Instructions
First of all, you need to understand that a brand itself has no value. It's just a small piece of paper with a picture of something on it. What makes it valuable is only the desire and desire of another person to purchase this specimen for their collection, paying a certain amount of money. Obviously, the value of brands is not related to the economy and global trends.
To determine the value of stamps in their circles, philatelists created catalogs. The most current ones are the Scott catalogs (), the Michaels catalog (very detailed,). You can also find Russian catalogs in specialized stores, but they have not received such fame.
Prices in catalogs appear after a thorough study of the postage stamp market. They are advisory in nature and do not serve as a guarantee that the brand will actually be purchased at such a high price, for example. The cheapest brands, mostly multi-circulation ones, are sold by the kilogram or pound.
Stamps in perfect condition, in the truest sense of the word, are most valued. They must be uncanceled (not have a postal stamp), with intact teeth, with fully preserved glue on the back side, without scratches or wrinkles. Cancelled stamps have value only if they were issued in small quantities and were almost never used for postal purposes. The date stamp is important here, and it’s best to even keep the envelope.
The cost of stamps depends on general trends in the world of philately. For example, now stamps of the USSR, the Vatican, and Africa are sold at prices much lower than those indicated in catalogs, since these countries are not yet “in fashion.” However, everything can change at any moment.
Other ways to determine the value of stamps include auction houses and some online resources. However, when turning to such sources, it is necessary to first make inquiries about their reputation in order to avoid unpleasant situations in the future.
Stamp collecting can be not only fun, but also financially rewarding. If you own a stamp collection, you may one day find yourself sitting on the “golden mound.” If you decide to sell a brand or an entire collection, study the prices on the market and learn how to negotiate.
Instructions
Check yours carefully to find out which brands you have. Collect detailed information about brands - this will help establish their approximate value. The corresponding brand catalogs can be of great help. You should do an analysis before you decide to look for a potential buyer for this exotic product.
Consult with a specialist in the field to determine the most accurate price and check copies. Today you can find professional experts and appraisers on some websites. Contacting a specialist will help you make an informed decision about selling your brand. Keep in mind that the cost of a particular specimen is largely determined by its safety. Crumpled or damaged, it is inferior in price to other copies.
Having established a circle of potential buyers, analyze, if possible, their past purchases, find out their tastes and preferences. Pay attention to the average price they paid for their past purchases. This information is usually found on auction sites that have profile pages for potential buyers. It is possible that these people will be interested in exactly the brands that you are ready to put up for sale.
The stage of negotiations with a potential buyer begins. In negotiations, use the information that you were able to glean from open sources about your brands and the buyer. Refer to expert assessment. Be prepared to have to bargain. If a buyer offers a obviously unacceptable price for your product, do not be afraid to refuse him. Often, when faced with your refusal, a true connoisseur of stamps will still prefer to make a concession and accept the terms you offer.
Sources:
- How to Sell Your Antique Postage Stamps
- where to sell postage stamps
People began collecting stamps back in the 19th century. Modern philatelists collect thematic and chronological collections, hunt for canceled and uncanceled stamps. Stamp collecting can be called a way of life rather than just a hobby.
Instructions
When starting to build your own collection, you need to decide on a few things. Firstly - will you be collecting canceled or uncanceled stamps? Several decades ago, canceled stamps were very popular among philatelists. Uncanceled stamps were not recognized at all. Indeed, each brand that has made a long journey from the sender of a letter to the recipient has its own unique story. There is a story according to which on December 12, 1912, all post offices in France were filled with philatelists who wanted to receive a postmark with the cancellation date “12/12/1912”. Modern collectors also collect uncanceled stamps - they can also be unique in their own way.
Interested sale of old stamps? Can't find where to buy old stamps at an attractive price? Welcome to the online auction Soberu.ru - here you can update your collection at any convenient time!
Vintage postage stamps - a philatelist's cherished dream
Old postage stamps are the cherished dream of, perhaps, every philatelist. The postage signs themselves have no value, being simply very small colored pieces of paper. And they become valuable because some other collector wants to have them in his collection and is willing to pay good money. The price of these popular collectibles depends on certain changes:
- in economics
- in people's moods
- in fashion
- in trends.
