Mystic Stamp Company

Is this a good company to start a collection for my grandchildren?
Will it be a good investment in the future?

Quick Answer is NO. This is NOT a place for investments for your children, or you for that matter. Prices are way above normal, for seemingly poor quality. You'll see many responses and links from others on this website.

Glad to have you on board. Glad to see someone is passing on the stamp collecting bug.

Then does that mean the stamps my late husband bought through them are worthless? This was going to be the start for my grandchildren. Did my husband waste his money? Do they have any value for a future sale for my grandchildren?

I will disagree with Partime and the others who just say there is no room for Mystic. It is like anything else you have to know your subject your subject for things such as price and quality. With that said I have been far more cheated by ebay than anything else I can think of. While there are far less fakes and repaired or cleaned classics on ebay it can happen. Most people don't remember the big fraud that was going on back in the days but even more a lot of people don't know they have over paid for cleaned stamps that are in their collections.

Mystic stamp albums and pages are a pretty good value for the beginner. I will go out on a limb and call them the best. I have a set. But remember to shop price and learn the value of stamps.

You are saying an investment for the future. It is a great investment if you are thinking in terms of a lifetime hobby that offers an opportunity to meet some great people.

If you are think $$$$ investment for retirement etc, then exit stamp collecting quickly.

Stamp collecting is a great hobby for children or adults. But without a willingness (and the means) to spend a small fortune to buy genuine classics and rarities, the hobby should not be considered a monetary investment at all.

It is an INVESTMENT in many other things, including education in all of its areas of study - from geography and history to science and politics; along with a growth in more intangible areas such as order and organization, goals, economics and accounting, time management, etc.

Mystic is a good company in many ways and suits certain needs.
But the best thing to do to get started is to get a book or two from the library and read about the hobby; or visit a web page or two that explains it and then dive into the hobby via some cheaper stamps and albums that can be found in various places.

Good luck.

Tearose what stamps does he have. Mo they are not worthless. Can you post some of the stamps of list what he has. We can not answer the question you have asked until we know the stamps that you have.

Hi tearose,

Nice name, and welcome to the site. This is good advice from Partime. In the UK Stanley Gibbons offer "Investment" opportunities in stamps via managed stamp portfolios. This sort of thing is definitely NOT the way to spend money on stamps. The SG service in the UK is not a regulated or protected investment so on top of paying top dollar for your stamps and eventually maybe selling at lower street values, minus commission, there is no protection for the investor. I do not buy stamps from SG and If Mystic sell stamps at top dollar for less than top quality items then I would not consider buying from them either

There are lots of very knowledgeable and expert people in all areas of philately on here that I am sure will be along to offer you very good advice.

Terry

Everybody has an opinion here...but they seems to have forgotten one thing: Collecting stamps is not an investment, it is a hobby. As such, it is supposed to be fun. Although it is possible to make money with stamps you can probably do better in the stock market or pork belly futures or some other thing. If you set out to make money with stamps, you may well be in for a big shock.

Hi tearose,

I see some posts have already come in while I was typing up mine. The value of your husband's stamps will depend on what he bought. If he bought good items that will always be in demand then there should be a return in the future. Both mkfarm and centrestage 98 make good points, particularly about reading up on the subject and the quality of the stamps purchased. And if you can post a few sample scans I am sure you will get more specific advice.

Terry

I do want to add that Mystic Stamp Albums are very good and I have a set that I am preparing for my grandchild. I also want to note that this is not an investment for my grandchild in the monetary sense ... it is an investment intellectually and to show her what Grandpa used to do. (Just like my Grandma made little notes throughout the collection, I will do the same.)

tearose, with Mystic there is both the good and bad. Someone has already posted remarks about the American Heirloom album. Perhaps the best $39 I've ever spent. Also when I've had some "holes" to fill with more recent stamps, Mystic has been a good source. On several occasions when I've ordered used stamps, and they had none in their inventory, they've sent me mint stamps. I thought it was a nice touch and a good advertisement for their company. That being said, there are many other better sources for good quality stamps elsewhere at far cheaper prices. For example, it is easy to pick up groups of good quality used stamps cheap on ebay. My best catch ever on ebay was a collection of over 4000 mixed US including numerous complete sets and some reasonably high dollar classics for $20. Personally if I were you I'd go there first and check out what's available. I also echo those who have also pointed out that stamp collecting is a hobby and an incredible "intellectual" investment. Most people will never see a monetary return on their stamp investments. Perhaps it would be better to invest in the stock market if that is your intent.

Tearose - to echo what others have said, Mystic does offer decent albums, but their stamps tend to be overpriced and of lower quality - not a good investment. And in general, stamps are not a good financial investment (same is true of just about any hobby - dealers make money, collectors get other rewards from their hobbies).

My experience with Mystic is as follows:

1. The Heirloom is an excellent album for the price. $39 for a 3 volume album is great
2. Mystic mounts are a good price compared to retail prices for Showgard mounts, but are not as cheap as other online stamp retailers.
3. Though Mystic's prices are a higher than what I see on ebay or bidStart, they are cheaper than the Brookman catalog. I am lucky enough to have 3 stamp collecting stores within a 1/2 hour to 45 minutes from my house. They ALL sell stamps based on the Brookman catalog. So, if I didn't have the time and patience do do my shopping on ebay or bidStart, I'd be better off using Mystic than going retail.

And lastly.....

Mystic customer service is OUTSTANDING. I called them to tell them that Volumes I and II are punched differently than Volume III. Told them when I used Mystic blank pages in volumes I and II, they did not line up properly. 4 days later a WHOLE NEW ALBUM came in the mail. When I called to first ask about the album, I told them I was going to buy the 2011 supplement to get a feel for the pages before I bought one. They told me they would send me some sample pages for free. I got almost the whole 2011 supplement for free from them, just so I could make my decision.

One other point from all of the advice given already: The Scott Catalog values modern US stamps in VF condition.

I haven't received a catalog from Mystic in quite awhile, but the last time I read it, the devil is in the details. Most of the stamps offered for sale by Mystic are typically highlighted in yellow. If you CAREFULLY read the introductory pages of their catalog, you will discover that the stamps so highlighted are in LESSER condition than VF (perhaps VG/F) and they "claim" their prices reflect that. That may or may not matter to a beginner, but since condition is everything to most collectors, one needs to consider that Mystic is actually advertising their stamps at below Scott Catalog grade, yet they typically price them higher than the Scott Catalog.

Buyer beware!

Tearose: I have to agree with those who have written before me; collecting stamps is not a way to make money. I know many people, not real stamp collectors, who run out and buy up sheets of the latest Disney stamps believing that they will increase in value and money will be made. They seem unaware that current print runs are measured in billions of stamps! It might take 200 years to reduce the population of any current stamp to a level where there may be some value.

Collect stamps because of the enjoyment you will receive. Stick to the stock market, if you want to make money.

Donald

While first class rate definitives are still produced in quantities in the neighborhood of a billion, commems are now generally being produced in quantities of tens of millions. Still not likely to be a god invetsment.

(and the stock market has not exactly been the safest way to make money the past 10 or 15 years, but I am off topic). I agree that collecting should be for enjoyment.