Breaking Up US Plate Blocks To Get A Nice Single

yep and still only 0.15 cents

didn't you mean 5 cents

I would also consider breaking up that block of 15c Jubilee stamps to be reprehensible...don't do it!

I have no problem with breaking up modern US plate blocks for a good single. Older or more valuable blocks...that's a different story. Those should be preserved. But for the most common stamps issued since, say, 1950, go for it. I've done it myself and traded or sold the extras. Just my two cents worth.

Sounds like the plate block that you are talking about are available at less than face value. If so, I would feel free to do so.

For modern issues, no regrets. However, I have problems with taking singles from booklets for some reason. I have empty spaces for singles/blocks in my album but resist taking a booklet apart to fill the spot and do not want to add the whole booklet to the album.

Dealers do it quite often. In fact, I think even the inverted Jenny involved a dealer selling off individual stamps from a block at one point. For common blocks or plate blocks, go ahead and break them up.

The problem with collectors is… they think like collectors…not realists. Collectors feel if a MNH Commen stamp is 70-80 years old it MUST have increased in value. Unfortunately, Everyone, and I mean everyone getting out of the US Army that was a collector started putting away sheets and plate blocks as a cheap investment. Problem now is that the WWII generation is now passing into the sunset and this material is coming out of the closets BY THE TON! Unless is your have a stamp that 's one of the "always popular" or rarities your out of luck .. chances are most modern 1950 and newer stamps today are only worth face-value, that is if you are using them on mail. If you trying to sell, some dealers are offering 10-30% of valve..if you're lucky. Some dealers have so much material, they not even willing to buy modern material because they are having difficulties selling what they have. So, unless you think some of these carbon-based stamps can be placed somewhere in a dark corner and hopeful turn to diamonds you may want to consider your alternatives as postage rates keep going up and the size of an envelope can only fix so many low-denomination stamps. Bottomline: Common sense prevails-get you money out of what ever common material you have now.

Currently, I'm still buying at 35%-40% if you got some to sell.

What is common today may not be common tomorrow...

As most of you are aware, I have an extensive specialized collection of the 1934 National Parks. I've been trying to find all the plate blocks for the issues and have had no trouble with the 6-10 cent values; they are almost complete.

The lower values are presenting a problem, though. Scott 742 had a plate replaced at the end of the printing, and there are conflicting stories about the printing with that plate (plate 21332). The Durland Plate Number Checklist shows there were 19582 sheets printed using the plate, giving 78328 plate blocks. With those numbers, it should be readily available, right? It's not. In a decade of searching I've found only two and a block of four with plate number.

As this was the workhorse stamp of the series and considered common, I have to wonder how many of that plate block were broken up for postage or dropped into discount postage lots in the 1940s through the 1970s...

Just some food for thought.