Buying Stamps From "Non-Stamp" Sources

Not me but irishjack got great finds in a auction at the thrift store silent auction. Just few threads below.

https://goscf.com/t/23080

I often go to estate auctions for stamps, though it seems to be catching on around here, and prices are going up. Thrift stores and garage sales have not been so profitable. Just missed some stamps at a garage sale last summer by 'an hour or so'. They seem to be more in the realm of luck.

jamessw wrote:



Good Morning All !
jamessw, how does one find estate auctions for stamps?
Do you look in a section in the newspaper or online?
How many stamps are in the auction, a small envelope or a box full?
What are some of the purchase costs you have seen?
Thank you,
SueStamps

I went to my first estate sale two weeks ago because a stamp collection was included in the items for sale. I arrived mid-afternoon on the first day of the sale and learned that the collection had been sold in the first few minutes of the sale.

To answer one of SueStamps'questions, Google is a good resource for finding estate sale and auction listings.

Steve

Sue, I usually find the auctions online. There are several auction houses in my area (I live in the country) so I keep track of them mainly. There's no savings if I have to travel too far.
What I find varies. Two months ago I went to an auction with a hundred or more albums of covers. Sometimes it's various albums or even boxes of stamps. I've bought the occasional single stamp, but I find you really have to watch the price as it can go up fast to where you are paying catalogue price or more, and it's easy to get caught up in the moment.
I prefer albums or boxes. Since my collection is fairly specialized, it allows me to pick out what I want then trade or sell the rest to feed my habit.

Very interesting!
What key words do you use, or how could I find auctions in my area? (Sacramento, CA)

Do you know if the auctions you go to, have stamps or is it usually just by chance that there might be some stamps at that auction?

Thank you,
SueStamps

I do Thrift stores, Estate sales, Garage sales, and I check the local sales ads in newspapers. You are right about people catching on about stamps and a lot of those people are asking very high and outrageous prices. I have found that in most cases using my years of knowledge and experience I can haggle them down to reasonable prices. You just have to convince the sellers to take the time to talk with you.

You also need to get to these stores and estate sales very early.

Sue you could just google 'estate auction Sacramento Ca' and you'll find lots.
Usually the auctions I find will list what is available. My wife and I like auctions anyway. It's like a yard sale with entertainment. But usually if there is one I'm going to specifically for stamps, she won't bother if there's nothing of interest to her. She doesn't share my passion I'm afraid.

You can also use auctionzip.com and it will find auctions in your area with anything related that you type into it's search engine.

I've been to non-stamp related auction houses and I've found the prices to be pretty high, but sometimes interesting things have turned up. One time at one sale was hundereds of pounds of US stamps cut off envelopes and sorted and was sold in 30 pound lots. Some stamps were off paper and some was on paper. I didn't win any of the lots but it looked like all one guy did for 15 years was trim envelopes.

Actually, a while back, a lot of groups (churches, clubs, charities...) would have members accumulate stamps cut out from mail and wholesale them to dealers as a fundraiser. A lot of stamp stores often had barrels of them. I remember one store I used to frequent, the dealer had a huge bin (4x4) that got refilled pretty quickly. You could pull out individual stamps (if you didn't fall in) for 10c each or buy by the pound.

Regarding garage sales, thrift shops, estate sales... good deals are few and far between for me. I've made a few (very few) nice purchases, but I can't recall any exceptionally good deals. Of course, others have posted that they have made some pretty good purchases. For me, I find it easier and also find better deals by rummaging around stamp stores, visiting shows, surfing the web, and checking out the smaller auction houses. Of course, if you enjoy going through garage sales, thrift shops..., well you can't put price on that enjoyment!

k

Hi to all
Every time there is a news report on Television about a stamp selling for millions all the "get rich quick" collectors come out of the wood work, and the serious collectors suffer. Every time in the last month or so that I have asked the thrift shops if they have any stamps or albums they tell me that they have had five or six persons that day ask the same question. It takes months for all the hype to die down. Unfortunately here in Australia the thrift shop market for stamps has dried up. I think everyone who finds stamps in the relations belongings must be sending them to auction in case there is "a small fortune" to be made.
I keep searching but I finding it harder and harder to find anything good in the thrift shops.
I keep watching the auction sites. Sometimes when I have bought $2.00 covers from dealers in the suburbs I have been lucky enough to find old stamps in the envelopes, but that is very rare.
The get rich quick collectors spoil it for the dedicated collector and auction houses are no longer a source of bargains. I have yet to find a garage sale where there are any stamp albums.
The wheel turns slowly, and hopefully things will return to normal.
Regards
Horamakhet.

I found an amazing album today at a flea market filled with key stamps. I will post pictures tomorrow morning when the lighting is better, stay tunned. :)

I found a scott 112 1869 Franklin recently as well, mint no gum, In a packet of filler stamps at a thrift store. All you gotta do is ask.

Forgot to mention I payed only 7 dollars for the packet , don't hate.