Seeking Advice On Selling My Collection

Hello group. It has been years since I have even looked at my collection so I have decided to sell it as I have lost interest in it. I think I would prefer to sell to a dealer because I don't really want to deal with individual sales. Would you recommend a consignment situation or outright sale? I have no idea where to start or which dealer would be the best to contact. Any advice would be appreciated. This is a sampling of some of the higher end stamps. I have certificates on some of them as well. Thank you

I see some very nice items. I like that you have some certifications. I look forward to comments from others on your best choice, but I would recommend at least a few offers before picking one auction house or another.

Consignment, I would do that.

I know it has been a while since you were active, but maybe some of the dealers that you worked with then are still around and interested in helping you transition some of these stamps to a new owner.

The best option for you may depend on how soon you need the money. An outright sale to a dealer or auction house is the quickest, but may not net the highest price.

Consignment to an auction house is probably in the middle. It is easy and you will get a decent return, but expect 6 months typically before the items will be inventoried, examined, described, and sold, and payment cleared before you will get paid. For a big collection, some auction houses might give you a small down payment up front if that is important to you.

A third option is consignment through a retail stamp dealer. Here you have the opportunity to get higher retail prices for your stamps, but it may take time, years, before they are all sold. This option could provide steady a monthly income if you want, as you can get paid as each item sells.

I agree that you don't want to start selling individual items yourself. Too much hassle, too much risk, and it dilutes the overall value of the intact collection after the best items have already been cherrypicked. You may or may not have emotional attachment to any of the stamps which can make it hard for you to establish fair prices for individual items.

Just my opinion, I'm sure others will chime in with theirs. Let us know what direction you are heading and we can start listing names.

p.s. As per forum rules, you are not supposed to buy or sell between other members of this forum until you are an established member and have 50 'quality' posts.

Although you live close to Aldrich, you would likely be better off with Rumsey.

Have you considered selling them yourself? I sell on Hipstamp, and it's pretty easy. I was an on/off collector for over 60 years. Started selling in 2022....I get as much enjoyment out of it as collecting. And, it takes up a lot of time....something a winter bound fly fisherman has a lot of.

Thank you everyone for the replies. I'm thinking I would prefer to just sell them outright to a dealer and be done with it. I don't have the patience to list everything and I consider myself an amateur collector so my concern is how I would grade them, etc. Of course the ones with the certificates are a no brainer but I only have six certificates (+ -) one or two. Are there dealers anyone can recommend, if that is allowed. Thank you again

Your profile says that you live in Arizona. If so, your first stop should be with Michael Ball at "A to Z Stamps" in Tempe.

Michael travels to stamp shows all around the country with one of the largest stocks of worldwide stamps, and he knows US stamps very well. If he doesn't want to make an offer on the collection himself, he has contacts with many other dealers in the US who would be interested.

Assuming that the majority of your stamps are clean and sound, two other names that come to mind for unused classic US are Rupp Brothers in New York and Newport Harbor Stamp Company in California. Mystic Stamp Company is also an option for a quick sale. And Kelleher Auctions might be interested in purchasing so they can sell the individual stamps in their auctions at their own pace.

Those are some nice stamps. Could you please show one or two certificates.
Cheers mark
The other thought that I have is you could contact the dealer (s) where you purchased these stamps.

edit for semantics and additional thought

One last question are the 3 and 4 plate proofs?
regards m

First for the material shown, the dealers suggested is a strong, if not wholly adequate, list for the OP's original question.

Why ask for the certificate? He is not nor can he be selling the stamps here. Additionally as the unavoidable potshots which will come about the stamps or certificates be far from helpful with the dealer transaction. Likewise if the certificates were contemporary to the purchase of the stamp, some will argue that they are no longer valid. Such issues should be left between the OP and the purchasing dealer.

Note to moderator: Also this is the first time I have seen the illustrations grouped in this consolidated manner. Good move! It would be nice to be able to do the same when we common folks post multiple illustrations.

Another names is Ed Reiser of Century Stamps.