Probably will be better to scan some pages to give prospective buyer an idea of your collection, your message really doesn't say anything about it, most people here don't care about your toy, tool, rock or any other collection but stamps, well you may have a chance but keep in mind the internet motto "buyers want pictures"
Yes, if selling the collection is your goal, then you need to be more specific. "thousands" might seem a lot for one person, but is just a small accumulation to another. Years do not tell much, although 'mostly USA early 1900's ---- 80's' does not really sound very special, no offence meant. There are not that many special / valuable stamps from that period, or it would have to be early air mails and a few others.
But then again: pictures!
Dear 899ccs,
My stamppals who have responded so far are very proud of their collections, serious about their chosen hobby- and well they should be. You however are an accumulator, much like myself and you may not yet feel heard.
Let me give it a shot, and let's see if we are hearing you. At this point in your life you are aware of being overwhelmed by your many interests and your collecting habits. I am assuming that this stamp collection came to you as a gift rather than a personal pursuit of your own. And now it is demanding attention and time that you do not have to give to it.
You recognize that it may have some monetary value, and wouldn't feel right about throwing them away, nor giving them away without some recognition of their value. All understood.
To a phil ate a list, what you have described so far wouldn't really be of interest, since we are into varieties/errors/rarities which may or may not be hidden in the pile. Most likely they are not, but none the less your collection (which it really isn't until organized) does have value.
The question for you may be how to realize a return while passing the collection on to someone who might find it of great value. With that in mind, we ought to reexamine your statement "I am not interested in giving them away or donating them. No one I know
would appreciate them family or otherwise."
Outright sale of the batch may offer you a skimpy return, moneywise. Donation may be a better path to consider. Double-check this with your accountant, but donating to a charitable cause ought to give you a tax deductible consideration . Put a value on the batch and donate, with the donor receiver then able to put it up for auction or to enjoy the collection as is. Consider donating to a church of your choice, or to a veterans group or hospital to help in rehabilitation, or perhaps to an ongoing project that does what we are speaking of.
There is of course an option not yet considered- and that would be to join our ranks of pure insanity and become consumed with stamp collecting. Should that be a viable possibility, there are many here who would welcome you into our fold and offer assistance.
Whatever you choose, we wish you well and God Speed.
Best,
Dan C.
Craig,
the answer is "depends."
If you only want to get rid of this, and fast, put the whole thing on this auction or eBay or even go to a dealer. If it's organized, a dealer might be a good outlet; if it's not organized, don't even bother.
Understand that dealers will pay you at most 10% of the collection's CV, and likely less. If it's not well organized, expect virtually nothing. This is not to disparage dealers, but to account for time and effort and profit.
If you go here, for instance, you can either list by country or the whole magilla. I'd do this with stamps and, separately, PCs and other covers.
If you put this collection together, you likely have some sense of its worth, unless you have merely added one stamp after another without really getting to know them. That's not judgemental, only trying to get a sense of your interest.
If you merely bought one or several collections, then your earlier statement about not knowing much is, umm, on the money.
Right now, all of us are speculating as the information you've given us is sparse.
David
Craig,
I thought I would add one more thing. The "unwanted" part of the heading indicates you're really not interested in doing more work, so, as before, offering it to a dealer or here as an entire collection will be your fastest way of making this someone else's headache. The better you describe it, the more likely you are to create interest.
David
I am not interested in giving them away or donating them. No one I know
would appreciate them family or otherwise. My thing is I have SO MANY collections that
I cannot invest the time to embrace philately (can't be sure I am even pronouncing it correctly} is it PHIL ate lee ??
I know blaspheme... I have spent an hour or so browsing/lurking around this board and you guys seem more level headed than my usual hang out {THE HULL TRUTH} Geez,
I have a large toy collection, record collection tool collection rock and mineral collection wristwatch collection marble collection and ON and ON
How big is the stamp collection? Thousands probably including postcards and the books
Some of them seem like they would be valuable but then again I've been advised to not grade anything in a cancelled stamp newer than 1900. Uncancelled stamps 1930 and older.
I don't believe I have stamps that fit the criteria for grading although I haven't looked at them all.
