If You Had $50.00 To Spend, What US Stamp Would You Buy?

I would get a Scott #301 lh, xf. Just about that price point.

But in general, for $50, more fun to be had buying a collection or accumulation and going through it. I picked up a duplicates collection in December and still going through it for over a month.

My personal choice would have to be Scott #3138, the alternate Bugs Bunny pane from 1997. It's the only major Scott number that is still missing from my collection of MNH U.S. postage from 1931 to 2005 (my cutoff date). CV is $140, but I've seen it for as little as $50 on eBay.

Individual stamps I want for my Canada collection all run over $50, so instead maybe I'd pick up a lot of cheap common used from the classic period and go through it looking for interesting cancels, potential re-entries, that kind of fun.

Although come to think of it, I have a lot just like that I bought last year for that purpose - and I still haven't gotten around to going through it...

I would try to snag one of my very early Hidalgo, imperial eagle or Emperor Maximilian stamps that are currently out of my reach :) - those spaces call to me. $50 probably won't get me there but u never know.

Great ideas all of you. Nora, that's a nice looking group. Thanks for showing. I think I might consider a stamp in the trans-Mississippi series, if I find a nice example. I have an OK #286 that I soaked of the old album page. I'll post it.
Thank you all again!
Stephen

A problem arises when everything you are still missing is priced well above $50 per stamp. Such is usually the case with long-time collectors, as they already have all the "cheaper" stuff.

Hedge on inflation

patg23, probably the best use, no kidding aside.

Meaningful valuation appreciation doesn't seem to happen on the lower end ($50-250). Either there is enough availability, or the scarcity is already factored into pricing. This makes the only real way for an increase to occur through finds and discoveries. I generally don't see stamps just rise in value organically. A $300 stamp hasn't turned into a $3000 or $30,000. Ya just dont see that enthusiasm. I have been sitting on high value stamps forever and they don't magically skyrocket. Trophies, yes. The lower uncommons, no.

Its only worth what someone is willing to pay.

Final thought on this - if you read Linns you might be tempted to believe Gitner's columns about good buys. While there is good info in them, suggesting a price that you think is reasonable of assets you own is hardly unbiased.

I wouldn't know what one single stamp to get for $50... I would try to get some Godzilla stamps or a 3 cent beaver. I'm probably just not familiar with that many stamps worth $50.

What US stamp/s does one need for green card?

rismoney-such raises have occasionally happened in some revenue varieties; the double transfer of RS29b went from a cat of $275 to a cat of $1000 a few years ago because of an auction sale (they rarely come up for sale). But I agree it's very rarely happened.

This should probably be a whole other thread, but I just reviewed my credit card purchases for 2021. I spend over $15 a day on stamps on average.

Wow Casey!
Yeah, I learned a long time ago, eBay and alcohol........

I know. I spend less money on gasoline. Need to narrow my interests down to 3 or 4 things...