Some US Classics

NO, I ask just if those stamps have value. I move out from states 25 years ago, following family value. I build normal collection of US stamps for my sun, not very valuable, just him to have the history of his half racines. Those I ask is to know if have value to keep or to give away. And you guys are experts not me. If you ask me about porcelaine with pleasure I will respond.

If I made a mistake, or I post wrong, guide me. I agree the roules must be follows. I am new on this forum. I want to post photos (scans) but do not work, maybe to old for this technology, Sorry do not be mad guide me.

Posting scans is pretty easy. After clicking the Upload Image icon next to the green camera, below this text box, select a jpeg of less than 200MG from the drop down file that will appear, click upload to your post.

The image size limit is 200 kilobytes not 200MG if you mean megabytes.

I try again to load the photos

Well the #277 and #278 are worth good money. My 2014 Scott Specialized has the pair at $2950

Hopefully others with WAY more experience with slabbed USA stamps will chime in!

Thanks, Wow I payed 2000 for my porcelaine worth 2500 in auctions. I was lucky.

Ok, let's be a little more definitive about what you have here in terms of market value. I see 8 regular issues and 5 newspaper stamps. I have no expertise in newspaper stamps but can comment on the regular issues. All 8 regular issues were certified, graded, and encapsulated by Professional Stamp Experts (PSE) in 2013. Unless a stamp is very rare, there is not much market value in U. S. regular issue stamps graded lower than 70. This is not to say that they are not marketable or collectible but that they don't bring anywhere near catalog value (which is based on a VF 80 grade for most U. S. classic stamps). Of the 8 regular issues you have, 5 are graded below 70, and 4 of those are faulty. Therefore I will concentrate on the other 3 regular issues. The #179 is graded F 70 (Fine 70) but it has been regummed (RG). In the marketplace, the value of a regummed unused stamp is considered approximately like that of an unused stamp with no gum (NG), since one could if desired easily remove the regumming by soaking and the result would be a NG stamp. The current PSE SMQ (Stamp Market Quarterly) value for a #179 NG in grade F 70 is US$100. Like the #179, the #277 and the #278 do not have standard gum conditions. They both have gum condition OGh (Original Gum hinged); PSE does not price this gum condition in their SMQ values; instead they value the better gum condition OGph (Original Gum previously hinged). The difference between the two is that OGph indicates that the stamp was previously hinged but the hinging has been neatly removed without much gum disturbance (this is sometimes called "lightly hinged"), while the OGh designation means what it says - the stamp remains hinged, having some hinge remnant or substantial area of missing gum where the hinge was. In my experience, there is at least a 20% value loss going from OGph to OGh for PSE graded stamps. (Note: not all grading authorities make this distinction between OGph and OGh; the Philatelic Foundation (PF) for example, does not). The current PSE SMQ value for a #277 OGph VF-VF 85 is US$1150, so using my 20% estimated value loss, the market value of your #277 is about US$920. The current PSE SMQ value for a #278 OGph F 70 is US$900, so using my 20% estimated value loss, the market value of your #278 is about US$720. So for the 3 stamps I have discussed here (#179, #277, #278) the total estimated market value is about US$1740. Many (most?) collectors prefer to buy stamps that have not been encapsulated so that they can easily place them in their albums. I believe, based on my experience, that your market value would take a 10% hit because the 3 stamps are encapsulated (they can be unencapsulated with a certificate substituted for the capsule for a fee by returning them to PSE, by the way), so now the estimated market value, using my assumptions, for the 3 stamps is US$1566. That would be retail dealer pricing; if you were to sell your stamps to a dealer you would probably get 60-70% of that. So bottom line is a nice find for you (congrats!) but not a retirement windfall!

who is paying 60-70%??

eyeonwall, my assumption may be incorrect and you may be right that the percentage would be less. I usually get 60-70% of SMQ for my graded duplicates from dealers but my duplicates are generally grade 80 or higher. The question is whether or not lower grades would follow the same percentage pattern or not; I have no experience with that.

Thank you guys!!! what a nice explanation of the harsh stamp market and more how to look to a stamp. I thing what you describe above reflect very well how to balance of the wish, value and the hobby. you are great guys. Thanks again!!!!