Newby With What I Think Is An Important US Collection

I am a coin and currency dealer learning about stamps and new to the forum. I just picked up what I believe is an important and valuable US stamp collection from a client. I will be learning more about stamps and helping him evaluate his collection. For my first post, I am showing only the first page of book one (one of the more important books in the collection) which includes a nearly complete collection of Columbian Expo stamps that are in excellent shape. As a newby to stamps, I do not claim how to grade but I have read a bit about it and believe these are all unused and in excellent condition. They have been kept in an album and show just the hint of being hinged. I will likely submit for grading but thought I would post here and get opinions and suggestions from knowledgeable collectors. Please feel free to comment and make suggestions. Hope the images show up on the first try. Showing full page one of the album, the closeup of the $5 stamp, and closeups of the obverse and reverse of the 1c stamp. You will note minor hinge marks on the glue.

Make sure to handle them with stamp tongs. The oils in the skin will damage the stamps. Hinge marks will devalue a stamp slightly but that $5 example is extremely fresh-looking and reasonably centered (Fine-Very Fine in my opinion).

Pretty impressive start. Would love to see more. Never hinged would increase the value substantially, but I am always more impressed by the front centering of the stamps. Your $5 is quite good for that time period.

The Columbians from 25¢ - $5 are worth good money. Can't tell from the scans other than the 2 you posted bigger scans from but the $5 would grade out at Very fine and probably would not be worth grading. That said the Stamp speaks for itself and should easily pull in over $1000.00 for a 4 margin unused example. The lower values are basically a dime a dozen for hinged examples although the 1¢ you show has exceptional centering for a set in which centering is difficult to obtain. Beautiful set you have.

Here are images of the 30c + sizes...

VERY NICE SET!

Very attractive stamps.

The 30 cent stamp has a condition issue. The staining at the top of the stamp is probably toning, a degrading of the stamp due to chemicals that it came into contact with.

Grading would be a pointless waste of money. One sales venue seldom mentioned here is the APS StampStore; it is appropriate for higher-priced items without the hassles and criminal element found on ebay. You must be an APS member to sell, but joining the APS is one of the first things you should do anyway, in your situation. See www.stamps.org =

Welcome and WOW! I guess you did obtain an important and valuable US stamp collection indeed! Blown away here!

Did you happen to get the entire set for the Trans-Miss edition?
If so,

597596 - Since you asked, yes... here's a picture of the page.

You just made a grown man cry with this post of Trans Mississippi stamps, It's my all time favorite stamp from the U.S. by far.

I hope you can live with yourself.

Should I apologize or gloat?? Glad you like them... it is quite a collection!

Wow! Those are indeed beautiful stamps!

You can always make it up by just mailing them to me, Only if your guilt is overwhelming of course,lol


Please put the explanation point on the Trans Miss collection by getting a decent, unused stamp of Scott#293, $2. Then this series will be whole. Apparently there are three different color variations of each Trans Miss stamp. I've never seen one actually complete but have heard that they are out there.

Actually I think it's the Columian collection that has multiple variation in colors.

If you h ave the complete zeps, I will cry.