people involved worldwide.

Thankyou for them replies. I know nothing about stamps. Just that like I said were collected by a soldier when he was on duty.

What sort of pics would you like to see? I will upload later as my brother has the camera at the moment.

Queen Elizabeth ones starting from the time of half a penny time and so on from there.

Thanks

Kind of pic. Hmmm.

Well, pick out the oldest and do a separate photo of one each of them perhaps. Or, no, just in case, take one pic of an assortment of one of each from the UK say, and one from each country if you want.

If there are a lot of different types then you will get an answer like 'mostly common' or something as most stamps are common because of the large quantity they were printed in, and so are now worth nothing except to make a dealer 20p or so as he sorts through them so he can present you with a complete set of that date's issue.

But some have special varieties and it is hard for a newcomer to see what they might be or even that there are differences between them. Needs study.

Any pics will be good.

I was thinking to start of a general kind of picture so then you could be let know if any were worth investigating further.

Sometimes it is up to you to measure the perforations around the edges or look for watermarks or such things that are hard to tell from a picture.

Most of them in the book have stamp marks on them. But then some of them are untouched. What is a watermark? Is that the stamp print?

Posted this in another thread but always good to refresh:

Watermarks are special distinguishing marks pressed into the paper before the stamps are printed on them, so they are part of the paper.

They are usually invisible to the untrained naked eye.

They show up by looking at the back of the stamp when the stamp is placed on a black surface or sometimes with a light behind it. Some are easy to see, some very hard, depends on the printers and the paper used.

You may try wetting the stamp with

Water (easiest but do not use on Mint stamps (still with gum on)

Watermark fluid, expensive but safe to use chemical that is OK to use on mint stamps and used, will evaporate quickly (put the cap back on the bottle quick!) and shows and defects or watermarks up very nicely. Used also to detect repairs done to older stamps (1895 and before roughly)

Lighter Fluids -(Ronsonol brand) dangerous to use (don't inhale! or breathe in!), use in a well ventilated (windows open) area). Works like watermark fluid but cheaper and more available. Just a lot more dangerous.

It is best to know what you are looking for and to read the catalogue or online to see a picture of the watermark and understand that some catalogues show the mark as if you were looking at the front of the stamp, which is confusing.

Some watermarks are stars or initials or crowns or multiple copies of these.

Modern (1920 +) usually do not have watermarks in the paper. Sometimes you see them in envelope paper when held up to a light. They are used to prevent forgers copying the stamps and so cause a loses in revenue to the post office. Now other security measures are taken or used.

Be wary that some people use Stanley Gibbons catalogues but others use Scott's catalogues (and still others other catalogues) and the stamps are usually numbered differently and the watermarks numbered differently in each catalogue.

Looking for watermarks is called watermark detection. There are expensive machines now that can help you find them also.



From another post still, continuing on . . .

Usually when the paper has a watermark in it and stamps are printed upon that paper the watermarked paper is fed into the printing press the same way, that is, in the same orientation.

This could result in stamps with watermarks upside down as a usual thing or most of the time, right side up is the usual thing. Depends on that issue and that stamp and that printing of that stamp (some stamps were used a lot and have many printings, some different than others).

Assuming that a stamp on watermarked paper is usually found with the watermark right side up then on the odd occasion, when a sheet of paper was fed into the printing press upside down or sideways then, then the stamp is printed right side up, the watermark looks as if it is in upside sown or sideways or both sometimes.

Stamps were usually printed in the millions. So a run of stamps (say 10,000 of them) that had the paper fed into the press in an unusual orientation, would be the rarity and command the extra premium over and above the regular price of that stamp.

It is the rarity factor that makes one worth more. And that rarity factor is not the same for every stamp or every issue from the same country. It changes.

To know the proper (usual) orientation of a watermark on a stamp the catalogues have assigned numbers (and letters) to each known watermark used by each country. They then, next to each stamp listing in the catalogue, put a notation or note telling you which watermarks (or watermarks) were used. Then, if one denomination of an issue is known to exist with a different orientation of that watermark, the catalogue will note this by making a sub-number for that stamp.

Say the regular stamp is number 333, then an upside down watermark on that stamp would be numbered 333a or 333i or similar, to differentiate it from a regular stamp and to give it an extra line and pricing.

The pricing depends on the rarity of the difference. If only one sheet was fed upside down then wow, very expensive. If half the run was fed that way then not so expensive.

Pricing is assigned similarly due to other varieties like colour shades or perf changes, types of paper used, etc, etc. Different for different countries and different eras also. Thus the use of specialized country catalogues rather than the general world catalogues.

If anyone has anything to add to my bumbling about with explanations of things I have no real experience with then please do jump right in.

A scanner of some sort (flatbed is best) is ideal to examine stamps in detail and to see the little re-entries and flaws and faults. Watermarks can be scanned but show up most mostly only when wet, preferably in watermark fluid in a petri dish or container using a black background. Otherwise very hard to scan.

A link to a page that has information on scanning in general and scanning watermarks (with pictures)
http://www.pgacon.com/tips_on_scann...20Watermarks

A link that will search for 'watermark' in titles on Stamp Community:
https://www.stampcommunity.org/sear...sp?mode=DoIt

Very thorough reply! Thankyou. I have decided that I wouldnt want to sell these to anyone. It would be right to. I want too carry on collecting stamps. I can still upload pictures if needed. But im not sure on something. Well two things. Do I carry on this man's collection? He passed away so just not sure if its right to or start my own? And do people have a certain type of stamp they collect? Im interested in WW2 as theyre is most from that time and Animals. So? Any help on these two would be great.

