Registered Mail To A Bank In Montreal, Canada, What To Do?

Hi:
Need some advice. I have about 30 boxes with mail from a Canadian Bank in the 1960's. Each box weighs about 5-10lbs each. The large envelopes have been cut open and bundled together to look like scrolls. The mail has cancellations, registered stickers, some postage, and some with wax seals. I'd eventually like to sell the collection. Is there anything I should do to increase its value? What can I do?
Do I:
- Cut the boring looking registered envelopes to and keep the "registered" stickers? Are the registered stickers collectable on its own? Can I cut the envelopes up and just save these?
- Sell as-is on ebay?
- Cut up the large envelopes and make an art project out of it?
- Collect the ones with wax seals and dump the rest?
- Anything I should pick out or keep an eye out for?

If the vast majority are metered mail, as they appear to be, I think you'll find them extremely difficult to sell, especially in view of the large amount of postage required to ship them anywhere.

Are there any Canadian covers or are they all foreign?

If there are , provide us with a few scans and we can discuss further.

I see that you have listed 10 of these damaged covers on ebay for $49.95. Good luck!

Hi Lorddenning - They appear to be all foreign from banks. I'm not sure how to sort or collect 300+ pounds of damaged covers, So I picked out 10 with wax seals for a test auction ebay, thanks for the luck. I'll post more pictures when I open the box again and post them here.

I think that these are worthwhile going through.

My personal advice would be to keep the covers intact wherever possible.

Of course, there will be some covers with the meter impressions destoyed or damaged and they are not worth keeping. In other words, selvedge what you can.

I noticed a Belgian meter impression in there. Are there other ones as well as Canadians?

Chimo

Bujutsu

Are there any contents or just wrappers/covers? A good friend bought some bank boxes like this and there were 1000's of older canceled checks. Keep an eye for contents that may have used revenues affixed and there is a market for older metered stuff but it looks like you have a task in front of you.

Great advice so far. I'll only reiterate by saying don't cut or soak anything if it can be saved. Have any questions post high resolution pics and post in the correct area of the forum for best results! Best of luck and I really enjoy seeing those wax seals too! ~Cheers

Thanks Bujutsu, nitrolures, I_Love_Stamps.
Great advice, thanks!
I noticed a Belgian meter impression in there. Are there other ones as well as Canadians? -> Not sure, I'll take some more photos.
Are there any contents or just wrappers/covers? -> I have about 29 more boxes to go. I would think it would take about 1 hour to look at each box, I'll keep an eye on old checks - good idea.


Do you remember the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark? Here is the warehouse scene at the end of the movie. Kind of reminds me how big the amount of time is needed keep care of a large stamp collection. Gathering of material, cutting of envelopes, sorting of stamps, soaking stamps off paper, drying stamps, making stamp piles, putting stamps in envelopes or albums, listing stamps in ebay auctions, going to the post office to mail the auctioned off stamps. Licking old stamps to envelopes, protecting stamps from foxing, insuring the collection, keeping a collection safe from moisture, theft... One thing that has made collecting stamps more enjoyable is the internet of course for identifying what you have. Lots to think about!