And if you don't have the budget for the others... this is a decent copy for the money despite the odd perf issue:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/76-Used-5-V...em35c937d0dbOne thing I'll point out and I get some heat for it on here is my philosophy on buying stamps for your core collection:
1) Buy *REALLY* nice stuff. Even if it means you have to save up and buy a lot less, buying really superb quality is VERY smart.
2) Buy with a cert or with with the right of certification on extension.
Buying faulty, bargain basement stuff for your main collection is a waste of money. Period. Here's why:
Take a #76. If you buy a faulty one for $50-75 and if you ever need to sell your collection good luck getting anywhere near that for it from a dealer. In an auction it won't bring much because it won't have the value needed for a single lot.
Now. Spend, say, $300 on a superb copy with a cert and if it will pull it a graded cert and the stamp becomes MUCH more liquid. If you have a set of, say, 85 or better NH Zepps then dealers will pay quite a bit for them as the spread between retail and wholesale on stamps like that is rather thin. If you cheaped out and bought faulty or off-centered copies then you'll get a pittance for them and most dealers won't want them.
I have a couple of Graded 90+ 24c 1861s, I know that if I had to sell them and took them to guys that deal in stuff like this that I could get a strong price for them on the spot. The faulty ones that I own for shade references? Pennies on the dollar if that.
Same with my covers... my average 24c 61 single uses to England? Those will be tricky to cash in on. My good covers? I can call Richard Frajola and he'll find a home for them quickly and for a fair price.
You're MUCH better off having a smaller collection of NICE stuff than a pile of average or worse stuff.
Posted 07/19/2014 03:32 am
