Amazing Old Time One Owner US Collection Sale Upcoming At Cherrystone

Indeed. But I like this new "grassy knoll" element.

Rarities or not, cover and stamp collections are very different. Stamps are printed in quantity and their quality can be judged not only by scarcity, but by how they compare to other examples of the same exact stamp. Thus certs are issued providing (presumably) unemotional and unbiased factual details of the condition of the stamp. From this data, collectors can decide which examples are most desirable.

With covers, each is unique and never repeated exactly. Yes, some usages are very rare and desirable, but unlike stamps we wouldn't compare the perfs, corners, and other grading elements in the same way we might compare grading elements in covers.

rismoney - are people influenced by disparaging remarks? Yes. Take a look at the last presidential election... But dDo I think that those people matter? Not in a stamp auction where they're prepared to spend in excess of $100k for a single stamp.

Do we think stamp collectors had something to do with Kennedy's assassination?

Was one of our members' father involved??

And why do we 'like' this?!?

I do love a mystery!

Let's conclude this thread.... if you like a stamp or two in the upcoming New Amsterdam Sale, then bid. If you are not so inclined, then pass. Can we all agree on this, and move on to another topic?

It's been dead for a week.

Tommorrow is the day. It should be fun to watch and listen.

I suspect that a lot of stamps have reserves.

RevCollector - how will the presence or absence of reserves affect the level of fun the auction will generate?

If the reserves are too high, then items will not sell. Auctions are only fun when people are buying.

If items don't sell, that probably will cause the action to move off the auction for affected items -- making your point.

Rev - are you suggesting reserves above the opening bid stated in the catalog?

Absolutely.

There will be lots of bidding and buying. The auction has buzz. Many of the lesser items have increased already to well above estimate and frankly to levels that are not justified by the stamp itself. Nattering Nabobs of negativism aside it will be a noteworthy auction.

There are a lot of low estimates, 10% to 15% of cat in many cases. But we shall see.