Inherited A Stamp Collection, Newbie Needs Help!

I am sure you get this alot in this forum..but..I was hoping you can help me out.
As usual when you get something like a collection you hope its worth some $$$, but I am realistic and know better.
ANYWAY, my husbands grandmother worked for the US post office, and collected every commemorative, first day issues, blocks, and envelope looking things. My problem is they are not "old" 1970-1980's. But all are MINT, and never been touched it seems. There are some really old looking single ones that I found tucked away as well.
Just hoping if there is anything I should keep an eye out for that might be worth holding on to?
I appreciate all your help! THANK-YOU ahead of time.

Just got thru looking closley there are some from the earlier 60's as well. Ther are just so many, its overwhelming.

to the Forum!

Odds are there are some items that have good value.
All have some value. If you scan some items & post them we could give you a better idea of the value.

Just some additional advice for you . . . individual stamps from the 60's to the 80's are rather common for the most part. Earlier ones bear looking at, as well as any envelopes (covers, FDC, postal stationary, etc).

I have no individual stamps. They are all blocks of 4 or more. Some Sheets, like for example a sheet of all the state birds. Anywho., I would like to post a few pics of what I have. Any advice on where to start?

Hi Mary,
just a ditty I read on the internet once,
It makes a nice read I reckon,
it may influence your stamp journey

Hello Dan,
As a long time collector and stamp fair dealer, let me answer your question by relating
an experience I've had repeated many times over the years.

A middle-aged lady, or gentleman, or couple, comes up to my tables with what look
like dollar signs in their eyes, and clutching an album or box. They've got a bit of
wariness about them as they think of handing over this family treasure to a stranger
who might try to cheat them.
This is grandpa's, or dad's or uncle's stamp collection, they say. We'd like to sell it and
wonder what you'd give for it.

And so I look through page after full page of mint and CTO propaganda laced stamps,
all from Romania, or Bulgaria, or Hungary, or others of the Soviet sphere of influence,
and typically all issued in that 40 year period, 1948-1988 . From experience I know
that just about all of these will have Scott values of 20¢.

And so I say to these people. Grandpa had a lot of fun putting all this together. What
we have here is the product of his time and effort. The best you can do for grandpa is
to have someone carry on with this collection, or, at least, put it in a place of honour,
where you can, from time to time, admire it. Surely that's better than receiving a few
dollars for it and having it pass out of your lives?

A word about the 20¢ valuation in Scott. Somewhere in the foreward is written words
to the effect that the 20¢ does not represents an actual value, the stamps so designated
being too common to have a value. The 20¢ represents the dealers' handling fee.

Well Dan, I'm sure this is not the answer you were looking for. But it is honest, and it
is straight forward. Take it for what it's worth.
Allan stamperschoice

Hey thanks...I am not looking for a gold mine here. Glad somebody replied. Although, say...the stamps sell for what they are worth back in the day at cost. a large collection could still be worth while to a collector? 1000 stamps at 10 cents a piece would be 100 dollars. not saying thats my collection, but...These stamps
(blocks) were all put in acid free lil envelopes, and maybe somebody needs one or two. Plus all the others in the collection. They have no sentimental value to me, just taking up space. Had a comic book collection same age, was told the same in a comic forum, and ended up selling a large collection bit by bit, for a good price. I am just a mom trying to get rid of stuff taking up space. Maybe I am wrong? Here to get info is all.

OK perhaps Mary, it would be worthwhile
to contact your local stamp club, (that should be in the
yellow pages.)
Most clubs would be helpful with advice and appraisal for the entire lot.
If the price is within your expected parameters they can then place them in their next auction, there, you get fair market value, and,
hopefully all, or majority sold in one meeting.

If they are mint stamps, they will at least be worth FV. I haven't seen a mint plate block go for less then FV. (talking USA here, not Staffa).
Rod is right, if there is that much of a collection and you want to be rid of them, you would do better at a local stamp club..

We ran into this with Dad's collection.
He loved it. He thought it was valueable.
He passed. We took it to a dealer. The
dealer told us what it was worth. We
decided it was worth far more to us than
anyone else, so we kept it.

If you have stamps going back to the 1960s,
you have what the dealers sell at face value.

The collection that we got from Dad has
stamps and cover going back to the 1860s.

Here's an idea... Use them as postage.
They never expire, and it will give the
people you send mail to something to talk
about. Couldn't you stand to never have to
buy a stamp again in your lifetime?

Trust me too when I say that when someone
who does appreciate stamps does get a letter
from you, they will set that envelope aside
in his/her cover collection (I do). You might
also send a letter to someone and create a
sudden appreciation for stamps in a person
that might never have had that passion ignited
without you and your family's inheiritance.

I have bought the old 50s to 80s stamps from
dealers at/below FV before for postage, and it
raises eyebrows at the PO when you have ten 40
or 50 year old stamps lined up on a letter. And
I honestly hope those that have recieved, got
something they liked and wanted to hang onto.

I also enjoy buying stamps through the mail and
having the seller send them in an envelope covered
with old stamps. I keep that cover too.

Maybe this will inspire you to inspire others. ???
As well as never having to buy a stamp again,
at least for a while. :)

Edit: To clarify... It raises eyebrows at the
PO in a good way. That stodgy old counter attendant
all the sudden smiles, like you hadn't seen for the
previous 15 minutes you waited in line, and you know
he'll tell everyone at that PO about your letter in
the breakroom at lunch.

Think the best advice these wonderful forum folk gave me... was collect or keep what you like. Take your time. Get a Scott's catalog (search the forum, cause I think there were some you should avoid due to errors.)

I'm kinda in the same boat, and only a few weeks here gives you all kinds of perspective. Take your time... organize what you have. Make some sort of inventory.