Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
What I notice is that something advertised as "quality kiloware" still contains about 90% landfill material - small common definitives, really common stamps from the 70's, 80's and the 90's , Christmas stamps, self-adhesives on postcard cutouts and then out the 10% that are better, I start finding all kinds of defects - creases, missing corners, thins and what not. It almost looks like someone has spent the time to inspect every stamp, which it must be true as no unfranked stamps were found.
Another guy mails me "stamps from the past 3-4 years". To his ad he had attached an image of about 30 nicely trimmed stamps, with at least 5-6 gems among them. What I finally got was those 30 stamps in a separate small envelope and the remaining almost 600 grams of stamps were about 50% from outside the stated period. The better half had hardly any more gems in it. Whatever there was, it wasn't with the same frequency as the sample image suggested. To make matters worse, those stamps were not trimmed at all and were on huge pieces of paper. I trimmed them, so 1/3 went straight into the bin right there.
After spending hours of soaking stamps off paper, classifying and sorting, I figure I will be unable to recover my money, even if I sell what I have at generous prices.
Things do not have to be this way! I wonder if you have any good sources of used stamps on paper that you can share in a PM to me.
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Jules:
Instead of tossing the "dreck" into the bin, please consider donating them to The Holocaust Stamps Project (Canada) - the recent international expansion of the successfully completed original project based in Foxborough MA, USA.
Each stamp, however damaged or seemingly worthless, represents one of the 11 Million persons "discarded" in The Holocaust, and is therefore valued and important to our project.
For more information about this initiative, search on the Stamporama Discussions for posts by "csheer" - the original founder, or follow this link:
http://www.foxboroughrcs.org/students-families/frcs-holocaust-stamp-project/
Thanks for your consideration, Craig.
Holocaust Stamps Project (Canada)
434 Christina Street North
Sarnia ON N7T 5W2 Canada
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Sorry Craig, my fear is that those stamps may end up in another kiloware disappointing yet another collector, or even getting back to me.
The only use of these stamps could be for art purposes. I have seen some very intricate pictures made out of stamps. I destroy stamps daily in the office - those "P" beaver definitives. All mail comes with them on. I have no use for them and in the bin they go with all of their glory.
Your project seems to be already complete.
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they ARE used for art projects: http://www.foxboroughrcs.org/students-families/frcs-holocaust-stamp-project/views-voices-suggested-reading/
The first Holocaust project has attained their goal of 11 million stamps, and a second project, based in Canada has begun.
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Cougar accurately describes the major drawback in purchasing stamps via kiloware. Indeed I cannot understand why anyone would wish to acquire stamps in this way. Perhaps if you were starting a children's stamp club the mass of worthless stamps would serve a purpose, but I can think of little else besides.
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Kiloware is not just for accquiring stamps.
It passes the time.
What better way is there to travel the globe while sitting in your chair on a dark and cold evening.
It is also cheaper than dining out or heading to the pub.
The added benefit is you might find a few stamps for your collection.
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Jules. As Scott noted, if you read the link you will see what the mandate of The Holocaust Stamps project is: To collect 11 Million stamps to honour The Holocaust victims, and to create collages that further this rememberance.
At no time are stamps thrown away, given away, or sold.
I think most Stamporama members know this from Charlotte's activities here over the years but I want to reiterate this important point for newer members.
Thanks, Craig
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I have similar experiences with buying large lots of covers. Sometimes it appears that the seller had a box that every damaged, stained, illegible cancel or otherwise useless cover was tossed into. Then he sold it to me!
Some of these covers have been passed around like a hot potato for a hundred years. So recently I've taken some out of circulation by cutting the stamp off and tossing them! At least I got a used stamp on paper out of it. And I've saved future generations of collectors the grief of sorting through them again.
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I do not think all kiloware should look like the ones I usually get.
If whoever collects the stamps just tosses the useless and defective ones away, there will be a pretty nice selection left.
However what sellers seem to be doing is, they remove only the valuable stamps - those they can soak and sell separately, plus the unfranked ones. All common undesirables are then advertised as top grade unpicked etc, and sold to me.
Craig, I will mail you some stamps shortly. I just have to accept the loss, wrap things up and move on.
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For years I have sought out good sources of kiloware. To me the only point is to either get decent stamps for a reasonable price or to try to get the most recent stamps (which in my experience are hard to get otherwise).