Would it be reasonable to just sell them off in one big lot?? There is so many so many
Mostly USA some foreign. Mostly the years are early 1900's the 40's 50's 80's
most of em are just loose or torn off envelopes or what ever it's crazy....quite a few are in those super thin little envelopes that remind me of rice paper at the chinese resteraunt. I am trying not to handle them and use grippers tweezers so bleeping tedious
Maybe I should just keep them but they're sensitive to temp humidity light and everything else in the air.. I do not know and I await your sound advice stamp philataleiers
re: Unwanted stamp collection BIG
Probably will be better to scan some pages to give prospective buyer an idea of your collection, your message really doesn't say anything about it, most people here don't care about your toy, tool, rock or any other collection but stamps, well you may have a chance but keep in mind the internet motto "buyers want pictures"
re: Unwanted stamp collection BIG
Yes, if selling the collection is your goal, then you need to be more specific. "thousands" might seem a lot for one person, but is just a small accumulation to another. Years do not tell much, although 'mostly USA early 1900's ---- 80's' does not really sound very special, no offence meant. There are not that many special / valuable stamps from that period, or it would have to be early air mails and a few others.
But then again: pictures!
re: Unwanted stamp collection BIG
Dear 899ccs,
My stamppals who have responded so far are very proud of their collections, serious about their chosen hobby- and well they should be. You however are an accumulator, much like myself and you may not yet feel heard.
Let me give it a shot, and let's see if we are hearing you. At this point in your life you are aware of being overwhelmed by your many interests and your collecting habits. I am assuming that this stamp collection came to you as a gift rather than a personal pursuit of your own. And now it is demanding attention and time that you do not have to give to it.
You recognize that it may have some monetary value, and wouldn't feel right about throwing them away, nor giving them away without some recognition of their value. All understood.
To a phil ate a list, what you have described so far wouldn't really be of interest, since we are into varieties/errors/rarities which may or may not be hidden in the pile. Most likely they are not, but none the less your collection (which it really isn't until organized) does have value.
The question for you may be how to realize a return while passing the collection on to someone who might find it of great value. With that in mind, we ought to reexamine your statement "I am not interested in giving them away or donating them. No one I know
would appreciate them family or otherwise."
Outright sale of the batch may offer you a skimpy return, moneywise. Donation may be a better path to consider. Double-check this with your accountant, but donating to a charitable cause ought to give you a tax deductible consideration . Put a value on the batch and donate, with the donor receiver then able to put it up for auction or to enjoy the collection as is. Consider donating to a church of your choice, or to a veterans group or hospital to help in rehabilitation, or perhaps to an ongoing project that does what we are speaking of.
There is of course an option not yet considered- and that would be to join our ranks of pure insanity and become consumed with stamp collecting. Should that be a viable possibility, there are many here who would welcome you into our fold and offer assistance.
Whatever you choose, we wish you well and God Speed.
Best,
Dan C.
re: Unwanted stamp collection BIG
Craig,
the answer is "depends."
If you only want to get rid of this, and fast, put the whole thing on this auction or eBay or even go to a dealer. If it's organized, a dealer might be a good outlet; if it's not organized, don't even bother.
Understand that dealers will pay you at most 10% of the collection's CV, and likely less. If it's not well organized, expect virtually nothing. This is not to disparage dealers, but to account for time and effort and profit.
If you go here, for instance, you can either list by country or the whole magilla. I'd do this with stamps and, separately, PCs and other covers.
If you put this collection together, you likely have some sense of its worth, unless you have merely added one stamp after another without really getting to know them. That's not judgemental, only trying to get a sense of your interest.
If you merely bought one or several collections, then your earlier statement about not knowing much is, umm, on the money.
Right now, all of us are speculating as the information you've given us is sparse.
David
re: Unwanted stamp collection BIG
Craig,
I thought I would add one more thing. The "unwanted" part of the heading indicates you're really not interested in doing more work, so, as before, offering it to a dealer or here as an entire collection will be your fastest way of making this someone else's headache. The better you describe it, the more likely you are to create interest.
David