Perforationĭetermine the condition of your stamp’s perforation, which is the rows of holes on each of its four lengths. GumĮxamine the condition of your stamp’s gum, which is the adhesive substances added to its back. By the “centering of the design”, we mean the position of the stamp’s design in relation to its outer edges. Material & Centeringĭetermine the material of your stamp, as well as the centering of its design. The condition can be further divided into seven categories, which are extremely fine, very fine, fine, good, average, fair, and below average.
Defective: has major imperfections, such as largely noticeable creases, scratches, holes, or stains.Faulty: has minor imperfections, such as small tears or creases.The grade of a postage stamp can be either: Stamps that are on high demand obviously have a higher value because they are more sought-after by collectors. Unfortunately, you might need to do tons of research to know this, especially if you have a large collection. You can determine the rarity of your stamp by checking to see how many of its kind are left.
Here are the things to consider when examining the stamp yourself. So the question is, how can you evaluate their real worth? Rare and old stamps have a higher value than more common ones. Guide To Selling Your Stamps Know Your Stamps’ Worthįirst things first, each stamp you collect has its own value. Within a week or two, bidders may start emailing you questions about your collection. You may specify the price that all bids must meet or exceed to ensure your collection isn’t sold for less than its value. Online auctions sell collections faster than auction houses. On the downside, auction houses will take ten percent of the sale price. It may take several weeks or months for your stamp collection to be sold at an auction house, but it can also earn you a high price. But bear in mind that you’ll need to rent a table or booth at the show, which won’t be ideal for people who have small collections. A Stamp ShowĪt stamp shows, you can sell your collections at the current retail price. They will, of course, take a percentage of the sale. This can be a good option because stamp consignment services know where and to whom to sell your stamps for the best price.
You can hire a professional to sell your stamps on your behalf. However, the price may not be as high as it can be if you invest in an auction, for example.
Selling to stamp dealers is the fastest way to gain immediate money. It can also provide you with the highest sale price for your collection.īe sure to be knowledgeable regarding the value of your stamps so that you can successfully negotiate with the collector. If you’re able to contact a collector directly, this may save you a lot of time. Here are 6 of the best places to sell old stamps: 1. If you plan on selling your collections, read this guide to know how and where to sell old stamps. We’re here to tell you that quality stamps can fetch a nice price, but only if sold the right way. Maybe you are even a new participant to the game.īut we’re not here to talk about how you got your collection. Perhaps you’ve inherited a collection from a relative. Are you an avid stamp collector? Perhaps you picked up that age-old hobby as a child.