Massive Stamp Collection

Link to his files
https://drive.google.com/drive/fold...Pmr_wAuMuN1Z
Don

I wish I lived closer, but it's a bit too far to drive down to your neck of the woods and I don't really have anything that takes me down your way.

I've helped others in similar circumstance understand what they have. When I do appraisals, I -never- offer to buy or help them sell beyond some advice for how and where. No matter what they have or how bad I need it. Call it separation of duties. That also assures the owner that I'm not low-balling or have a motive.

Something, for you to consider when asking anyone to appraise your collection:

If they are also buying, they may slant the appraisal in their favor or "overlook" some gems.... In God I Trust unconditionally, all other must pass the test... (I'm in Cyber Security so my point of view may be a bit tainted).

There are also different levels of appraisal. A good appraiser can give you a "ball park" in a relatively short time depending on how massive, massive really is. Overall condition of the collection itself is a big indicator right off the bat for most appraisers. An in-depth appraisal that examines nearly every stamp will take an investment in time for a sizeable collection.

Don and other's are spot on when they say catalog value is NOT market value. A quick indicator of market value can be seen on ebay when looking at the stamps category or your choice, look to the left, scroll down and click on "sold items". Actual sales will then show up in green.

If looking to sell a collection, generally speaking, the less work you put into it, the less you get out of it. Meaning that if you sell the entire lot you might get a least for the collection but this is the quick and easy road. Breaking it down by areas (Topic, year(s), set, etc.) you'll find that the prices realized may be much better, and breaking them down to a few or single items at a time most often bring the best return.

Now for the down side. breaking it down further and further brings more money in but also cost more for ads, and in time to ID, price and market them. It can be a balancing act - effort-&-cost -to- $

If you have a lot of time on your hands, it might be worth the effort to look them up, ID and price them, but be careful, you might just find that you're enjoying it and decide to start collecting.

Friendly reminder; please note that any kind of transactions (buy/trade/sell/services) are not allowed in the community until both members have 50+ quality posts.
Don

Acknowledged - I guess I should also say/clarify that I am not a professional appraiser and don't charge. I do it for the fun of it and as many I have helped were going through the effort to dispose of a loved one's estate, just to be helpful to them. Not that it matters here because we're too far away from each other.

I'm just asking for advice. Definitely not trying to sell here. The advice has been excellent and greatly appreciated.

I have another book of mint sheets that is titled "Gimbels Mint Sheet Album". It has about 45 full sheets in it. Most are 1960-1980. I went to pull them out last night to take pictures and they are all stuck to the protector sheets. I talked to my wife about heating the back of the sheets, but read online that you can use soap on the back on the protection sheet. I definitely don't want to mess up the stamps, a lot of these are really nice. Have any of you had this problem? I pressed around the sheet and most of them are stuck on the right edge from top to bottom. A few had gaps, but the majority had no gaps. Really disappointing. I guess these were exposed to humidity at some point.

I have sent in the NewFoundland #6 Stamp for expertizing. I hope it is worth the money. I have a 5c Postage Currency stamp (large) that is from 1863 and is in very good shape. I think I'm going to send it in. I have a Franklin (Scott #134) that is cancelled on an envelope. I was thinking of sending it in as well. Does that seem reasonable?

Ran into something I have never seen before: siderographer initials. When I use my reference sites (I won't mention them here), I don't see the value difference (if any). If you look at my Google Drive, under Plate Block, Scott #537, I have two of them. One has 8 stamps and the other has 4. Both have margin initials. I was able to verify that the initials are legit, known siderographers. Does anyone know if this doesn't really matter?

Since this is a specific stamp question, I posted it in the appropriate forum. Not trying to duplicate, but this is getting long winded.

Don't use soap on the stamps.

That is disappointing. Given the date range there's good possibility that they are lower value stamps but I can't say without seeing what they are.

Before doing this check and see what material the pages are made from. I'm not entirely sure if this will work on a plastic or a glassine sheet. There are other methods but...

What you'll probably need to do to "un-stick" them is to build a sweat box. There is a product called a "Stamp Lift" which is to small for your needs here. Basically go to Walmart, get a cheap rectangular aluminum cooking pan with a clear plastic lid. A plastic Tupperware type container will also work. You'll need a mesh or rigid material with vent holes to hold the sheet up off the bottom.

To do this you'll need to cut the page out of the album. I presume they are in holders/pockets? make sure the face is exposed, not enclosed in a folder or envelope of material.

Put wet/damp sponges in the pan to humidify the box, place stamp sheet with paper against holes & close cover. Let it sit in a warm spot but I'm not sure I'd put it in direct sunlight, for about half hour or more as needed. With a clear cover you can view progress without opening it. Then when ready remove cover, remove stamp sheet, and just peel paper from stamp. If you get resistance, give it a little more time. Lay the sheet face down on paper towels or blotter paper to de-humidity. Original gum should be on back of stamp but will change appearance in many cases as such making them "disturbed gum" rather than mint.

This is a safe process that's been used for a long time but as with anything new, practice on something of low value first to get the "hang of it".

The stamps may curl so you may need to press the sheet (after it's dry) to flatten it out.

Not that it applied here, but I've never tried this on self-adhesive stamps (as my sister how is a retired postal worked puts it: sticky stamps, as apposed to licky stamps).

I used an old heater vent for my platter but anything rigid that will let air through and hold the sheets/envelopes etc. up in the air will do. Bend the sides so it stays up off the damp sponges.

The pan I use has tapered sides. You need to make sure air can get around all four edges of the sheet I control this by changing the bend on the heater vent and increasing the height which gives more room on the sides.

The wet damp sponges are water?

I had bought Heptane (Bestine Solvent Thinner). I've been told that the stamps can get "wet" with the Heptane. Heptane is significant component of gasoline, I wonder I could just use it.

Yes the sponges are damp with water. You're creating a humid environment and using that humidity to "sweat" the stamps off with this box.

Heptane has been used for the new self-adhesive stamps that can't be soaked off. Use of a product called Pure Citrus is supposed to work for them too. I have not tried either yet.

Note - Sweating the sheets apart results in 'disturbed gum' and should be disclosed when you sell them and this will lower (sometimes much lower) the value.
Don

I've used the heptane on several "stuck" stamps now with very mixed success. Anything that has a lot of colors mixed, there is clearly a color ink that is slightly soluble in the hexane (brown/black). Things with light colors, it has no effect at all on the colors and definitely removes things that are stuck. I'm going to try your setup as described, hopefully this weekend.

On the disturbed gum, the heptane makes the gum very sticky until it is evaporated (pretty quick) and then I cannot tell the difference. The real problem is where the thing that is stuck is removed 98%. The last bit of the glassine paper (I believe this is a weak form of parafilm which we use a lot in Chemistry lab) will come off, but it leaves a mark...slight, but a definite mark. I wish the paper was thicker with more of the wax on it. I don't believe it would get stuck at all, but would cost more.