Here's An Interesting Ebay Item

https://www.ebay.com/itm/184858214433

Check out this collection. Looks like an interesting opportunity but;

0 Feedback, questionable storage and climate control etc. Is that a garage or a storage shed and does it make a difference?

Honestly if I was within driving distance I'd have to check it out.

That is a VERY interesting listing. I notice that the seller is listing some stamps shown in the storage listing photos such as the 15 cent Columbian in separate individual listings and the starting prices are high. Very high. A bit of shenanigans there. The seller also has gone through the mess to identify the stamps pictured. What has been removed? It is not "unpicked" at this point. On the other hand if it is a local pickup it is hard to imagine that the lot is not as represented. Based upon the individual listings though it appears that the seller knows enough about stamps to be dangerous. As the auction houses love to say, this is a "Gamblers Lot". $10,000 requires a site visit obviously. Maybe a local SCF member could take a look? Soooo intriguing.

I for one, haven't seen nearly enough to justify a $10k opening bid, regardless of storage condition. And speaking of that, notice the natural sunlight in the main picture: that can only mean the unit is an outside non-climate controlled unit, so the collection has been exposed to whatever heat, cold, and moisture San Francisco could throw at it over the years.

No thanks.

You can tell by the curved roof that this is a portable car garage. There is nothing to tie the first photo to the rest of them. What knocked everything on the floor? The wind or the family of raccoons?

So if someone buys the 15c, which is also listed in the bulk auction, the buyer of the bulk auction is not getting the full accounting if items they bought. So that's problematic.

Additionally, why are the photos screenshots of album photos? Hmm.

The scent of fishy-ness is potent.

San Pablo is local to me (San Francisco Bay Area). I passed the information to Stanley Piller and Kurt Schau. Merle Spencer (The Stamp Gallery) passed as not interested due to two recent six and seven figure purchases.

I also emailed the seller and told him he is cutting his own throat by pulling and listing separate lots. I also sent him the link to this thread.

The price is now $20k to start.

The seller just doubled the price to $20,000 and looking at the revision history, it is the second price change.

He might like to reduce the price of his penny German "rarities" to compensate.

But ebay does not allow opening of 1/2 cent.

Well if it's a legit sale and there is value in there, the seller would be likely much better off having it professionally handled by an experienced online seller (or local dealer). Haphazard ebay listings for substantial amounts are a bit risky for either end of the transaction, to say the least.

If it is a real collection, it looks interesting to go through for someone with an interest in the hobby, at the very least.

Now back to my own haphazard heap.

I spoke with the seller. They listed on ebay to generate more interest. They really want folks to come by and purchase stock books, albums and box lots. They started with almost 10 cubic yards of material they got four years ago as part of a house clean out job. Since then one of the two has spent time learning about stamps and sorting stuff into box lots and stock book lots. They understand catalog value verse what stuff really sells for. They advise there is material with certificates with catalog values to $11,000.

Anyway, they have been moving $1000-$14,000 lots to local collector/vest pocket dealers.

My only concern for this bulk of material was to see it get back into the hobby, and not into a paper recycling hopper.

It now seems the material will stay within the hobby and they will be rewarded for having the sense not to have tossed it in to paper recycling.

Seems the former owner did not keep the heirs informed about his stamp material. A story lesson for another thread.

That's a sad story for any heirs, but its good to hear that the material will remain in circulation.

"so the collection has been exposed to whatever heat, cold, and moisture San Francisco could throw at it over the years."

Rarely any heat in SF, but lots of fog.

"they have been moving $1000-$14,000 lots to local collector/vest pocket dealers"


If it was really that good, it should have gone into a Rumsey auction \unless his " local collector/vest pocket dealers" re unsophisticated and willing to pay too much.

The horde came from a house filled as would a horde create. That is why a clean out was done and arranged by to be done by a third party. The deceased former owner was a dealer (shows) and collector.

Storage has been good and not outside, covered in the open.

Taking an unorganized 10 cubic yards of material to Rumsey would not produce many lots selling close to the value. I was wise for these guys to take the time to learn about stamps over several years, then move the material in a more organized manner. There are some marginal folks out there, even in philately, always looking for a steal-deal and they showed up too. As such selling themselves with some control brings them better piece of mind.

In my opinion, this would have been better at Harmer-Schau as it tends more toward what they moved rather than what Ramsey moves. Again, expecting a dealer, even an auctioneer to comb through all of the stuff is not realistic, before sale.