Selling Current Stamps Above Their Current Cost

What is up with people selling current stamps above their current value?

I was browsing on ebay when I can across a listing for the Edmonia Lewis stamp sheet which is available from the USPS website for $12.00 and $1.50 shipping. I saw some listings for the same price but with $4.50 shipping charges. Others were listed well above the current price and also with high shipping charges.

I am seen this done on several other stamps that are still available on the USPS website. Are these listings aimed at other countries? I just don't get this.

That is called "Trying to make a buck"!


Peter

You find the same thing for many Countries. there are some low quantity (low thousands) modern Russian issues that fetch good dollars on ebay and even in occasional real auctions that can still be purchased from the Post Office.

If you think about it the sellers need to mark them up unless they acquired them as a face bonus in a purchase. You put your money out not really knowing when they will sell. Given that interest rates are essentially nothing it is a risky way to do better.

For decades this was done by many dealers who provided what was called "new issue services" and the reason new issues have a catalog value of about double face value with the extra premium to compensate for the time and effort of the dealer selling same.

Of course you can cut your grass for free but that doesn't stop folks from paying someone else to do so.