What Are These Great Britain Stamps Worth?

I got these off ebay for $5.84. I can't find a thing about them.

The 2011 Scott catalog value for these 4 stamps is $168.50. Deduct accordingly for centering and faults.

The quality of the postmark strike is also very important and can affect the % of CV realized tremendously!

Stanley Gibbons values these four at £75 ...1880-1881 SG 164-168. Divide SG value by eight is what I had been taught to get "real" prices for good specimens. Faults, bad centering, washed colors means up to another 75% less.
Your price paid seems quite reasonable for those particular four, I would say. Now you need to hunt down the five penny stamp to make the set.

Is it just me, or do you all agree that the CV of Great Britian stamps is way off the real market value?

Great Britain catalog values are way off. I don't think any Country has as wide of a gap between real world and catalog values, just look at the Seahorses, high catalog value and can be had for a dime a dozen.

Feel free to send over links to any sales of KGV Seahorses for a dime to me, thanks!

Not holding my breath,

Skilo54

Just a brief example of the Seahorses, here is a 5/- Red Rose piece in VF used. $10.00 is what it sold for, what's the CV on that one ?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/351-VERY-GO...em23188a6ea6

One of the reasons that one sold for so little is the seller is a complete joke. Also remember that SG Catalogue value is what Stanley Gibbons sells stamps in Fine condition for. When it comes to used stamps, their catalogue value is for stamps in fine postally used condition. The stamp you linked isn't close to that, so the price it sold for reflects that fact.

Gotta run, catch'ya later,

Skilo

I looked at that stamp. Dosent look all that bad to me. There may be flaws, but they werent apparent.

Sure is a nice stamp Joe, but certainly isn't fine postally used, therefore shouldn't really sell for more than what it did. The deal maker/breaker has alot to do with the postmark, as I suggested earlier in the thread.

Here are two stamps for comparison, to try and illustrate the point I am trying to make. The first is the one linked by Stallzer, a nice looking 416 Bradbury Wilikinson Seahorse with a smudgy Parcel strike of some sort:



The second one I would consider to look close to Fine postally used Bradbury Wilkinson 416 Seahorse with a lovely CDS. The strike makes the difference, and therefore more likely to be sold for a value closer to actual CV.



I think one could safely say that introductory notes be first read and understood regarding Catalogue Values, before diving in to the meat of any catalogue and assessing street value. There are many factors that affect CV and they all must be considered when pricing or buying stamps.

Have a good one,

Skilo54

Ok, here we go.

Postally used set of 3 for $23.00 US. No Bidders
http://www.ebay.com/itm/U-K-SET-USE...em4ab306a3fa

Catalog, 40 pounds, sold for $2

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1934-Re-Eng...em4cfd875378

2/- 6d with a nice registered mail strike, $6

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1918-2s-6d-...em53eaaa21c7

There are literally tons of the lower value Seahorses that can be had for a song. These have been discussed in depth over at the other board where I actually found out how overpriced they really are. I got 2 of the 2/- 6d ones in a lot I bought for 10 bucks. Yes the 10/- and the 1Lb ones can fetch a good sum, but........

Lately all I've seen for GB is that you toss away the catalog on these. I have 2 of the QV 5d's that are the type 1 (I think it's a type 1) where there are dots instead of dashes. The CV on those is $90.00 US, I see them sell all the time for $5.

I hate to say it my friend, but I think you just keep proving my point. None of the ones you have linked represent what a fine postally used example should be, therefore they will only sell for a small % of CV. Those are oranges when you should be looking for apples. You cannot paint every used stamp with the same brush Stallzer, and the catalogue clearly states at the beginning what the criteria are for Fine Used, not toned, smudged, damaged like the ones linked by you. Of course they are selling for peanuts, look at them! Nothing special really.

I understand that you are trying to prove that the SG catalogue doesn't represent the true value of what the stamps sell for, but the exact same argument you are using could be used for any of the major catalogue. I don't really see how else I can explain my point, so I will leave it be. If you want SG to start giving prices for sub-par/average/mid-grade stamps, I encourage you to write them:

http://www.stanleygibbons.com/stanl...outContactUs

Have a good one,

Skilo54

The vast majority of these stamps were used for Parcels, Registered Mail and other expensive franking options. Everyday domestic postage wasn't 5/-

How about this one, nice double ring cancel from the British Post office in Constantinople, this can't be common and couldn't even fetch $20.00

http://www.ebay.com/itm/British-Pos...em27c202aa44

I'm just going off of what I learned from the greater minds down under, if you get my drift.

The fact that these were primarily used for Parcels, Registered Mail, and other expensive franking options is why the catalogue value for them is so high for a Fine Postally used example. Gibbons CV for a British SG#416 is around £110, which works out to about $170 USD, so $20 USD is pretty much spot on for that stamp at around 12% of CV. Probably should have sold for more like $30 USD, but the whole Constantinople thing, if you catch my drift.

By the way, Excellent ebay Search Bar skills man, you sure have become proficient using it and have shown us all once again that there are deals to be had on ebay!

That being said, I have a bunch of links to dealers of this material if you would ever like to start looking into what real 'Fine/Very Fine' Used Seahorses are selling for. My mailbox get filled with monthly offerings form UK Dealers, and the pages of the GBPS Journal are speckled with ads each issue for dealers of fine stamps. It is quite amazing the difference between 'Fine Used' on ebay and 'Fine Used' from a reputable dealer. Learned that one from my fellow collectors and mentors at the GBPS, and I am pretty sure the folks with the greater minds from down-under have mentioned that before too!

Have a good one, and I hope your collections are looking better than ever!

Skilo54

Dear stallzer,
I need the pound green seahorse to complete my set, can you advise me as to where I might get one for a reasonable price?