You can save some time and call me DNA or HDC.
To figure what year a stamp was issued and value, you need a stamp catalog. In the U.S., most prices are based on using the Scott Stamp Catalogue. The new versions cost nearly $100. An older version, maybe less than 5 years old is good enough if you aren't a stamp dealer. Older catalogs sell on
ebay for much less. Real world prices don't always match the Scott catalog. Many things such as condition affect the price below and above what someone will pay for it.
You can get a good idea of when a stamp was printed by using
http://1847usa.com/index.htm. Without purchasing a catalog,
http://www.theswedishtiger.com/ will give you a good idea of real world value. The information there isn't always easy to use. You do have to consider the condition, the centering, and other factors to estimate value. In the end, trying to sell a stamp is the only way that you will know what some one will pay for it.
Unless you have a stamp worth maybe $100 or more, then I would suggest that you sell it to a stamp dealer. Selling a stamp for a good value takes a lot of things and most especially a good reputation of many past sales. Even if you have a stamp worth more than $100, I would recommend that you sell it to a dealer until you become very knowledgeable about stamps. That can take a long time.
Posted 10/21/2014 9:10 pm
