Help With Selling A Collection

Hello folks,

I'm visiting from the coin forum because I need some help from the experts!
My grandfather passed away a few years back and my dad inhereted his huge stamp collection.

We've been thinking about this for years, and finally decided that we should sell. We just don't know anything about stamps.

Anyway, I know I could have it appraised, then shop it around, but could you guys maybe give me some suggestions/ideas on the best ways to go about selling?

Thank you all in advance. I would be more than happy to share pics or more specifics on the collection if that would help.

Thank you so much for your consideration.

Hi Hondo, Well since your a hobbyist item collector, already you know that the catalogues can give you some reference. Try and separate the used from the unused. Then your Father and yourself can get a rough estimate of any valuable stamps. You will have to pay for an agency to evaluate your stamps. Your Grandfather probably spent a great deal of time getting those together, as did my grandmother with her collection. I found a bunch of stamps worth quite a few dollars and have sold them on e-bay, mostly the duplicates. Since I collect stamps,coins,postcards,sportscards and postmarks, I find it less costly to do the research myself. The folks out here are great and the wealth of response's is fantastic. I have started to get my 2 daughters into it. They have started the great task of trying to fill an album. But the overall decision is that of you both. To me its like taking my detector out and hunting for something. Sometimes I find nice coins sometimes I find nails, but the hunt for the treasure stays very strong in me. I feel that "Hunt" with stamps too.. Hope this helps a little..Keith

It does Keith, thank you.

As a collector, I understand how much time and passion goes into these collections... Having said that, I feel awful selling the stamps. My interest lies in coins and I just feel its better to sell the stamps to someone who will appreciate them for what they are.

Anyway, I will start researching myself. I will be posting here periodically to get some assistance (I hope that's ok).

Can anyone give me a good online resource for values as I start to figure out what is what?

Thanks again!

Hello Hondo, welcome!

Is this a worldwide collection or just one country?

What era(s) are the stamps from?

Used or not used?

Pics posted here or on a photo hosting site like photobucket (with a link here) will give folks a general idea of what you have and a better idea of how to proceed.

Well, the collection is US and world.
One thing I do know is that part of the collection is a complete collection (complete until about 10yrs ago) israeli collection.

The collection was taken over by my grandfather from his parents, so it's old.
I'm going to my folks place today to grab an album and start studying. It's several albums/boxes etc, so I'm just gonna grab one and start there...

Post some pictures scans are better and we will see how we can help you. Once you open that first box it will drag you into the world of collecting enjoy its great fun.

so I took pictuires of the first few pages of the first US album... then lost my phone! So mad.
Either way, I hope to have the pics up soon.

The first page is from 1893 and the Columbian Exposition. There is only one stamp on this page, and its the first on the page.

Hopefully I will be able to share soon, along with all the rest.

Hondo,

You may know me from the coin forum...
Depending on the size of the collection. How many albums or boxes, you may find someone here who will sell it for you for a 10 to 15% fee (of the net).

I for one do that from time to time.

Please post some pictures when you get a chance..
In the Israeli book, can you tell if all the stamps have tabs? they would be a bit of paper attached to the stamp with some writing on them.

Finally... some pics. First is the album, then the pages in order (pages that actually have stamps)
More to follow, of the next few pages. I will work on the qualiy of the pictures. Very poor, I know.

The last picture is of the last stamps on the last page posted... I singled them out because they are stamped with "hawaii 1778-1928" and I wasnt sure why

Hondo,

Looking at these pictures. I can tell you that the stamp album is worth more then the stamps.
I would say the most valuable stamp you have is the last one. Mint never hinged has a catalog value of around 22.00.

The first one is damaged enough that it is worthless.

Hahahaha, ok. I will post some more. There are 6 albums like this one, so 120 bucks ain't bad! Thanks guys, stay tuned.

Here is the next set of pictures:

Anything interesting here?
I just found out from my dad that this is, in fact, a commemorative album and the rest are "official" us postage. Will get to them.

Thanks for your help!

nice shot of your feet...

All pretty common. Some value because they are all mint.

please dont sell this to a dealer. He will remove stamps from your grand dad's collection and sell them. Either sell it to a collector or just keep it yourself.

Just find some time, start collecting stamps.

If your grand dad was some one special to you or your father. Keep the collection in the family.

Whether it is worth or not, please treasure the collection. Selling someone's collection is not a good thing. You could sell your collection, if you have collected the stamps. This is your grand father's collection, had he been alive now, he would not have sold the collection.

i would suggest not to sell, but keep them. I have kept my father's collection of British India coins still with me. My father passed away just 6 months back. He was a great collector, he would have never sold his collection, hence I treasure the collection.

warm wishes.