Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Mostly I have gotten sweepings and throw away damaged material.
Could you folks share the names of some reputable sources of this type of material?
Thanks,
Jim
(Modified by Moderator on 2014-12-30 09:30:30)
Login to Like
this post
This is a topic of great interest to many of us. Perhaps we could start our own "kitchen table" philately column!
As to a dealer, I know Kevin Morgan in Australia doesn't cherry pick all of his lots as I found a really great Irish stamp in a small sample mix purchased from him. I tried a larger batch of Irish mission mix and commems and they were some of the better quality mixes I've purchased. I haven't tried his USA mixtures as the shipping from Australia gets pricy.
I've only bought one lot from Swan, and it was an Irish mission mix that was extremely disappointing. But their other material might be better.
I've heard Post Lynx in europe has a huge inventory, but I haven't bought anything from them.
I've purchased from several ebay sellers, but none of them consistently has inventory. They are hit and miss, so I can't really make any recommendations. Other sources that I've bought from in the past are out of stock the last few times I've checked. Sometimes there are ads in Linns, too.
I would really enjoy reading other people's comments. Has anyone ever bought from the Canadian fellow who advertises on ebay - Ricarmic???
Login to Like
this post
I have never purchased box lots or collections, mostly as a survival strategy: I can barely keep my purchases of single stamps, sets of stamps, and covers organized! In my hands, a box lot or collection would remain pretty much unchanged until I got organized enough to get rid of it, which might never happen.
However, I do have this thought, based on experience: Most busy dealers are too busy to do more than a cursory inspection of box lots and collections that they handle, and no dealer can know everything about philately, so they may well miss interesting, valuable, and even very rare items. In the end, if they receive an unpicked box lot or collection, they may well sell it completely or mostly intact, waiting for collectors who are more organized than I to cherry-pick it.
Bob
Login to Like
this post
Bob, come on and join the rest of us! Piles and piles of boxes full of stamps make a great decor for any and every room!
Your thoughts about what dealers do with bulk batches and boxes of stamps are spot on. I have, and continue to find, plenty of high dollar items in many of the boxes that I obtain. Of course sometimes I find nothing but junk, but when you find those "diamonds" it sure is a nice feeling.
Login to Like
this post
"I can barely keep my purchases of single stamps, sets of stamps, and covers organized!"
This may be the major flaw in your system, Bob.
Login to Like
this post
Several years ago, my wife, Susan, wrote a short essay about my stamp collection and collecting. I think you Stamporama members will appreciate it, and may even recognize yourself or your partner!
Bob
The Box
In the corner of our sunroom sits a box. It is nearly all-white, about the size of an old-fashioned bread box, and it once delivered an apple computer to us. It sits there in our sunroom, week in and week out. Sometimes, of course, it gets placed on the table or on the chair. Now and then, I discover the lid open and I peer inside to discover, as always, a pile of stamps. Small, seemingly unimportant pieces of paper. The box is much bigger than it needs to be for storage of this particular pile of stamps, and I immediately think that it would be better to put them in a smaller container. Indeed, a shoebox would do, I’m sure. There is no need, I think, for this big box to be sitting in the corner of my sun room, day in and day out, seemingly useless to all who enter. It doesn’t matter how many weeks pass, though; the box remains and there are no fewer stamps.
One day I say to my husband, “Honey, what’s in that box?â€
“Stamps,†he replies.
“Yes, I know there are stamps in the box.†No doubt he wonders why, then, I asked. The real question I seek an answer for is, “How long will the box be there?†Or perhaps I want to know, “When will it go away?†Or maybe I just want to know, “Why?â€
Whatever the real motivations behind my question, the box symbolizes my husband’s love of stamps. In every nook and cranny of our house there are other boxes, other “piles of stamps.†It is all a mystery to me. On his desk are no less than five separate boxes of varying sizes and colours — each with its own collection of stamps and each, he says, which must remain separate from the others. On the bookshelves of our house are at least five stamp catalogues and numerous binders full of his collections. Each binder is carefully labelled and identified.