However, over the years the cost increases significantly. Sometimes antique postage stamps can cost a fortune, so this hobby is considered an excellent investment.
Of course, the oldest stamp is considered to be the very first official postage mark - the “Penny Black”, issued in the spring of 1840. You will have to pay approximately from 10 to 200 dollars for such canceled old stamps. The price of a pure “Black Penny”, preserved in perfect condition, can reach tens of thousands of dollars.
How to determine the value of old stamps?
How to determine the value of postage marks? To begin with, it is recommended to look for information in relevant reference publications. You can track the history of existing copies and find out their value using special encyclopedias or catalogs. The most famous are the Scott catalog (American) and the Michel catalog (German, very detailed). The figures are entered into them after a thorough analysis of the philatelic market, and these, of course, are only recommended prices.
In addition, you can use online resources. There are many sites that make it easy to determine the uniqueness and value of payment tokens. For example, some stores on the global network, which are full of advertisements for Buying or Selling old brands, have thousands of copies in their assortment. By exploring them, it’s easy to find the collectibles you’re interested in. You can also search for the necessary information on philatelist forums, ask questions, or simply chat with like-minded people.
Happy shopping and selling, gentlemen, collectors!
Buy your first few stamps. You can start a collection with stamps purchased from other collectors or in specialized stores; look for options on the Internet. At this stage of collecting, the number and variety of stamps is important. Don't get stuck on one type of stamp, buy different ones. You can buy not individual brands, but small selections at once - this is, of course, cheaper (most often they are even sold by weight), but, most likely, the brands there will be of the same type.
Buy stamp crimpers. Stamp pliers are often called tweezers - in fact, these two tools are very similar to each other, but there are also significant differences between them. Tongs, unlike tweezers, grip paper more carefully, and due to the absence of sharp ends, they practically do not injure it. The pliers are so thin that they can grab a stamp even from a flat surface. Stamp pliers can vary in length and weight, so choose ones that will fit most comfortably in your hand. Some models have curved ends, some have pointed tips. Don't buy pliers with too sharp ends: when you work with stamps (especially wet ones), you risk damaging the paper.
The use of stamp pliers is mandatory: In this way, you will protect your collection not only from physical damage, but also from the moisture contained on the surface of the skin.
Sort through the brands you have. Decide for yourself on what basis it is best for you to sort your brands. Most often, collectors group stamps by the countries in which they were made. In addition, it is necessary to know the home country of the brand so that it will be easier to find information about the brand later. Another equally popular way of sorting stamps is to separate the stamps by the objects depicted on them. This is the so-called thematic collecting (thematic philately). The images on the stamps are dedicated to a variety of topics: butterflies, famous people, airplanes, various types sports In many countries, this fact is taken into account when developing new brands. Stamps can also be sorted by color or shape. Show your imagination and make an exclusive sorting of your exhibits!
Consider where you will store the stamps. It is unlikely that your household will like it if you want to store your treasure on the common dining table. Therefore, you must take care of proper shelter for your “wards”. So, for example, you can buy several envelopes, where you put the sorted stamps; the envelopes should be signed. This storage method has a significant drawback: every time you need to find one stamp, you will have to empty the entire contents of the envelope onto the table. If you have already accumulated a sufficient number of exhibits, this is the time to buy album for stamps".
Stamp albums can have either stapled or inserted sheets. Albums also differ in size. It is easiest to work with albums that have inserted sheets. When you buy such an album for yourself, give preference to albums with three mounts - they are easiest to find on sale.
- The sheets in stamp albums are made of soft cardboard; the top of the page is covered with a transparent film. The film is attached to the sides and glued to the bottom. This creates a wide pocket where it is convenient to insert stamps. Cardboard acts as a background and is black or white. Black cardboard sheets are generally of higher quality, but they are also more expensive. And stamps (since they are most often printed on white paper) look better on a black background.
- Albums whose pages are made of Manila cardboard (similar to that from which paper folders are made) are also widely popular among philatelists. The pages in such an album have separate pockets for stamps, but the disadvantage of such storage is that the bottom of the stamp is not visible. Although such albums are durable and inexpensive. It is convenient to store repeating stamps in such albums.
