German Stamps Help With

Do these stamps have any value? They were all in a envelope so I sorted them out this is what was in it.

Congratulations! You've found the Holy Grail of German Stamps. If I were you I would put that stamp in Sotheby's next stamp auction and look forward to a very well off retirement. You lucky dog !!

What Timm is saying, tongue in cheek, is that, especially with earlier German stamps, it may be difficult to absolutely impossible to tell what type of stamp, or if it is a even a legitimate stamp without a very close-up image, and knowing the exact perforations and watermark.

I would start with close-ups of the Germania (the girl on the stamp) and the larger pictorials.

I don't think sarcasm helps nurture new collectors to want to ask what to them is a serious question!

I just would like to have some idea on if I should keep them, sell them, or give them away?

I've been collecting stamps for over 50 years. I have spent thousands of hours studying and carefully mounting and caring for my collection. I take great pride in not only the collection itself but also the knowledge and pleasure my stamp collection has provided me.

A BIG problem with newbies is the dollar signs in their eyes and the "if it ain't worth much, why should I bother attitude." The first thing they seem to always ask is "are these stamps worth anything." Worth doesn't always translate into dollars. How much are your memories worth? Your relaxation time? Your knowledge?

If you're serious about stamp collecting, go to your local library and LEARN about your stamps. Appreciate what you have and what they represent.

Also: Join your local stamp club; visit your local stamp shows or at least read some of the millions of articles on the Internet about stamps.

That is a question only you can answer.

They aren't junk. They look like a typical packet of early 20th-century Germany. The Germania issues (the woman with the armored WonderBra) have lots of variations that a more-specialized catalogue will delve into, so you can sort them simply, for now, and go into them in more depth later. Or not.

If they were mine, I'd definitely keep them. Nothing to be ashamed of. (And yes, probably nothing that will finance your retirement, either.)

thank you Cjd, The variations what catalogue would you get? also do they have catalogs that are ebooks?

If cost is an issue, then based on the stamps you've shown so far across your posts, I would look for a used Scott Classic 1840-1940 (1952 for British Commonwealth) from the mid-2000s.

I have at least four of them, and I've paid as little as $5 and as much as $30.

The Scott Classic gives a great overview of all countries, with generally more detail than the standard Scott catalogues. For even more detail for the stamps you've shown, you could look for a Michel Specialized Germany. An older single-volume edition should be fine.

If cost is not much of a concern, same recommendations, but new.

My opinion on ebooks is that the stamp publishers haven't quite figured it out yet.

While the Michel-Spezial is a superb reference, it may not help you much -- the entire catalog's in German; the English edition omits lots of information.

For best results, do not use your entire scanner glass as your scanning area and crop off the excess - select a 3 x 3 or 4 x 4 scanning area and do only 9 or 16 stamps at a time. You will get larger, clearer images.

I have never owned the English editions. I took some German in college, but I still think the German editions would be manageable without that background. Symbols, columns, typical German efficiencies...

Michel has a small booklet for English speakers that would help, too.

Head on down to the local library and check out a German catalog such as Scott or use it in the library
.
In the catalog look up the German page that starts with stamps dated about 1900
Your top page starts with the Germania issues. Look up Germania in the encyclopedia

Second page and you'll find the German Imperial Eagle. Look up German Imperial Eagle.

Next row look up the commemorative issues in the catalogue. Read all of the foot notes.
Continue with the remaining stamps.

My point is that it is not the monetary value so much as it is about the learning and appreciation of the stamp itself.

Don't invest money in literature unless you really plan on staying with the hobby.

i have posted some close up of the stamps, I am getting the other ones ready