It is difficult sometimes to know whether being a stamp collector means sitting at the table endlessly sorting stamps or sitting at the computer endlessly looking at internet stamp auctions and e-mail messages. There was a time, early in our marriage, when my husband’s infectious interest in those small pieces of paper caught my attention and I, too, collected and saved. For a while, I found a fascination in British stamps and in postcards. But it was the personal messages on the postcards which delighted me more than the stamps, so I suppose I truly couldn’t be counted among the converted. Eventually, I let my husband have my British stamps, but my postcard collection remains intact, and I suspect there may come a time when I will collect them again — but not for the stamps.
In a way, my husband has a mistress. The hours he spends with stamps and his stamp- collecting hobby certainly are isolated from me. His interest in history and his love of graphic design both attract him in this one hobby, however, and nearly every day, if not several times a day, he comes to me with that childlike glint in his eye to show me his latest prize or to tell me of some interesting historical fact connected to his latest cover. His stamp collection pages are unique, different from anything anyone else creates, and indeed they are masterpieces of artistic design and history combined. His pride when he shows me a completed page is unmistakable. So this mistress does not bother me; I am willing to give him all the time he wants with her.
Money is sometimes more of a problem, for his desire to purchase something new is always there. Not quite as fanatical as the gambler who must bet on the next horse, he still pursues the next stamp that he desires to own with great enthusiasm and sometimes spends more than his income allows. Fortunately, he is usually willing to listen to reason and I can convince him that some purchases are beyond our reach. The dream never dies, however.
So the boxes remain in the house. The binders with his many collections are there for all to enjoy, but mostly for the two of us. I may never totally understand his love of these small pieces of paper, but at least I always know where he is. Now, does anyone have a box I can use? My husband needs a place to store some of his stamps….
9 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
Philatelia wrote
"Perhaps we could start our own "kitchen table" philately column! "
I have always thought that would be a fun thing to do, but my WW catalogs only go up to about 2005, so I would not be able to quote up to date values, (which is not a big deal), nor be able to ID issues newer than my catalogs. Perhaps some day . . .
regards, Theron.
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
We could do a simplified kitchen table philately. Even a brief description of the kiloware - such as the range of years covered, the amount of damaged, how heavy is the duplication, etc would still be extremely informative.
The biggest problem I'm seeing is that it is so difficult to get kiloware that the dealers can pretty much ask whatever they want and you don't have too many other options. There isn't enough competition! It is getting so scarce that many collectors are hesitant to reveal their sources.
Login to Like
this post
I used to set up tables on the show circuit back in the 80's. It was as much for the opportunity to buy lots and boxes of stamps from the public as well as other dealers as to sell. I think in the last decade I have attended one show. I met a lot of old friends and at the end couldn't pass up the bargains that dealers didn't want to take home. No idea why I bought all that stuff because I am trying to get rid of everything .. go figure.
The comments about buying from busy dealers are spot on. My best purchases have been from dealers, and my best sales have been to other dealers. I remember buying 15 3x3x3 cartons of stuff for $15 apiece back in the 80's - not sure how many hands they had been through but I found wonderful things - glassines full of Scott #65's, 3 cent green banknotes, revenues on paper, a small glassine with 3 revenue stamps that I sold at the next show to another dealer for more than I paid for all of the boxes. What I took out of these boxes probably filled a couple of cigar boxes - mainly fancy cancels, some nice early Brazil with wonderful colored cancels, odd ball British Colonies, etc. A bit of rearranging and the boxes looked full and still had lots of wonderful material left. I sold them to another dealer for what I paid for them the next time I had room to get them to a show.
Try going to a show, look under tables, ask what they really don't want to take home, don't be afraid to ask if you can make a pile of stuff, sometimes the more stuff the lower the price. It can't hurt and you can see what you are getting. It should be much cheaper than any of the kiloware I have seen advertised.