The easiest way to insert stamps into and out of an album is to use pliers.
Exchange stamps. Once you've sorted through the stamps, you'll likely find a few duplicate stamps or stamps that you're not interested in. Of course, unnecessary copies can be thrown into the trash, or you can use them more wisely. Ask your classmates, colleagues, relatives, and you will probably identify philatelists among them with the same problem. Most likely, you have repeated different brands, and this gives you a chance not only to get rid of an unnecessary exhibit, but also to purchase a new one that is more valuable to you. At this stage, since you do not have sufficient knowledge about the market value of each specific brand, you will have to change brand to brand. However, you must remember that the more valuable stamp is the one that is in better condition.
Visit the library. The best way To learn more about stamp collecting is to try to learn from the experience and wisdom of other philatelists who have described their hobby in a book. The corresponding books can be found in almost any library.
Buy the necessary equipment.
- Magnifier: Almost the most important tool for a philatelist is a magnifying glass, since only with its help can one identify stamps that differ in only one line or one dot. Magnifying glasses vary in size, weight, power, and some models have additional functions, such as backlighting. There are glasses that are placed on a special stand, so they can be used hands-free.
The collection of the Royal Philatelic Society has existed since 1869 and is still growing. Stamps were collected for her by the monarchs of the Kingdom: Edward VII, George V (Duke of York), George VI, Elizabeth II. The Society's collection is now part of the Philatelic Collection of the British Library. The pearl of the collection is the unique “blue Mauritius” brand.
Collection of Hiroyuki Kanai, the famous Japanese collector and entrepreneur. Collections of H. Kanai: stamps of the British colonies (Mauritius, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Trinidad), Finland and Japan. In 1993, H. Kanai sold his collection at a Zurich auction for more than $1 million.
Russian chess player Anatoly Karpov owns one of the largest thematic stamp collections dedicated to chess, as well as a collection of Belgian stamps. The approximate estimate of A. Karpov's collection is 13 million euros, but the chess player himself questions it, since no one knows its exact composition. An envelope Antwerp - Norway 1863 from the collection of A. Karpov was sold at auction for $317,650 against the original estimate of $15,000.
"Bond King" William Hunt Gross, founder and Managing Director of Pacific Investment Management Company (PIMCO), is one of the first philatelists to collect a complete collection of 19th-century US postage stamps. The collection of W. Gross was sold at auction for a total of $9.1 million. The most expensive lot was a block of “Black Pennies”, it was sold for $1 million. The second most expensive was the England - Malta 1841 envelope with five “Black Pennies” and three blue twopenny stamps - it was sold for $650 thousand.
One of the best and largest collections of stamps of Great Britain and the British Empire is the collection of Sir Miril Humprey Cripps (Chartwell Collection). The approximate value of the collection is £20,000,000. The collection contains famous rare stamps: the Mauritius twopenny blue stamp and the Edward VII twopenny stamp. "Phoenician plum"
The collection of the largest English magnate - importer of meat from the British colonies - Lord Vestey Collection - consists of stamps of British Cyprus, Gibraltar and Malta, each copy of the collection is valued from £10,000 to 30,000. The collection includes a rare copy of the Australian stamp of 1855 “Blue Swan” "with inverted frame ($189,500).
Arthur Hind, an American textile magnate, amassed an outstanding collection of stamps from the United States and other countries. His collection was ranked by experts as the eighth greatest collection of all time. It included rare stamps of European states, Italian principalities, Portuguese colonies, Albania, Romania, etc. Another rarity of A. Hind’s collection was a one-cent postage stamp of British Guiana, existing in a single copy. Among collectors, this stamp received the title “Princess of Philately.” After the death of A. Hind, the stamp was sold at auction for $42 thousand.
The owner of the “Princess of Philately” was the American millionaire, heir to the DuPont chemical corporation, John DuPont. Since 1986, this stamp has been inaccessible for viewing and was in the collection of D. Dupont. In 1996 (when its owner was convicted of murder) it was auctioned at Sotheby's for a record $9.5 million.
The collection of Georgy H. Kaestlin, a Muscovite who emigrated to England in 1949, is considered one of the largest in the world (!). Currently, most of his collection is on display at the US National Postal Museum in Washington. The collection includes rare stamps of Imperial Russia and Zemstvo. One of the main attractions of the collection is
Many of us have objects dear to our hearts that do not have much material value. And some people collect such things as souvenirs.
