Old Stamps Collection - Should I Keep It Or Put In Auction

Hi there all.

I have a stamp collection (if you can call it a collection)in my possession for a few years now and never really looked at it.

I don't have that much interest in stamps but I had a look trough it this weekend and there was 1 black penny in this lot which I will keep so I also can say that I got one.

Should I sell it as it is or are there more rare stamps in this lot??

I'm clueless about stamps and don't have the books to research them.

I tried to look online for some world stamp books but these are silly expensive???

Many of these stamps are also in foreign language so don't even know which country they are.

please see the links below for some pictures as there are many.

any help is appreciated
thank you
http://jpegbay.com/gallery/004671156-.html#1

http://jpegbay.com/gallery/004671182-.html#1

http://jpegbay.com/gallery/004671202-.html#1

http://jpegbay.com/gallery/004671226-.html#1

ben, this is an absolutely delightful collection. Whoever put it together had a wide range of discerning good taste and, seemingly, an interest in world history or geography. I've only glanced through your 50 photographs, so I don't know what value the collection might have monetarily, but there are some desirable stamps among the bunch.

I don't have time to look deeply at this or respond in length, but I'm sure others will chime in. I just skimmed through your images. You appear to have a decent collection should you want to start collecting. Whether you collect or sell, some organization of material would probably suit both purposes. I saw several pages of Swiss stamps, a good collection of British Commonwealth/Colonies, some Germany, and the rest. Organizing along those lines might make sense. Rarities? I don't know. Show the Penny black. Those are not necessarily all that rare given the quantities printed.

thanks for the response fellers, I tried but I don't have interest in stamps (I'm a vintage watch collector.

If I would keep a few than its only for investment purpose and it must have a value of £50+


hungary for stamps:
I had posted a topic about the black penny on this website to determine the plate number.

It has no margins but it makes up for it as its not used and its properly a plate 6.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e...agadikyn.jpg

thank you for your time KGB .
The Swiss stamp in the first row look unused to me.
There were also some other Swiss stamps with no perforation which I kep with the black penny
and a other stamp with Victoria with a high demonition of £10

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e...etc4yok6.jpg

Stamps as investments? I don't think that would be a good idea. Instead, I would find a trusted collector who could give a cautious estimate of the collection's value, help you organize and display it, and then put everything up for sale as one lot. You could break the collection up into nationalities or some such, but I suspect you don't want to be bothered with all the communication and mailing and all else that would be involved.

You answered your own question with "I don't have that much interest!"

Why keep them when others would be happy to get them.

Sell them all including the "Penny Black!"

There is material of interest here. As Hungary suggested, you could organise it along rough geographical lines and put it on ebay. The 1d black is in such a sorry state that I doubt that anyone would pay much for it. The early Swiss stamps may be fakes - there's material on the web that will give you guidance on thse.

why is that not a good idea KGB.
Are stamps not a good investment if I wanted to sell in lets say 20 years? I always thought that scarcity's keep their value and rise.
And whatever I decide, the Black Penny is a keeper! Its got the name ''Black Penny'' and the history, etc. Such stamp can never devalue.
And yes I was thinking to offer them as a lot but I'm open for suggestions,
I'm a antique/collectibles investor and I see examples like these on monthly basis so I'm here to to learn.

Sorry Timm, I need to rephrase myself.
I'm not that much interested in stamps if they are not scarce enough(human nature).
PB is a keeper!

"Are stamps not a good investment if I wanted to sell in lets say 20 years?"
I'd say not a good investment unless you have really top quality items. I have not looked at your collection but if there are any common low value stamps then they will remain common low value stamps. A common penny GB stamp will keep its value over a 20 year period...and be worth a penny.

"And whatever I decide, the Black Penny is a keeper! Its got the name ''Black Penny'' and the history, etc. Such stamp can never devalue."
Not so, I'm sorry to say. Only the best stamps in perfect condition will see an increase in value. For instance, a used condition three margin Penny Black around ten years ago would have been valued at around 70-90 pounds if you were lucky. Now you can get those for 40-60 pounds. Fewer collectors and they are going mainly for quality items and the lesser items are seeing a substantial fall in value.

You might have something good, I certainly wouldnt just sell it away for nothing, put it away for a cold winter day and spend some time looking them up, stamps books while expensive you can buy older issues with outdated values for cheap then once you know what the stamps are you can look them up easier, also what was rarer in the old book still is now for the most part so you will get an idea.

Your Cape of Good Hope revenue stamp has a value of at least 300 pounds. You've got some winners there!

I would say sell it and put the money into something where you're an expert like the watches.

Just to underline what scotzm says, the current Stoneham's GB catalogue (which is designed to show market prices, rather than Gibbons-style prices) doesn't even price three-margin 1d blacks. I wouldn't turn my nose up at them, of course!

re.

Your Cape of Good Hope revenue stamp has a value of at least 300 pounds.

What page number is that on,

Pagoda

Here's the link, Pagoda: http://s37.photobucket.com/user/Ben...ok6.jpg.html.

Let me know if you think I've been too generous in giving the stamp a value of 300 pounds.