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
To answer philatelia's question about EBay dealer ricarmac, I just received a nice batch of Canadian Queen Vic's from him last week. Not kiloware by any means, but I suspect I will buy more stamps from him.
Login to Like
this post
"Try going to a show, look under tables, ask what they really don't want to take home, don't be afraid to ask if you can make a pile of stuff, sometimes the more stuff the lower the price."
Exactly... AND always make an offer, even if they have stuffed marked.
I've got 2 bags and about 3 cigar boxes and about 2 stacks of older small approval books that were partially filled/picked through (about 12 books each) buried under my table somewhere.
The woman at the bourse basically said "nobody was buying her mixed packages anymore" so she was just dumping it, so she sold me all of that for about $50. (basically I paid for the bags and cigar boxes, and she almost literally gave me the books for free).
Login to Like
this post
"Several years ago, my wife, Susan, wrote a short essay about my stamp collection and collecting... [you] may even recognize yourself"
Wow Bob, that is fantastic! That description fits my relationships with my wife and my stamps alarmingly well. I suspect that the big difference is that I had long absences from stamp collecting as we traveled the world with the Army and raised our kids in fourteen locations in twenty four years. For most of that time my collection stayed safely stored in a foot locker.
I believe you said in another post that your wife is from Nebraska. My wife is from Kansas and we now live in Nebraska, so I suspect that they would get along nicely as "stamp widows"!
Thanks for sharing that beautiful story.
Steve
Login to Like
this post
so, two things
first, would some one like to own the kiloware area and compile comments about dealers? if so, please let me know.
second, my wife mirrors Bob's wife, sans the small British PC collection, in that the only thing that interests her at all is the writings in the letters and on the PCs. She finds them fascinating. When I find something particularly interesting, I bring it to her, and keep all the boring stuff to myself.
David
Login to Like
this post
I have been buying stamps from Ron Carmichael (ricarmic) for years. His stuff is usually off paper, which is fine with me because I don't really enjoy soaking stamps all that much. I highly recommend this dealer. I have gotten a lot of great stamps from him, plus he always uses nice Canadian stamps on the shipping carton.
Login to Like
this post
Hi Everyone;
I also don't care for soaking stamps off paper. I have found that the best way to get a big mess of great stamps is from dealers too. However I have bought from dealers shops in Chicagoland area and also from dealers at stamp shows or bourses.
At stamp shows/bourses, dealers tend to be a lot more motivated to sell at almost any price. This is because if it is a slow day, they must get something sold even at a loss, to cover the fees for having a space at the show.
Also, my main motivation for shows vs mail order is the chance to look thru the shoebox before plunking down my cash. If you live in an area where there are no shows to attend, then go to eBay and look for the dealers with Huge feedback numbers and good scans of material. High feedback means they are longtime dealers who have an established customer base.
Here is an eBay seller I found pretty good material from. I've purchased from them multiple times; pepan75stamps, an eBay seller since 2005. They tend to sell smaller lots, mostly Czechoslovakia, Canada, Australia, Papau-New Guinea, and New Zealand. Google them and you will get links to their listings.
Good luck and happy hunting....
TuskenRaider
Login to Like
this post
05:55:56pm
My local stamp dealer always has large lots of mixed foreign for the members of our club to sort through every month. But where he buys them from, other than from Europe, is beyond me
I'd ask him but, he might think I was trying to "break his rice bowl."
He always has a large bag to put on the table for our members to sort through at meetings of the club.
So he must be able to get plenty stamps somewhere.
Login to Like
this post
I know it sounds strange but it never hurts to ask at antique and "junk" shops. I've run across some great "old letters" that way including a small handful of early stampless letters from a scarce little town. Book shops are always good because they pick up a lot of old paper along with the books.