Thanks again for all of your help regarding my questions and so on.

Edward.

You caught me on a good phase of the moon.




Up to you of course.

I think it would be more satisfying and fulfilling for you yourself to start from that collection and add to it and expand it according to your own choices. It might stay the same but it might change as time goes on and you learn and encounter new things in stamp collecting.

Every collector is different, even though it seems there is only one way to collect to a newcomer. That is perhaps the merchants wanting to sell the items they have already instead of adjusting and compromising with every collector's whims.



Pictures are always welcome and enjoyed by all here.




The fun of stamp collecting is that you do it the way you want to. If you want one of everything then that's the way you do it. Money could be one consideration in that pursuit though.

People collect in so many different ways that it is almost impossible to name them all. By country, by region, by time period or era, by reign of monarch, but colour, by shape, by topic (like animals), by theme, envelopes (covers) stamps mint and/or used postcards, documents, cinderella stamps and labels (non-postage, stamps hoping to be the 'real' postage stamps), souvenir or miniature sheets, airmail, engraved, by designer, by engraver, stamps that are not beyond a certain price range, stamps that are in a certain price range, whatever you can get wherever you are, ones that survived disasters or fires, stamps of a certain denomination (13c, 1c), calendars of a certain year made by collecting a stamp with a cancel (postmark) on it with each date of that year, cancels from a certain post office, etc, etc, and any mixture of the above, plus lots I didn't mention.

To see topics of animals (fauna) go to www.delcampe.net (a auction site similar to www.ebay.com/b/260/" rel="nofollow">ebay) and look at the topical list. Amazing.

By type if you meant new or used then mint (new) are more costly but are worth more when you sell at any time, but take more effort and money to look after and protect.

If you don't have stamp tongs (rounded over tweezers I think they call them in the UK) then get a pair (a pair of tongs is actually one
tongs). keep your albums stored upright and away from dampness, humidity and dust. Slip covers are a good thing to have.

I am going to purchase some stamp albums this week. And put all my current stamps in the new albums. As they albums they are currently in are rather old and dont smell too good. Erm one thing that worries me. Im not going to be spending loads on stamps as I would rather have ones I enjoy than the best ones everyone wants. But is there a big thing with fakes about? Like say for instance stamps from ebay? Thanks, That 'should' be my last question haha. Once again.

Thanks,

Edward.

Fakes or forgeries of stamps are always about but only if it is worthwhile for the seller. Low value ordinary stamps are not really worth their time. My theory.

When you get into the more expensive stamps you can keep an eye out for repaired stamps that have had a defect or something that has been made to look as if it isn't there anymore.

These are sometimes missed by the experts also so it is up to you to live and learn just like everywhere. Read on SCF here long enough and you will see some repairs or even forgeries of older stuff.

Rips, tears, pin holes can all be glued and fixed up, some more than others. If a perf has been pulled or is missing a new one sometimes can be glued on.

Thins in paper (look at the backs at different angles and different lights even) can be covered by hinges or paper.

Stamps can be regummed to make them mint never hinged or reperfed or have perfs added where there was a straight edge before because most people liek an evenly perfed type of stamp. A straight edge can be added where there was none before to make the stamp a rare coil (two opposite sides straight).

Some of these can be detected with a UV lamp but some are better seen just by looking and using your common sense. Ask why is the stamp like this? Don't just look at the stamp on the screen (if buying online) and say there is that missing stamp I want or that or those look nice. Look carefully as best you can. It is hard to see everything on a screen. If you wish, ask for a scan of the back also.

Different folks classify or grade a stamp in different ways it seems to me. Don't go by the grading suggested by the seller. Grading is saying a stamp is Good to Fine to Very Fine and other definitions. These are based on centering and colour and condition. Go by what you like and want. You might call a stamp Fine and it would be OK for you but others might want a Superb stamp and be willing to pay the difference. If it is too expensive now move on and look again some other day.

Don't be put off by all this chicanery but just educate yourself so you know and see what is what hopefully more times than not.

If you never get into the higher valued stamps (say $20 and up or whatever your limit is) then you may never encounter anything and will live a happy life.

I like the poem Desiderata (The Decision) and here is a part of it:
. . .
Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
. . .

Oh, if you collect used then watch for nicely cancelled stamps that have been repaired as people will pay more for a nice cancel. I just paid $5 for a nice cancel and the stamp looked OK but when I got it the stamp had a crease you couldn't see online. partly my not looking too closely either. I was looking at the cancel and missed the stamp. Happens easily enough.

The more practice at this you have the better you will become so don't give up too early because you bought something that wasn't what you hoped it would be.

There are deals to be had also, to end on a good note. Stamps are not identified correctly sometimes or nice stamps are put in a lot or bunch of stamps unknowingly and you, knowing more than the seller, may have a great time searching for and buying cheaply, good stamps and maybe even selling or trading them for other stuff you need.

Crikey, you won't go far wrong, a very refreshing attitude,
side step any bigotry, and stamp elitism and enjoy
the little fellas.

Unless you become very astute in stamp terms, leave any
thoughts of stamp investments to bank interest, there
is a fair chance you'll do better. :)

Hello again,

I am purchasing the stamp albums tonight. I have seen some on ebay they dont look that great, Any good places for these? Whilst starting off, Is there anything else I would need to know? I am going to do it over a few days when I have spare time.

Thanks,

Edward.

Albums I cannot advise you on. However there are a few threads on buying albums on SCF, just do a search. Also making your own with albumeasy.com printing your own pages, designing your pages, etc.

Best do some searching on here. LOts of people know what they are talking about on this subject.