What Are My Stamps Worth ?

When people collect stamps they buy at retail from a dealer who makes his livlihood selling them...if you spend a lot of money and build a collection of outstanding stamps the dealer may buy the collection back from you at 17 to 30 percent of catalog..If you go to a dealer with a hodge podge of stamps in cigar boxes and miscellaneous stock books...the dealer will not be impressed..he may offer you a few dollars and hope to turn them right around as a box lot..believe me he is not going to spend time trying to catalog the better stamps..he simply has no time to do that...just something to think about before you ask "what are my stamps worth?"

Great advice Phil.


Butch

Thanks Butch..it took a long time to sink in for me..but now I understand ! Go Jets !!

Yes Thanks Butch. I'm still learning that lesson the hard way. I've come to the conclusion that I paid waaaayyy too much for this last batch of stamps I got from an antique store. That's what I get for letting the over eager, compulsive collector part of my brain do the negotiations for me.

Antique stores do not know how to price stamps..they should stick to postcards and antiques....

I do understand Devlin. I too have the over eager, compulsive collector/buyer as part of my being. I think most of us do.


Butch