If they don't have an odd box of stamps they might tell you which of their pickers has stamps. Pickers do garage sales, the end of estate sales, etc. and generally are the source of most things you find in most antique shops. They are the ones who make the "finds'. They are not easy to connect with unless you know someone but a dealer might be able to take your information to give to whichever picker does paper and "stuff" for him to contact you.
At least that is how it works here in the Northeast. If I just drive around for a whole day and stop at all the little shops I see I usually can come home with enough stuff to make it worthwhile.
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
How do you find these particular people on e-bay?
Login to Like
this post
Carabop,
That's actually harder than it should be for a site like Ebay. Start by opening the Advanced Search options by clicking on the word "Advanced" next to the search button at the top. Near the bottom of the Advanced Options screen is a section called "Sellers." Inside that section, check the "Only show items from:" box and then enter the sellers name in the box under the phrase, "Specific sellers (enter seller's user IDs)". Then click the search button below that.
If you haven't done it, you might Google useful tips for Ebay searching. I've been an Ebay member since about 1997, and am still learning new search tricks. Doesn't help that Ebay keeps changing the interface. 
The other Advanced search feature I use a lot is "Sold listings." When that is checked, you can see what things have actually sold, and for what price. That way if you are looking for those higher value Columbians, as I am
, you can get a ballpark estimate of what each one will set you back. Sorry if you already knew about that! Sometimes I tend to ramble...
Steve
Login to Like
this post
03:10:47pm
My luck has not been too good trying to find a decent source for US mixtures/boxes/kiloware.
Mostly I have gotten sweepings and throw away damaged material.
Could you folks share the names of some reputable sources of this type of material?
Thanks,
Jim
(Modified by Moderator on 2014-12-30 09:30:30)
Login to Like
this post
re: Sources for decent kiloware/boxes of US stamps
This is a topic of great interest to many of us. Perhaps we could start our own "kitchen table" philately column!
As to a dealer, I know Kevin Morgan in Australia doesn't cherry pick all of his lots as I found a really great Irish stamp in a small sample mix purchased from him. I tried a larger batch of Irish mission mix and commems and they were some of the better quality mixes I've purchased. I haven't tried his USA mixtures as the shipping from Australia gets pricy.
I've only bought one lot from Swan, and it was an Irish mission mix that was extremely disappointing. But their other material might be better.
I've heard Post Lynx in europe has a huge inventory, but I haven't bought anything from them.
I've purchased from several ebay sellers, but none of them consistently has inventory. They are hit and miss, so I can't really make any recommendations. Other sources that I've bought from in the past are out of stock the last few times I've checked. Sometimes there are ads in Linns, too.
I would really enjoy reading other people's comments. Has anyone ever bought from the Canadian fellow who advertises on ebay - Ricarmic???
Login to Like
this post
re: Sources for decent kiloware/boxes of US stamps
I have never purchased box lots or collections, mostly as a survival strategy: I can barely keep my purchases of single stamps, sets of stamps, and covers organized! In my hands, a box lot or collection would remain pretty much unchanged until I got organized enough to get rid of it, which might never happen.
However, I do have this thought, based on experience: Most busy dealers are too busy to do more than a cursory inspection of box lots and collections that they handle, and no dealer can know everything about philately, so they may well miss interesting, valuable, and even very rare items. In the end, if they receive an unpicked box lot or collection, they may well sell it completely or mostly intact, waiting for collectors who are more organized than I to cherry-pick it.
Bob
Login to Like
this post
05:49:55pm
re: Sources for decent kiloware/boxes of US stamps
Bob, come on and join the rest of us! Piles and piles of boxes full of stamps make a great decor for any and every room!
Your thoughts about what dealers do with bulk batches and boxes of stamps are spot on. I have, and continue to find, plenty of high dollar items in many of the boxes that I obtain. Of course sometimes I find nothing but junk, but when you find those "diamonds" it sure is a nice feeling.
Login to Like
this post
re: Sources for decent kiloware/boxes of US stamps
"I can barely keep my purchases of single stamps, sets of stamps, and covers organized!"
