Stamp Values ...

I have been comparing auction realized prices from different auctions (including ebay) and I am completely at a loss.

It seems to me that, with few exceptions, no one really knows what the value of a stamp is. Let me elaborate. I see the same stamp, which is to say that the description is virtually identical, and these two stamps go for wildly different prices at different auctions.

I guess I'm trying to figure out if there is any rhyme or reason to valuing stamps.

Any suggestions or comments will help because I'm clueless.

thanks
wp62

As a seller, you can price an item however you see fit. Price has nothing to do with value. Most stamps were printed in large quantities, so there are relatively few "rare" stamps. There are several qualities which will greatly help you as a collector. The first is knowledge...knowing the demand of a stamp, and knowing the particular qualities that might make a particular stamp more or less desirable. This knowledge doesn't come quickly, and like all collectors, you will be "taken" from time to time. You "pay your dues" as they say.

The second quality is patience. Patience is your best friend. Don't jump at the first copy of a stamp you want because you might think that this will be your only opportunity. Remember that there are are many of those stamps out there, and that you want to be picky...stamp collectors are picky, above all else. After you have collected for a while, you'll begin to recognize those items that you don't see that often, and that would be worthwhile for your collection. At that point, you might be willing to pay a little more (higher percentage of catalog) than what you have paid before.

Collect what you like, and definitely NOT as an investment.

In other collecting, I know there can be great disappointment for some who live long enough to see tastes change. What you might value, the next generation may see as common or old-fashioned. book is right; collecting is not an investment. He is right, too, in saying patience is a friend. I want to collect Irish railroad parcel stamps but cannot stomach the current high prices. Maybe I'll live long enough to see the 'fad' fade. We'll see. (Reminder to self: Stop eating so much ice cream.)

Patience is a virtue to have that can save you money.

The temptation of ice cream is a tough problem.

I just purchase a stamp at 4x the Scott value because it catch my eyes

Care to elaborate?

I'm a frequent auction buyer and I use the Scotts value as a baseline. I sometimes pay as high as 50% of Scotts for some classic US stamps that really catch my eye. However, my high bids are generally in the 20 - 30% range for individual stamps. I make it a rule to only buy what I really like and agree 1000% with Bkbndrbob that my collection is for my pleasure and not an investment. Keep looking/bidding on auctions, its a lot of fun.

If you have been collecting a long time, and you specialize, you take notice when you see an unusual item. It might be a postal marking, plate flaw, printing ink variety, or even unusually good quality for a particular stamp. For U.S. specialists in the U.S.A., it is probably pretty tough to find "hidden gems". If you are a U.S. collector who collects foreign material with specialized areas, I think your chances of finding unusual items is much better.

I try very hard to stay within the budget but ice cream is also a temptation for me.