One type of collecting is philately. This is a type of collecting that deals with the study of postal history and everything related to it.
Philatelic collections may consist of postage stamps, postmarks, labels, stamps and cancellations on postal envelopes and postcards.
Historical excursion
The world's first postage stamp, created by the Englishman Rowland Hill, was published in 1840.
It was from this time that stamp collecting began.
At that time, mail was the only way of communication, so collectors very quickly replenished their collections with new items.
After only ten years, a specialized production of beautiful, colorful postage stamps on various subjects was established.
What is now called philately originally had a different name - markomania (or timbromania, from tembre - postage stamp).
It was only later that the Frenchman Georges Herpin suggested calling stamp collecting philately.
The term "philately" means "the love of studying stamps."
Indeed, such a name suited this activity much better, because at that time it was quite difficult to collect even the smallest collection of postage stamps.
This required painstaking work and extensive knowledge of the nuances in the topics of this area. In addition, searching for a rare specimen in the collection took a very long time.
When purchasing a new postage stamp for their collection, collectors were interested in the details of its issue and the event depicted on it.
If a stamp featured a country, collectors would research its history and geography.
The first existing stamp collection in the world was owned by the engraver Mansen from Paris.
By the way, already then there was a demand for stamp collections, so in 1855 the first collection of stamps was successfully sold.
The popularity of stamps grew rapidly, and at the end of the 19th century, postage stamp museums began to be created. The exposition of such museums, as a rule, contained collections of stamps of a certain state or stamps of a certain focus.
At the same time, intensive development of both Russian and Ukrainian philately began. Types of stamp collections Firstly, stamps were divided by content (air, urgent, simple).
Such brands differed from each other, both in purpose and in cost. Secondly, stamps were divided by size (miniature, giant, etc.) and geometric shape (rectangular, triangular, square).
Some philatelists collect postage stamps on a regional basis, for example, collections of postage stamps from a particular country or region. Other collectors like to collect stamps depicting animals, plants, birds, cultural development, architecture or the automobile industry.
Collections of stamps dedicated to certain memorable world events are called commemorative.
Today, these include art stamp collections. The most valuable are complete collections of a series of stamps and stamps with a small edition.
Achievements in philately From an innocent childhood hobby, stamp collecting becomes a lifelong pursuit for many people. And there are a lot of such people.
Exhibitions and auctions of world and national level are constantly held for philately lovers.
At such events, everyone can acquire the rarest stamps.
The development of philately does not stop even despite the fact that postal communication today is close to extinction, and, accordingly, the direct purpose of the postage stamp is devalued.
Today, all associations and national unions of philatelists in more than 80 countries of the world are headed by the International Philately Federation, created at a congress in the capital of France back in 1926.
Among the regular participants in exhibitions and auctions dedicated to philately are our fellow philatelists.
They are also members of the International Philatelic Association. In Russia, they publish catalogs with new postage stamps and rare items of world significance, and publish magazines and newspapers about philately.
The World Philatelic Exhibition awards the best philatelists with a gold medal. For a stamp collector, receiving this medal is commensurate with winning the Olympic Games, because it can only be received by the most talented and diligent stamp collector, who has proven this through his efforts.
Philately – a hobby or a profitable investment? The sale of some postage stamps can generate more money than the sale of rare paintings or jewelry.
That is why for some people philately is not only a hobby, but also a way to invest money.
Investing in philately means making an extremely profitable transaction.
But for this the collector needs very high level professionalism.
If you manage to get your hands on a very rare copy of a stamp, you can sell it profitably for fabulous sums.
In different parts of the world, auctions are organized where you can get several thousand dollars for a stamp, and for an exclusive collection - an amount that crosses the million dollar mark.
Often, the search for one necessary stamp becomes the meaning of life for many philatelists, because philately is not just a hobby of collecting stamps, it is a whole world, because a collector studies history, geography, world art and science.
It also provides an opportunity to communicate with a wide variety of interesting people, to establish contacts with family members and your child. And for some, this activity becomes a profitable investment.