Old Stamps Collection Evaluation. Help Required

Dear all,
I have a huge stamp collection 5000 + which I really dont know how to evaluate.

The collection has stamps prior to 1900 from numerous countries of the world. EX: Russia, U.S.A, FRANCE, ADEN, SPAIN, LEBANON, SYRIA, GEORGIA, UGANDA, SOUTH AFRICA, ARGENTINA, SWEDEM,ISRAEL, INDIA, HONG KONG, ETHIOPIA. SAUDI ARABIA, BELGIUM.

I tried to attach few photos but for some reason it didnt work.

Im positive that many of these old stamps are worth a lot especially that they're more than 100 years old. I need assistance from whoever is interested to have a look on the photos. if someone is interested please send me your email so I send you the photos and perhaps we can work out to sell them together.

Hello eljados.......


Welcome to the club......


Many older stamps do have significant value.....however, there are also many that are only worth pennies.

Practice posting pictures......we need to see what you have before we can give any information.

Ok here are samples of what I have. These are only few and I chose them randomly.

Hello eljedos, welcome.

Another thing to consider with old collections is the condition of the stamps. I mean is the paper ripped or torn? Are all the perfd (perforations) (wiggles around the edges) intact and not bent or ceased, or the stamp bent or creased? Sometimes stamps are originally straight-sided or imperforate, no wiggles.

Sometimes for old stamps the back of the stamp will have the paper thinned by improper removal from the letter or envelope.

Once you have some stamps that are in reasonably good condition you can attach pictures here (when posting, below where you are Replying To Topic there is a little green picture of a camera, click that icon). Sometimes the cancellations or postmarks are important and can increase a stamps value.

You could also use a picture hosting web site like www.PhotoBucket.com and then copy the url and paste it in your post on the forum.

Do not post too many questions in one topic here. Just a few at a time and people will be glad to help you.

I have no catalogue on Russia here (I use the one at library) but I know those stamps. Russia, the ones with posthorns (below the center oval) with no thunderbolts crossing through them. Very nice, very old, looking in great condition. Imperfs (imperforate) stamps are nice. These you could perhaps look on ebay or delcampe.com and search for russia or cccp or ussr (some sellers incorrectly describe these) and type in posthorns russia. Some of these sell by the single stamp on ebay and go for nice prices.

Because these are so old and nice I would also caution you (for all nice stamps of this age) to be careful off forgeries and fakes. I am not an expert in any way on these stamps (or any other stamp) but when you get up into the pricey stamps (expensive) that is one thing you should do a lot of research on or even have an expert service declare them on a certificate (you pay for this service) to be genuine or forged or whatever they are.

You need more than a general catalogue like Scott or Stanley Gibbons but a specialized catalogue to do well in determining if there are any special stamps here. There might be resources online also.

Just a general warning.

The lower stamps seem to me to be from the Russian state of Georgia and then I don't know the bottom stamps at all.

Dear Puzzler,

Which country you're the mostly expert with. perhaps I can post the photos of the stamp related to your country of expertise and you might be able to help me with it.

As for the stamps, im quite confident that theyre all real not fake cause they belong to my grandfather and never bought or traded and he used to collect as a hobby.

The top is Russia, middle page overprint on the right is Batum, the bottom Georgia. I don't think any are rare though.

I am most familiar with Canada, but please believe me when I say I am no expert. I have seen some nice stamps and studied but not extensively.

I would be pleased to look at your Canada if you have any.

Dear Puzzler,

I found this one related to canada. My biggest collection is for Russia, France, Lebanon, Syria, Aden and Africa.

Is it a valuable one????

Unfortunately no it is not valuable. From the 1950's.

The Russia stamps are from 1868-90's, much older an, in fact, in much better condition also. The very nice condition may add to the value also.

dear all,
please check this collection as well