Hellooo! Let Me Introduce Myself.

Hi, I already posted a link, and realized I put it in the wrong spot. SO, I will re-introduce myself here.

I am NEW to this whole thing, and am debating selling this collection that my husband got from his grandmother who worked at the post office for over 35 years. They are mostly 1960-1980's. No individual stamps. All blocks, post cards, first issues, first day covers, and some other oddities. Even got a cool looking Mr. Zip pin.
Anyway, do I sell? (prolly not worth much huh?) Or save and pass it on to my boys. I would love to post pics, but dont know where to start.
THANKS
Mary

Maybe I can add that all the blocks of stamps where kept in acid free clear small envelopes. I could really use some advice. I dont have a scanner, and dont know if its worth my while to buy one.. Could pics do? Do I even want to take the stamps outta the envelopes?? I am a mom of three boys, and just want to know??? Keep it, sell it, or take it to a antique type place?

Welcome to this forum, maryj0w.

It sounds like the stamps were kept in glassine envelopes. Not necessarily acid-free, but often better than most paper envelopes.

It's so hard to know what to do without seeing what you've got. That said, don't be surprised if you are told that this material is only worth its face value. Even just a few years ago, I was buying all of those years at face less 10% from a dealer for year sets. His other option was using them for postage. Yes, there might be some hidden gems. Try to find a local stamp club and go there to ask questions of the members.

You have children, though...as hard as it might be to imagine, try getting them collecting. Show them an example of learning outside textbooks.

More than anything, though, don't stress over this. It's a potential new hobby for someone in your family at least, and a great source of postage for years to come otherwise!

Peter

Thank you Peter. My husbands grandfather was a pack rat, and to say the least my garage and closets are full. I will take your advice, and move on. I just feel bad for my husbands grandmother who took so much time on this. They only question I have left, and this is odd to me. May be a dumb question to most. But On some of the first day issues, they are sealed,and yet have writting on them..ie. 1/6 or 6 of 7?? You think it would decrease the value, yet sealed??

Hi maryj0w, welcome!

Those writing and sealed envelopes sound like an artist signed them and there are only 6 or so of that item in the world and you have numver 1 or 2 or something like that.

Could be the stamp artist or someone to do with the stamp itself, I mean what is on the stamp, what it is commemmorating. That would make them more valuable if that is so.

petermac is right is saying the face value of the stamps is perhaps all you would get to sell them now. But it depends on the stamp too. Higher values would be worth more as they weren't issued in millions but lower numbers, so scarcer.

The value in stamps is sometimes not I their dollar worth but in the enjoyment they can bring to a person with a collecting type of personality (really the best people all around, don't ya know).

There is also value in knowing where they came from, your family.

But, in the end it is up to the person themselves as to what they are 'up for' and that changes over time also. Sometimes you can live and breath stamps and at others you need a break.

They do grow on you though. The history, the art, the collecting. Small bits of appreciation, I think of them as. I mean they allow me to learn to appreciate things little bit by little bit.

Ok for instance...(first I pulled out) I have closed sealed first day issue dated sept 26 1986 Stamp T.S. Eliot But the picutre in the bottom left cornor looks drawn? Bottom left has a crown looking mark inside 8 of 14? Literary arts: poet T.S (Thomas Stearns) Eliot
1888-1965 (typed) I guess I know nothing?

1) Pics are great when you don't have a scanner. But for detailed examination of stamps and such, scans are much better at showing the deatils.

2) Post a topic out in the reguular area of the forum, so more people will or read what you are asking. Better exposure that way for you.

To me, that sounds like a hand-drawn hand-painted (HDHP) cover or first day cover. Or, at least a limited run production of a first day cover.

Search for hdhp on ebay or the full words on Google to see many examples.

If the art is nice, that makes it worth more. The eye of the beholder and all that.

And if the topic is appealing to many people then you have a greater appeal and more bidders on an auction sale, or a dealer can ask more and get it for that particular item.

Everything is worth something. Part of the trick of stamps is finding the right people who are interested in that stamp or area or topic at the time you want to find them. So, it is best to know a bit about your stuff so you can advertise on ebay) with the right words or know that it is not just a cover but an original hand painted, sought after, super dooper what-his-name cover (hopefully).

Dealers won't give you much as they have to sell it again themselves. If you don't want to sell it yourself then you pretty well have to pay someone to sell it for you. On consignment, outright purchase from you, etc. Basic financial math. Don't mean to turn you off of stamps here, just to know what you are getting into kind of and be aware of how different buyers would think.

Perhaps I have rambled on long enough for now.

HI I did the same thing :)
Scanning rocks! Check out my post on the subject.
Good luck and have fun with your stamps!

G'Day MaryJ and to the forum.

That Mr Zip pin sounds interesting. I would love to see a picture of that. I am not sure I can add to what everyone else has told you. I do think it is worth seeing if a family member is interested in keeping the collection and adding to it- especially a youth. Think of it as a family heirloom to be passed down to each generation. Good luck on whatever you decide.