Selling To Mystic

I have reached the point of needing to cut back on my holdings- I have two moderate foreign collections- one of Russia and another Guatemala. I tried selling off the Russian material piecemeal on ebay but I no longer have the time or patience for that- it just needs to go. Mystic does a lot of promotions with Russian stamps so I think I may have an opening for that collection there.

Has anyone sold to them and if so what was your experience?

This is very simple.

Don't do it.

They are one of the worst to offer prices on collections.

You will do MUCH better by offering the collection on ebay. If you don't have time to piece it out, then don't - sell it as a collection. Write a good description, take photos, and go for it.

Fair warning, don't have your expectations too high!

Whatever Mystic has a promotion on, don't bother trying to sell that material to them. Like all companies, they do promotions on items they are either overstock or trying to get rid of.

In general, I don't encourage anybody to sell to Mystic. But some may be surprised to learn that Mystic pays very well if it is something they need or that interests them. This, of course, is true of most large stamp firms/dealers. If you have moderate to common material in areas/topics that are also fairly common, don't waste time with Mystic. But if you have some premium material (and occasionally they are interested in select common material) that is on the Mystic buyer's list, you will find they pay quite well. I've sold items to them in the past and was quite pleased. I remember my first interaction with them nearly 20 years ago: I described the item over the phone; they asked how much I wanted; I simply quoted a major auction house estimate; they agreed to pay me that amount upon receipt and inspection. I mailed the stamps and got the money within 2 weeks -- didn't have to pay any auction house seller's commission, nor did I have to wait 1-2 months for payment.

But getting back to the original items mentioned, my guess is that a moderate Russian/Guatemalan collection is not high on Mystic's buy list. But hey, it's just a 5 minute toll-free phone call to ask.

Why don't you consider the buy, sell, trade forums here? Lots of good potential stewards here! Just a thought.

Mystic = DON'T DO IT! just my .02¢

I've considered selling on here but- you have to be a paying 'site supporter to do so. Not a lot to pay I guess but it'd just be another bill I have to pay on a fixed income. May think about that.

i get unwanted mail from Mystic all the time...luckily there is a town recycling station nearby...why do they think everyone wants to sell their collection ??? I don't know who buys their stamps but Sundman is obviously a multi millionaire owning a plate block of the inverted Jenny !

I have sold some US stamps to Mystic that was on teir buy list in Linn's and was pleased with the price and got the check in a reasonable time, but like someone else indicated, I wouldn't turn to them for things they weren't specifically looking for.

Where do you find their "buy list"

Alternatively, you could offer some small lots as donation auctions or donation giveaways. I put together a number of lots of U.S. airmails and offered them for free to anyone who donated at least $5.00 to SCF. That's how I got my supporter status. It didn't cost me anything but postage and went to a worthy cause.

Great advice I have done the same..its a win-win !!

Alberta - In the back of Linn's they have Classified Ads, and Mystic will often have a small (2 inch size or so) buy ad in the Buying US section.

eyeonwall
Thanks for answering my question. This leads to another... Sorry.. What is Linn's?

The biggest (and possibly oldest) stamp magazine, in tabloid format. Go to www.linns.com and click on the cover of the latest weekly issue, then you can read an entire digital copy free. Is Mekeel's still in business? They would be the oldest by far, I believe.

I don't believe Linn's that big any more, at least the weekly editions. It pales in size to what it once was. It used to be a robust full-sized newspaper.

Both the American Philatelist and American Stamp Dealer magazines are larger now in format.

Or did you mean in terms of circulation numbers, not the actual magazine itself?

D2222 - I don't think a non-subscriber can read an entire digital edition for free.