Selling Stamps To Individuals Or Dealers

I have just come across a large collection of stamps, covers and related items . . . 10 bankers boxes full. If selling to a dealer what is the typical percent of value received. I am experienced in buying and selling rare books. Typically a book dealer pays 40-60% to purchase from a picker.

Stamp dealers make money at the time they buy, not sell.
Even though STAMP AUCTIONS (discussing stamp purchase) immediately try to figure out the level of your education in philately.
You are a treasure for any dealer!
He or she will try to convince you that you are selling a trash, and they are rescuing the situation paying you "at least something".

I don't understand your first line ". . . make money at the time they buy, not sell." How can that be? What if they buy and never resell? How have they made money doing that? I have just an entry level of education in philately but I do know when I've found stamps that have value. Typically I buy stamps at 50% of face value to use as postage. The last batch I bought (about $1500 worth) I was able to buy at 30% of face value. Now I'm trying to determine what a fair offer would be from a dealer for stamps valued in the $500-$1000 range.

So, you understand the value... Good for you.
Sorry, I do not believe in Stamp Dealers' or Stamp Auctions' honesty and willingness to pay a good money.
If I were you... I would decide what exactly I am selling: "a large collection of stamps, covers and related items" OR just "a batch of stamps in boxes". Nobody will pay a good money for non-organized messy bunches of stamps (even though its value is $500-1000). For your information, just recently on ebay a beautiful Stamp Collection was sold for $76 (seventy six dollars) - it was a Scott Junior album with thousands (!) of stamps.

I am talking with you and guessing - what if I live just next door... ))))))))))))))
The collection that possibly included the Penny Black... I would take it from you ))))))
Do you see how it works? You said that you want to sell - your potential buyer immediately reviewed everything about you online (all your comments, everything that can be find).

Would you sell the stamps as a kiloware? )))

I am mainly interested in selling the early U.S. stamps. In one album there is a complete set of The Columbians, The Trans Mississippi Exposition, Pan American Exposition, Louisiana Purchase, Jamestown Exposition & Panama Pacific Exposition. For these sets there are also plate blocks of four of most of the stamps. I would expect to get at least half the book value. Is that unreasonable?

If you sell them individually you may get half catalog. That is my opinion. If you sell to a dealer it may be less, depending on grade.

Peter

As for me, reasonable is NOT giving away easily and without reviewing what you have. You always can ask for your loved ones help - reviewing, organizing, checking prices online and putting labels. If you have teenagers in your family, they may would be insterested in selling on ebay for you. For example, China stamps always find buyers and can be sold for a good price (many Chinese stamps cost hundreds of thousands; according to Stanley Gibbons professionals, Chinese stamps is a great investment because its prices never go low); Russian & some of the SSSR stamps (especially with errors) are high in value too (CherryStone Auction each quoter dictates Russian stamps' prices). Stamps of some Islands can be very high in value too. Moreover, not all information about the value of the stamps is available in English. It is very good to double check in the language of the Country that it belongs to, etc.

Cannot stop talking with you. ))) I love stamps. As for me, the process of reviewing and looking for information is very exciting. Finally, I would sell just some - to make money that I need for more stamps.
Again - it is so sad, that I am not next door...))) All the boxes would be mine in 20 minutes from the moment you mentioned about them here.

In the UK, the rough rule of thumb at auction is 10% of Gibbons CV, more like 20% for Commonwealth. In the US, I'd guess it's closer to 20-30% of CV, because Scott's prices are lower. Better material in better condition will, of course, go for more. The advantage of using an auction house is that it will do the hard work for you - at a cost - and it should break up the collection in the most appropriate way to maximise the return.

lkellogg for your early US stamps, you may do better at a traditional auction. Send scans of your stamps to several stamp auction houses to get an idea of their estimates. If the material is better grade, you might get high catalog.

". . . make money at the time they buy, not sell."

What is meant here is that good material basically sells itself. The work is in finding the good material and presenting it well.

Please share some pictures / scans here - especially any covers. I would be interested in just seeing the material.

First thing you should do and most people never do . You need to hire someone to sit down and review what you have and give you a report in writing . That is the right thing , but 99% of the people think they can do it themselves -WHICH IS THE STUPID THING TO DO . You need professional to establish the real value not somebody looking at 5 or ten scans on a computer screen. The $100.00 or $200.00 is small change if there is something of value in those boxes . If it turns out to be cheap stuff ,then you will sleep better at nights knowing you got a turn picture of your holdings .

ikellogg: welcome to the Forum. I agree with floortrader. Get an experienced person to look things over for you. Don't even think of selling anything until you know what you have. Not offering, but if I was, I could look your stuff over in course of several days and give you a rough idea. But, I've also collected since age 10 in 1960 and have 50+ acquired years of collecting experience, both buying and selling. Floortrader has probably collected as long or close.

floortrader has the correct answer. It takes years of training to know how to evaluate a stamp. Small details can make a difference between a $0.25 stamp and a $4.000 stamp. Hire someone who knows what they are doing to evaluate the collection. Maybe you will break even. Maybe you will do well.

There are too many things that can go wrong [ WRONG- for the seller] when a inexperience person sits in front of me to sell their stamp collection. The first 5 minutes has nothing to do with the contents of the collection/accumulation ,it has everything to do with who and what he knows before I open the box .During those first five minutes ,I want to know about his philatelic knowledge , has anyone looked at the collection and what they said. I want to know their financial situation and will they jump for a envelope of hundred dollar bills if its laid in front of them . I want to know just like I do in a cage fight and throw the first kick ? Does he react and what he reacts too ,it is the same in making a deal over a stamp collection

I pretty much agree with what has been said and as I've said before "It's a jungle out there" Dealers buy for as little as possible and sell for as much as they can and without knowledge a person is at a severe disadvantage. I believe the safest way for a non stamp person to sell a significant stamp collection/accumulation is to consign it to a reputable auction house. The good ones are very knowledgeable and it is in their best interest to get you the best price possible.

If you aren't in a hurry to sell your material you can bring it to me in Ft Myers after Sept 12 and I will look it over and give you advice on it's disposal. I am not looking to buy it but I can give you auction house recommendations and contacts if that it appropriate.