So I Called Mystic To See What Dad Spent...

They didn't just give it, I had to give them personal info to get it, stuff people that
only knew your name could not just have without you giving it to them, plus I am the
executor of his estate, and they had to deal with me during the fight to get them to
stop sending stamps and bills.

They did NOT want to give me the info. Instead they kept pushing
me to talk to their stamp buyer to give me an "appraisal value",
instead of disclosing the cost. I told them I knew I wasn't going
to get what he paid, but it would put things in perspective.
Oh boy, did it ever!

A very good lesson here for all collectors and the big question is, Do you have an exit strategy ?

Not really.
I really like the stamps. They are an inexpensive (when you do it right)
hobby, and a thing of beauty. I would love to be able to keep the stuff.
However, times are tight, and my mother is now living with me, as opposed
to on the street, and that $12k would go a long way for her. I can't really
think about what I want as she has more claim to his stuff than I do. It
cheezes me off that I am of no help in making this thing an asset to her,
as opposed to a hobby for me.

I doubt we'll ever get what it takes to even make it worth trying to liquidate.
We are probably stuck with it, and then that begs the question, "What about MY
family/heirs?". None of my kids are interested in taking up the hobby, so does
this thing fester down through the generations? I tried to get my daughter interested,
and it remains to be seen if that 'takes'. Otherwise this stuff will fall into hands
that are even less equipped to deal with it than I was. At least I like it and have
learned enough on my own to conserve it fairly decently. If there was no interest,
it could have hit file 13 with as much info as my father gave me on it before he passed.

Just take my situation as a lesson of what not to do to your family.

ratio411, I just want to tell you that I feel sorry for you and your family being totally disappointed in not receiving what you had expected and counted on.
But as you stated in one of your previous post Mystic isn't to blame for everything, after all they are a business and have to make money.

In my case the whole family has no illusions whatsoever as to what my collection is worth (not much) and basically I don't care what they do with it after I'm gone.
Hopefully they can get a lunch at Manderin with he proceeds from the sale.

My wife knew even before we were married that I collect stamps and
that I spend some cash on it and she never had any problems with it.

My kids who collected for awhile when they were younger also
know that Daddy's stamps aren't worth a heck of a lot but they
also know full well that I've got a tremendous amount of enjoyment
from this hobby.

Hi again,
One thing I would like to add........ While your Dad paid a "premium" buying from Mystic, I do believe he got quality material.

I have gotten some "good deals" on ebay, but some of the stamps were just barely usable.

Thanks for the support guys.
I am really conflicted over several points.
My father thought he was doing a good thing I suppose.
I want to keep the stuff, and there is a whole lot of it.
I will probably end up keeping it just because there is
really no answer to the situtation. I want to keep building
on it, and pobably will as I know how to do it at far less cost.
I just worry if something happens to me, what will happen.

The common stuff (read postage worthy, as in face value) is good quality.
However, anything with any premium to it, and all the "Classic" era stuff
is heavily flawed.

Some thoughts...

I know where you're coming from with this... When my I started collecting stamps my grandmother decided to help me out with my collection... And buy from Mystic stamps. The stamps cost a total of several $1000, despite basically being all discount postage. (worth about $100 total, on a good day) This from a woman who is having trouble finding the money to buy groceries.




Quality material---- Mystic stamps do sell nicer stamps then SOME ebays sellers, but at hugely inflated prices. You CAN find good deals online for stamps at 1/5 the price of Mystic that are THE SAME QUALITY.

Most anything post-1940ish is avalible at face value or less.

I too have gotten some stinkers from ebay, but they are still better than Mystic prices (e.g. a set of poor condition mixed colombians to 50¢- $15 on ebay, versus $380.45 in decent condition from Mystic.)

Exactly what I meant by exit strategy. When you exit this Earth, do you have a plan for Family members regarding your collection.

Too many People leave us unexpectedly and never get to leave a will. If you have value in the collection, get it inventoried,counted and give it a fair appraisal.

ratio411, I am sorry for your great disappointment (and shock).
Perhaps you might want to keep specific parts of your father's collection, some special areas of the collection which will remind you of him, rather than all of it. You could break up the collection and try to sell parts of it. This probably won't amount to much money, but perhaps it would make your heart less heavy. Then you could add to what you have kept and enjoy your father's hobby rather than be angry about it.
Just a thought...

Just curious, but did you get the collection appraised to see what the value of it is?

CF

No

Well, I have done this on a small scale.
I have upgraded some things, and therefore let the lesser grade stamps go.
I have also gotten rid of some 'World' stuff as Dad only collected US, and the
world stuff was just happened in to, then I took over and picked up even more
world stuff just by happen-stance, not intentionally.

I say he only collected US, but I guess that is not entirely true. He did
collect UN, and put together a Disney topical for my daughter.

I tried selling the UN collection, but no one is serious enough about UN
to pay anything for it. I added up face value of the unused stamps at nearly
$500 if memory serves, and although there was a lot of interest, offers
weren't even close to face, and that didn't include several hundred FDCs,
all the albums, and postal history UN cover. I don't remember the exact numbers,
but it was pretty crazy. Highest offer was around $100...



Edit:
I am not sure I recall that face value correctly. It may have only been $300 face, as I seem to recall that there were only 800 or so unused stamps, and 800 stamps would be hard pressed to make $500 face. It was a few hundred, but whatever. When you have that much face, several albums, and a couple hundred FDCs, well, you get the idea... $100 ain't taking that home.

So may I recommend doing that? For the 12k he spent I'm sure it wasnt junk and you could probably break even or a marginal loss.

CF

I have learned enough in the last 5 years to know that the bulk of what he
bought(from Mystic) falls into 2 catagories:

1: Supplies and albums... Which essentially have no value, especially the cheap
junk Mystic was pushing at that time. The stamps are still on Mystic pages, but
the albums have fallen apart and I got some Scott albums to put the Mystic pages
into. This goes for the "Heritage" albums anyway. The UN albums are better quality
and rock solid. The Disney album has not quite 'disintegrated' like the Heritage.

2: Postage grade stamps that sell for face or less, yet Mystic charged 4x CV
according to what I am finding.

I know enough to know we are not even close.

Actually, there is also a 3rd catagory...
All the FDCs he bought at 5-10 bux each, but sell for .50-1.00
each from other sources.