This may be the major flaw in your system, Bob.
Login to Like
this post
re: Sources for decent kiloware/boxes of US stamps
Several years ago, my wife, Susan, wrote a short essay about my stamp collection and collecting. I think you Stamporama members will appreciate it, and may even recognize yourself or your partner!
Bob
The Box
In the corner of our sunroom sits a box. It is nearly all-white, about the size of an old-fashioned bread box, and it once delivered an apple computer to us. It sits there in our sunroom, week in and week out. Sometimes, of course, it gets placed on the table or on the chair. Now and then, I discover the lid open and I peer inside to discover, as always, a pile of stamps. Small, seemingly unimportant pieces of paper. The box is much bigger than it needs to be for storage of this particular pile of stamps, and I immediately think that it would be better to put them in a smaller container. Indeed, a shoebox would do, I’m sure. There is no need, I think, for this big box to be sitting in the corner of my sun room, day in and day out, seemingly useless to all who enter. It doesn’t matter how many weeks pass, though; the box remains and there are no fewer stamps.
One day I say to my husband, “Honey, what’s in that box?â€
“Stamps,†he replies.
“Yes, I know there are stamps in the box.†No doubt he wonders why, then, I asked. The real question I seek an answer for is, “How long will the box be there?†Or perhaps I want to know, “When will it go away?†Or maybe I just want to know, “Why?â€
Whatever the real motivations behind my question, the box symbolizes my husband’s love of stamps. In every nook and cranny of our house there are other boxes, other “piles of stamps.†It is all a mystery to me. On his desk are no less than five separate boxes of varying sizes and colours — each with its own collection of stamps and each, he says, which must remain separate from the others. On the bookshelves of our house are at least five stamp catalogues and numerous binders full of his collections. Each binder is carefully labelled and identified.
It is difficult sometimes to know whether being a stamp collector means sitting at the table endlessly sorting stamps or sitting at the computer endlessly looking at internet stamp auctions and e-mail messages. There was a time, early in our marriage, when my husband’s infectious interest in those small pieces of paper caught my attention and I, too, collected and saved. For a while, I found a fascination in British stamps and in postcards. But it was the personal messages on the postcards which delighted me more than the stamps, so I suppose I truly couldn’t be counted among the converted. Eventually, I let my husband have my British stamps, but my postcard collection remains intact, and I suspect there may come a time when I will collect them again — but not for the stamps.
In a way, my husband has a mistress. The hours he spends with stamps and his stamp- collecting hobby certainly are isolated from me. His interest in history and his love of graphic design both attract him in this one hobby, however, and nearly every day, if not several times a day, he comes to me with that childlike glint in his eye to show me his latest prize or to tell me of some interesting historical fact connected to his latest cover. His stamp collection pages are unique, different from anything anyone else creates, and indeed they are masterpieces of artistic design and history combined. His pride when he shows me a completed page is unmistakable. So this mistress does not bother me; I am willing to give him all the time he wants with her.
Money is sometimes more of a problem, for his desire to purchase something new is always there. Not quite as fanatical as the gambler who must bet on the next horse, he still pursues the next stamp that he desires to own with great enthusiasm and sometimes spends more than his income allows. Fortunately, he is usually willing to listen to reason and I can convince him that some purchases are beyond our reach. The dream never dies, however.
So the boxes remain in the house. The binders with his many collections are there for all to enjoy, but mostly for the two of us. I may never totally understand his love of these small pieces of paper, but at least I always know where he is. Now, does anyone have a box I can use? My husband needs a place to store some of his stamps….
9 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Sources for decent kiloware/boxes of US stamps
Philatelia wrote
"Perhaps we could start our own "kitchen table" philately column! "
I have always thought that would be a fun thing to do, but my WW catalogs only go up to about 2005, so I would not be able to quote up to date values, (which is not a big deal), nor be able to ID issues newer than my catalogs. Perhaps some day . . .
regards, Theron.
