Wow! $30,000 Stamp Starting At 99c On Ebay!!!

Well, not really:



Kinda seems like something's missing.

This is a U.S. Beer stamp REA156 cat. $5
It is not a REF10 cat. $30000+ which was sold recently.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-REF10-...em3d530bc10f

Quite the kidder. Bad boy.

My experience with dealers at shows has been that they will stiffen their jaws and not accept any contrary information...even when shown in a catalog.

Not necessarily true. If you are unknown to them, i.e., random walk-up customer, then probably. However, if based upon past communication and/or purchases, they recognize you as a specialist that knows your area, most are willing to at least listen.

I have helped more than a few dealers with identifications and cancel attributions, and most are grateful for the assistance, even when you're telling them the lotto ticket they thought they had is bogus or misidentified.

Also, it depends on how you broach the issue. "Hey, this stamp is fake!" or "You've got this identified wrong!" is unlikely to endear yourself to a dealer. I usually ask "Do you mind if I give you some feedback on this item?" and then I proceed to clearly explain WHY I have the opinion that I do, ideally accompanied by showing them images from my own collection so they can compare and contrast the item in question.

My personal experience on both ebay and at shows mirrors Dan's. The overwhelming number of sellers and dealers recognize that if they become known for a large number of misidentifications, their customer base will shrink. I have also been known to tell dealers when they make mistakes in the opposite direction. In that case I have frequently been told that I can purchase the "bargain" at their listed price. We are all better off with educated sellers and customers.

Might I add that this is true in all phases of our lives!

I've had good experiences with most dealers at shows and only a few bad. One dealer I helped had a PNC strip mis-priced at $12 and I showed him that it was a collectible variety worth $280. He thanked me and gave me a $20 credit on my purchases. Some can be difficult, but they can be taught.