Buried Treasure - Let's See What You Have!

A thread for us who love finding unexpected items in unexpected places.

Unexpected places, as in cheap lot's of kiloware, bankers boxes, remainder lots, garage sale purchases, inexpensive album collections etc..

I realize stamp collecting isn't always about the money and how much an item is worth, believe me, but it sure does feel good to be able to pull nice, or interesting items out of cheap lots or purchases.

Here are a few of the better items I have pulled from an inexpensive banker box full of common stuff, that I recently received.

Full set of GB Seahorse issues from 1934 (Scott 222-224). Yes, these are the re-engraved ones, but they are still in unmounted condition.


And this is the little paper, coin envelope they were tucked into, mixed amongst glassines full of common WW stamps. I believe these stamps have been in this envelope since they were bought new.

I LOVE the inscription someone wrote on it:

"These could be cashed in at GPO (General Post Office?) London at value for say 20-30 yrs"


Then, this Confederate States cover showed up in a small pile of random US FDC's and postal cards.


Most recently, from the same box lot, I found this Belgium, Scott #461, MNH in one of the glassines. It is one of the 3 key values in this set.

Nice find on the British stamps .

Posted these before, found in garage sale lot

Ages ago bought a kiloware box on ebay. It was full of used common stamps but at the very bottom of the box I found this.

I haven't bought a general lot for many a long year, but I did keep this cover front, only because I liked it.

My best find, I suppose, in a kiloware lot was a three margin penny black. Second best was about a dozen 1850s issues from various European countries, obviously stripped along with the more common material by someone not looking at what they were doing. :)

Those Belgium 461 stamps must be everywhere! Here is one on cover I found in a bunch of missionary covers I have.

Pulled this out of glassine stuffed with cheap aussie stamps.

Bobby De La Rue, that's actually part of a Karl Lewis letterhead. For those who don't know, Karl Lewis produced cachet designs in color like this for his covers. Is that an actual "stamp" tied?