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: Sources for decent kiloware/boxes of US stamps
We could do a simplified kitchen table philately. Even a brief description of the kiloware - such as the range of years covered, the amount of damaged, how heavy is the duplication, etc would still be extremely informative.
The biggest problem I'm seeing is that it is so difficult to get kiloware that the dealers can pretty much ask whatever they want and you don't have too many other options. There isn't enough competition! It is getting so scarce that many collectors are hesitant to reveal their sources.
Login to Like
this post
07:55:47pm
Auctions - Approvals
re: Sources for decent kiloware/boxes of US stamps
I used to set up tables on the show circuit back in the 80's. It was as much for the opportunity to buy lots and boxes of stamps from the public as well as other dealers as to sell. I think in the last decade I have attended one show. I met a lot of old friends and at the end couldn't pass up the bargains that dealers didn't want to take home. No idea why I bought all that stuff because I am trying to get rid of everything .. go figure.
The comments about buying from busy dealers are spot on. My best purchases have been from dealers, and my best sales have been to other dealers. I remember buying 15 3x3x3 cartons of stuff for $15 apiece back in the 80's - not sure how many hands they had been through but I found wonderful things - glassines full of Scott #65's, 3 cent green banknotes, revenues on paper, a small glassine with 3 revenue stamps that I sold at the next show to another dealer for more than I paid for all of the boxes. What I took out of these boxes probably filled a couple of cigar boxes - mainly fancy cancels, some nice early Brazil with wonderful colored cancels, odd ball British Colonies, etc. A bit of rearranging and the boxes looked full and still had lots of wonderful material left. I sold them to another dealer for what I paid for them the next time I had room to get them to a show.
Try going to a show, look under tables, ask what they really don't want to take home, don't be afraid to ask if you can make a pile of stuff, sometimes the more stuff the lower the price. It can't hurt and you can see what you are getting. It should be much cheaper than any of the kiloware I have seen advertised.
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Sources for decent kiloware/boxes of US stamps
To answer philatelia's question about EBay dealer ricarmac, I just received a nice batch of Canadian Queen Vic's from him last week. Not kiloware by any means, but I suspect I will buy more stamps from him.
Login to Like
this post
re: Sources for decent kiloware/boxes of US stamps
"Try going to a show, look under tables, ask what they really don't want to take home, don't be afraid to ask if you can make a pile of stuff, sometimes the more stuff the lower the price."
Exactly... AND always make an offer, even if they have stuffed marked.
I've got 2 bags and about 3 cigar boxes and about 2 stacks of older small approval books that were partially filled/picked through (about 12 books each) buried under my table somewhere.
The woman at the bourse basically said "nobody was buying her mixed packages anymore" so she was just dumping it, so she sold me all of that for about $50. (basically I paid for the bags and cigar boxes, and she almost literally gave me the books for free).
Login to Like
this post
re: Sources for decent kiloware/boxes of US stamps
"Several years ago, my wife, Susan, wrote a short essay about my stamp collection and collecting... [you] may even recognize yourself"
Wow Bob, that is fantastic! That description fits my relationships with my wife and my stamps alarmingly well. I suspect that the big difference is that I had long absences from stamp collecting as we traveled the world with the Army and raised our kids in fourteen locations in twenty four years. For most of that time my collection stayed safely stored in a foot locker.
I believe you said in another post that your wife is from Nebraska. My wife is from Kansas and we now live in Nebraska, so I suspect that they would get along nicely as "stamp widows"!
Thanks for sharing that beautiful story.
Steve
Login to Like
this post
re: Sources for decent kiloware/boxes of US stamps
so, two things
first, would some one like to own the kiloware area and compile comments about dealers? if so, please let me know.
second, my wife mirrors Bob's wife, sans the small British PC collection, in that the only thing that interests her at all is the writings in the letters and on the PCs. She finds them fascinating. When I find something particularly interesting, I bring it to her, and keep all the boring stuff to myself.
