Stamp Stores In The 925/ SF Bay Area

Have been away for a while for health reasons. Always told my wife when it came time to sell could bring it to the Stamp Gallery in walnut creek. So decided today was the day to call and it looks like they are no longer in business. Can anyone confirm this; was there a lot when Spence was there. Have been collecting for 60 years and have a room full. Are there any other stores in the area? I've bought on ebay but never sold. I know several of you do, so any advice to give? I have had many years of enjoyable collecting, but no one in the family is interested. Tried to give some to the boy scouts, at first said yes, then no. Anyway, not dead yet so will keep enjoying.
Best to all,
pat

A&D are closed. I heard Treasure Island recently closed. The United States Stamp Co move to (Emeryville?) and Ron probably doesn't have a brick and mortar store. Stanley Pillar passed a few years ago. I'm running out of store ideas. You could try Schuyler Rumsey Auctions in SF.

Thanks "eye on wall", (just) started looking at auctions online like "StampAuctionNetwork" even if I get to consign, problem will be shipping. Example Australia -5 banker boxes, Germany -4 banker boxes, Canada -3 banker boxes, GB 3 boxes, on down the line... Anyway, just started looking.
(It's like letting go of my babies)

Pat ---- There are two factors , the first is what is your time frame . The second is what are you selling .

These are questions you need to explain further before anybody can help you and point you how to move forward .

Your going to get answers from "I can put cash on your kitchen table" to" it will take you a few years to sell it all on ebay"
Then you will receive offers of "25% to 50% of what I can get on ebay " to "the stamp auction firm will sell it and take 30% and what doesn't sell is return to you and it will take 6 to8 months to get a check ."

Thanks, floortrader I'm under no illusion as to what is going on with collections. I should have a few more years if I keep up on the meds.
I've shared a few things on here I like. Also have seen many posts on here, "I have a green stamp, what is it worth?" Should have started years ago, but you know how collectors can be invested with their treasures.
I view ebay as a snake pit for sellers. You would think after all this time I would have them sorted. What is great about multiple interests is you can go from country to country and when you get tired never run out of new things to do.
Am presently going back over all the different areas of Germany. Also going over my boxes of US postal cards and stationery.
It is a pleasant and relaxing hobby. The only thing I have never had the money to do was the classics. But after years and years of breaking down collections, I think I have put together some pretty decent collections. Thanks. Any areas
you would like to see? I can put up a few pictures just for fun.

There are also a number of stamp clubs in the Bay Area, such as the Golden Gate (in San Francisco), East Bay (San Pablo), Sequoia (Redwood City), etc.

You may contact them and/or go to one of their club meetings to discuss options and maybe find some good buyers.

Pat ---- Thanks for the better description of what you have .

I seen it hundreds of times and the large stamp auction firms have seen it thousands of times . Collectors spend a life time enjoying their stamps but end up with a huge inventory that becomes a overwhelming inventory .

My advice is reduce your purchases and spend a few years organizing it into a better collection of albums and a neat organized duplicates in a inventory

I have not bought any new in quite some time. Always thought the Stamp Gallery would be there. You should have seen my wife's face when I told her.
Have spent the last few years sorting what I have, I'll pull out a country and work on it for a bit. Unfortunately the meds give me a bit of a brain fog and can't last too long. If I had to pick one country as my favorite it would be Australia. Got lucky with a few ebay lots, one I really enjoyed was four very full stock books that had been collected for their cancels. Second would be Ireland, again for the varieties and cancels; think I've shown a few of those pages.
Anyway, have looked into a few of the area auctions and clubs mentioned. Wife has mentioned (jokingly?) that if I don't dispose before I pass, there will be a grand big bonfire in the backyard.
Thanks for the help.

Couple of other ideas:
= Check the dealer list for Westpex. Drop those who might have an interest a note about your collection and ask if they want to come by and evaluate it for purchase or consignment while in town for the show.
= See if Rumsey would want to auction it as individual or group lots in one of their coming auctions.
= I recall an ad that runs in the American Philatelist by a group of dealers who have split up the country and offer to travel and buy collections. Maybe someone who has a copy handy can provide the name of the dealer who's handing the West.
Good luck.
C.

"Maybe someone who has a copy handy can provide the name of the dealer who's handing the West".

That would be Newport Harbor Stamp in Newport Beach.

https://www.americanstampdealer.com..._.aspx?ID=76

I have no connection with this dealer.

Spence did in fact die, how rude of him. But after near 50 years as a dealer,he has a right to do so.

Here, your best bet is talking with Rumsey. Call and set an appointment for them to review some of your material. They can give you a good idea what you have from an auction point of view.

There is Chris Harmer in Novato who buys or agents for material to various dealers and auctioneers. He works closely with Dick Keiser, DK Enterprises.

Shipping your material will be as you saw a real pain nor would doing so increase your into pocket after sales money.

Dealer James Taft buys well. Martin Shupe Stamps does as well,but on a more limited basis. See: https://westpex.org/bourse

Mark Baker in the Placerville area is a big buyer but not of your type of material, except for the used postal card and stationery.

I do not know how long you plan to live, but if you ave enough material (must think in terms of crass money) you can get folks to come to you. Otherwise, you can deliver to WESTPEX 2027 or Sacapex the first weekend of November in Sacramento. Taff is usually at Sacramento.

Stamp clubs around here do not have buyers other than bottom feeders and vest pocket dealers looking to make a killing on your material.

In general 15-17% of catalogue is where stuff sells for solid collections.

"Example Australia -5 banker boxes, Germany -4 banker boxes, Canada -3 banker boxes, GB 3 boxes"

Germany, Canada & GB were very popular to collect and now there is too much material on the market. You cannot expect to get 15-17% of CV for these countries unless the condition is exceptional.

Chris H will work to maximize his profit, which may or not result in the best price for you.

Dave Cobb (Newport Harbor) deals only in US stamps. If he were to buy your foreign, it would only be to sell it on to some other dealer.

I can't recommend Mark Baker even for post cards or stationery.

Jim Taff (not Taft) in the Sacto area specializes in Germany.

The next Westpex isn't until next April. Rumsey is in downtown SF, but it is hard to guess when the next auction is that would have room for your material (all auction houses are backed up to various degrees).

Yes, Taff not Taft as I usually typo it.

I must also agree the country areas you named are rather cold, very cold, right now.

I sold those four countries last November as country collections which had been donated to one of my clubs. Those four countries sold each for less than the gas to get to Sacramento. I was at a price of, make offer, any offer or they are going into the show location garbage can. It was all post 1960 modern and yes, I would toss it. Costs me too much in postage to mail as a donation (Stamps for the Wounded) for someone else's material. Sadly to clarify they went at fair prices given the current market.

Regarding Rumsey, in addition as to when he would have room in an auction, he is now sitting at a $4000 actual realization minimum consignment. That may change.

Thanks to everyone. Some good info here. Never bought with profit in mind. You could not put a price on what collecting has given me.

"Never bought with profit in mind. You could not put a price on what collecting has given me."

No argument there.