Potential For Some Really Old Stamps...

Turns out my niece's husband is one of those guys that cleans out houses after someone has passed or abandoned their house. Payment for his services is that he gets to keep the stuff in the house.

He claims to have amassed quite a collection of postage stamps that he would be willing to give me, as long as I keep what I take and do not ever sell the stamps.

He said he has "A bunch of stuff from the 1800s," and "some envelopes that were used before there were stamps." I don't know when I'll get to see any of the stamps, but I'm excited to see what he has available!

Jackpot!

Nice! Keep us posted!

I don't mean to by cynical, but why this proviso? There are often times when one may want to buy/sell/trade an item and with this requirement being on the table, is does raise some questions.

I think his concern is, he could easily sell it and pocket the money. But he's holding them in hopes of finding a collector. I don't think he'll much care if I sell it 10 years from now. But he'll probably be annoyed if I take the stuff and put it on bidstart 2 days later.

Expertising this stuff could get expensive.

definitely keep up posted!

Don't forget!


Nice grab also.

Great find Andy

So what ever became of this? I'm very curious as to what you may run into!

What are ya waitin' for! Git over there n get em! Tell us what you find!


-IBFS

I remember reading an old stamp newsletter from the 1950's where the editor wrote out his dream of his little old lady neighbour getting holding of him to tell him about her son who was stationed overseas and who had written to various Post Offices around the world to send him stamps, which we had never collected since he died overseas. The little old lady would just put the packages received from the post offices in a trunk in the attic. The collector opens the trunk that has been sitting since 1860, only to discover complete sheets of UK penny blacks and penny blues, Canadian 12p blacks, sheets of Franklins and Washingtons, and other stuff. Then he woke up.

Still waiting on this one. The person who has them is a tad touchy. I have to wait for them to be offered to me again. If I ask about them, he may think I am a "gold digger" and not offer them again.

The worst case scenario is I find they're all low value and he thinks I am lying, so I can sell them.

I'm going to see the guy on Saturday, We'll see what he says.

Fair enough!

Any old stamps used on cover should not be removed from the cover given that a cover with old canceled stamp on it is worth much more than just a used stamp, especially if it has some historical significance and different markings on it.

An old stamp on cover being worth more on cover than off is wholly dependant upon the collector. I collect postal history so I agree with you.

However, a good friend of mine doesn't care about postal history and will soak a stamp off in a heartbeat and never think twice about it. Is he wrong? No, its his collection and he can do what he wants with it. I've been trying to convert him for 20 years and haven't made a dent. He does have a nice collection though...

Art