David
Login to Like
this post
02:25:41pm
re: Sources for decent kiloware/boxes of US stamps
I have been buying stamps from Ron Carmichael (ricarmic) for years. His stuff is usually off paper, which is fine with me because I don't really enjoy soaking stamps all that much. I highly recommend this dealer. I have gotten a lot of great stamps from him, plus he always uses nice Canadian stamps on the shipping carton.
Login to Like
this post
re: Sources for decent kiloware/boxes of US stamps
Hi Everyone;
I also don't care for soaking stamps off paper. I have found that the best way to get a big mess of great stamps is from dealers too. However I have bought from dealers shops in Chicagoland area and also from dealers at stamp shows or bourses.
At stamp shows/bourses, dealers tend to be a lot more motivated to sell at almost any price. This is because if it is a slow day, they must get something sold even at a loss, to cover the fees for having a space at the show.
Also, my main motivation for shows vs mail order is the chance to look thru the shoebox before plunking down my cash. If you live in an area where there are no shows to attend, then go to eBay and look for the dealers with Huge feedback numbers and good scans of material. High feedback means they are longtime dealers who have an established customer base.
Here is an eBay seller I found pretty good material from. I've purchased from them multiple times; pepan75stamps, an eBay seller since 2005. They tend to sell smaller lots, mostly Czechoslovakia, Canada, Australia, Papau-New Guinea, and New Zealand. Google them and you will get links to their listings.
Good luck and happy hunting....
TuskenRaider
Login to Like
this post
Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
31 Dec 2014
05:55:56pm
re: Sources for decent kiloware/boxes of US stamps
My local stamp dealer always has large lots of mixed foreign for the members of our club to sort through every month. But where he buys them from, other than from Europe, is beyond me
I'd ask him but, he might think I was trying to "break his rice bowl."
He always has a large bag to put on the table for our members to sort through at meetings of the club.
So he must be able to get plenty stamps somewhere.
Login to Like
this post
09:04:55pm
Auctions - Approvals
re: Sources for decent kiloware/boxes of US stamps
I know it sounds strange but it never hurts to ask at antique and "junk" shops. I've run across some great "old letters" that way including a small handful of early stampless letters from a scarce little town. Book shops are always good because they pick up a lot of old paper along with the books.
If they don't have an odd box of stamps they might tell you which of their pickers has stamps. Pickers do garage sales, the end of estate sales, etc. and generally are the source of most things you find in most antique shops. They are the ones who make the "finds'. They are not easy to connect with unless you know someone but a dealer might be able to take your information to give to whichever picker does paper and "stuff" for him to contact you.
At least that is how it works here in the Northeast. If I just drive around for a whole day and stop at all the little shops I see I usually can come home with enough stuff to make it worthwhile.
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
12:09:46am
re: Sources for decent kiloware/boxes of US stamps
How do you find these particular people on e-bay?
Login to Like
this post
re: Sources for decent kiloware/boxes of US stamps
Carabop,
That's actually harder than it should be for a site like Ebay. Start by opening the Advanced Search options by clicking on the word "Advanced" next to the search button at the top. Near the bottom of the Advanced Options screen is a section called "Sellers." Inside that section, check the "Only show items from:" box and then enter the sellers name in the box under the phrase, "Specific sellers (enter seller's user IDs)". Then click the search button below that.
If you haven't done it, you might Google useful tips for Ebay searching. I've been an Ebay member since about 1997, and am still learning new search tricks. Doesn't help that Ebay keeps changing the interface.
The other Advanced search feature I use a lot is "Sold listings." When that is checked, you can see what things have actually sold, and for what price. That way if you are looking for those higher value Columbians, as I am, you can get a ballpark estimate of what each one will set you back. Sorry if you already knew about that! Sometimes I tend to ramble...
Steve
Login to Like
this post