Small Study On Buying US Stamps: Catalog Value Vs. Real Cost

I'm like Partime, I usually aim around 10 to 15% of the CV. I consider that a "good deal". Like floortrader said the price is falling (with an exception of Chinese stamps) worldwide and that is very true.
As for the quality, I totally agree with khj. and moreover, I don't consider off centered stamps as bad quality. In extreme case, it can be an "error" and it may have even higher value.

I can fully understand 1847bill. There are many collectors that prize the perfect, or nearly perfect stamp. To them there is a special beauty in them. That makes sense to me. For an example outside of stamps, I have have prints and a few oil original paintings hanging on my walls. I can asure you, if they are not well centered in the frame, it really bugs me.

I wish I had the money to buy the best stamps but the simple fact is that I don't. I am quite positive that the majority of stamp collectors around the world do not have funds to buy the best. Therefore, we have to be content with what we can afford. And, we can even be happy with less than the best. I have many high value stamps that did not meet high standards; otherwise I would not have them.

Let us all appreciate each others collecting abilities and preferences and keep the hobby fun by delighting in the joy of what we have and also sharing the joy of what other collectors have obtained.

There differences to degrees of collecting. It doesn't just run in stamps. People who find something they like and enjoy should collect within their means. I don't like paying high prices to get what I want. Most of what I have are used and I like them that way. But I can tell you that over the years I've moved away from bad copies of stamps. So after reading and rereading Scott's and PSE's definitions on classifying stamps I have developed a grading method that works for me.

If you are trying to setup a database to track actual stamp prices and leave out condition then you really don't have much. But to set up a database with condition is to huge. The database would have to designed to fit each individuals collecting criteria.

QUIGNGT------One of the biggest misunderstanding in philately is that the average collector has to settle for lower quality and thats just not the case .Beatuiful collections and better quality stamps can be mounted and displayed no matter what the owners financial status is .Im a worldwide collector and every year im removing hundreds of stamps from my collection and replacing them with ones with nicer cancels or better centering ,its a life time of upgrading .Every expert and dealer will look at eye appeal and factor that into the price when you bring it to their attention when your looking for a higher price for your collection -----quality sells !.

Thanks centerstage98 for the CV percentages.

25-30% CV when buying an individual stamp agrees with my recent experience.

I'm with floortrader that one of the benefits when buying a collection are the upgrades that can be done for one's current collection.

I love stamps- Actually your classic U.S. scans look very good to me.

I wouldn't mind having them, that's for sure.

To: I Love Stamps ... I think those stamps look great!! Hardly ratty or ragtag at all. You did really well. I have very few of those and probably can't afford many, though, if floortrader is correct, maybe they will be more affordable soon (if only I was getting laid off on Jan. 31!! .. all in the timing)

Ahh the joys of collecting and evaluating. Be it stamps coins or marbles there is an attraction . The days of baseball cards and checklist checking , going through the neighbors pile saying got got got NEED and making the trade to tick another box. All set us up to realize value in our later collecting endeavours. I was a hockey card kid and probably bounced more Gretzky rookies off the wall than I dare to imagine. But I liked Toronto and wouldn't trade a sittler for a gretzky regardless. Its same I stamps as you find an area you like and you'll do what you can to get that tick off your list be it good bad or perfect. If you can buy it rather than hunt it so be it but sometimes the hunt is 90% of the enjoyment. Thats why Kiloware used to be so attractive to find a treasure in a cheap box of goods.
Definatly knowing a range of what is generally fair and findable at X price is a great tool to have in the arsenal wether its to try and beat the odds or blow the budget.
I will say after 3 days of sorting a huge collection I really understand why minimum catalog values are established. I have discovered countries I never knew existed , and even appreciate many of the mass CTO fodder but the time involved is definatly part of the base value.
I'll keep treasure hunting and buying in the 10% bracket and hope to slowly acquire those that are worth the 30-50% along the way.

I believe as I have stated before in other postings that what a collectors likes, can afford and is willing to accept is what should be in their collection. Most of us are not collecting to take win a medal or a ribbon we collect for other many reasons. Okay sure it is nice to see a bunch of pristine stamps but it is also interesting to see a collection of postially used stamps. I enjoy looking at what kids collect and spent time on putting on vario sheets. Stamp collecting has no rules when you are sitting at your desk working on your collection. There is advise on how not to ruin a stamp, suggestions on how to dispay them but the bottom line it is your collection. Do what you enjoy and don't listen to purists or snobs. Enjoy the hobby at your level.
Nick

NICK----"what a collector likes,can afford and willing to accept is what should be in their collection" agree with your statemen but it should be stress by all collectors that neatness,and easy to follow lay out is important .I seen hundreds if not thousands of other peoples collections and they are a mess.You can't follow what the person was trying to do. Stamps totally unorganized,no notes to watermarks or perforations and stamps piled on top of one another.Stockbooks filled to the point of not knowing are the sets complete or damaged stamps included in the mix.
I perfer well researched and mounted collections and easy to view collections not the hogge-pod ,now this doesn't mean expensive or valuable material but the biggest failure in collecting stamps is that the owner never organises his own collection .....end of rant.

Very interesting thread. Here are my thoughts.

If it was not for flawed stamps I would have lots of holes in my collection. I cannot afford the expensive stamps so I settle for a space fillers (to some degree), so that I can experience the thrill of completing a page. Below I have a couple examples that I filled just last night from some circuits.



On the page above 2nd row first stamp(5c blue Champlain's Habitation) has a catalogue value of $100.00 for VF and$35.00 for F. I bought it for $3.00( it has short perfs on one side).



On this page 2nd row last stamp 10c Maple Leaf issue is catalogued at $120.00 VF $60.00 fine and I bought it for $5.00(it has a corner crease)
On the same page Numeral Issue 4rthrow 3rd stamp catalogue VF $60.00 F$35.00 Paid $2.00 because of a crease.

When possible I try to fill my pages with the best postally used stamps possible but when cost is a factor I do settle for faults. I am very happy with these filled pages.

By the way, I use hinges also.

Dianne

Hey Dianne, always great to see you posting again..on the Quebec stamps I am only missing the middle FIVE ! Nice going .

i guess it was the bottom 5 and now the cover page of my Canada specialty album needs gum reinforcers !!

Wow Dianne - those are great - I don't have many. Can I ask, on your "bargain" stamps - do you recall if you just bought them outright? Or were they part of a lot? Etc.

I would love to pay 10 percent to 1/3 catalog..but the only time that happens is at my stamp club...when we travel distances to stamp shows,the guys with the red boxes usually want 50 to 80 percent of catalog ! On the net I have to factor shipping which drives up the cost..so I pay what I have to pay if I feel I need a cover or stamp !

Confession : I have thought about buying a bunch of Mint stamps that are horribly centered and cutting the perfs off. Horribly centered stamps can be bought for next to nothing and the beauty in a stamp is the image on the stamp, the perfs are the proverbial frame around the picture and I could live without the frame.