I'm going to quote a post I created on another stamps board:
I've been soaking some of my hoards for the last couple months, it has occurred to me that most kiloware has a fair bit of damage. Now, this is expected given the circumstances of course, so I'm not complaining. It did make me think of the final output though and what I'm actually getting in my pound of stamps on paper ....
First sort, remove obvious damage, lose about 15% of stamps. Pre-soaking double check, lose about another 5%. During soaking, the less obvious tears and corners become visible, lose another 5%. Finally, as I examine them post-drying, I realize about another 5% is damaged.
On average I'm getting use of about 73% of the stamps I paid for. So assuming 100 stamps/ounce or 1600 per pound (look at this metric girl use imperial, yay me!), I'm actually getting 1168 stamps in a pound of kiloware. That shall be my new benchmark when I price it out!
Now if I'm buying a general charity mix, with tons of duplication and definitives I don't really need, then I am generally 'getting rid of' about 50% off the top, before I even do the damage check. In that case, I'm getting use of 36% of the stamps, or 576 stamps per pound.
If I want to pay 2c per stamp, then a pound of commemorative kiloware should cost me no more than $23.36 and a pound of charity kiloware $11.34 ...
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I have tried on at least two occasions, over the past year or so, to purchase Kiloware from a firm called Postlynx. The order appears on their website but I never have received an invoice to pay, the account is marked TBA (to be advised) on account of postage. One order was placed via Delcampe but even they failed to get a response from Postlynx when I heard nothing.
Like Katie I find a lot of damaged stamps, mostly from bad cutting from envelopes but it always seems the higher value or least common stamps are the ones damaged.
I would add that most of mine came via an animal charity in UK back in early 90's that I am only now sorting and soaking. (Life got in the way, after emigrating to Canada)
Maybe someone knows of a good source and will care to share with our membership.
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I haven't looked at a Linns in years but they used to have a column by "E Rawolik" (Kiloware backwards)that reviewed the various mixes available at the time. Not sure if anyone is doing the column these days.
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The column is still there weekly, and it is one of the features I enjoy. It's not what I would call kiloware however, more sorted packets of world wide.
Geoff
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"Like Katie I find a lot of damaged stamps, mostly from bad cutting from envelopes but it always seems the higher value or least common stamps are the ones damaged."
And I think we are doing it to ourselves. Instead of leaving the negative feedback those sellers deserve, we shy away with an "OK" positive feedback (in my case).
Leaving good looking damaged stamps and taking out the good sound ones is what I see in nearly all purchases of stamps on paper on Ebay. And amazingly people still pay $40/pound for that type of uncollectable junk.
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E Rawolik is not kiloware in the "unsorted" sense; instead, it is generaly material culled from collections, whose contents have been described, and therefor known, before sending. These are typically not missionary clippings.
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It has apparently changed over the past twenty five plus years. I think my last subscription ran out in the late 80's.
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Back in the 1970s my uncle worked for a public utility. He'd bring me large movers boxes of covers, that came from where people mailed in their utility bill. These had all been sent though an opening machine, that took the top edge off the envelope. A good number of the stamps had the top edge cut off, thus used for artwork or tossed out. I'm sure some kiloware comes from similar sources.
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I would very much like to see the stamps that people have described as gems and valuable found in these lots. I think it would be very interesting to see why people find it worth their time in going thru these lots.
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Nordfrim advertises a lot of "Kiloware." Has anyone bought from them?
Geoff
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I once found an imperforated 1st class NVI Machin in a kiloware lot.
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I've bought from Nordfrim. Good prices but lots of duplicates.I do have a purchase coming from Nordfrim, arriving soon though
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Antonius, the "gems" I had in mind were some Norwegian non-adhesive recent stamps. The guy who sent me those had probably 5 of them in his sample image of 30 or so stamps. Then the whole of his 600g on paper lot had another 5-10 of them.
I buy kiloware because I am always hopeful that I will find a good dealer who is not removing the nice stamps and leaving the junk. All stamps in our collections (of used stamps) originate from mail collected by someone. It makes sense to believe that the best quality stamps will be found in such kiloware lots (if they were not previously removed)
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Just when I thought nothing could surprise me....
The new 500g of kiloware came in today. Went halfway through it and my jaw must have dropped at what I found; a stamp worth twice the value of the whole kiloware with shipping and all. Put the magnifying glass to the stamp to see where the damage was. There was none!
I will be leaving it on paper. Many other nice stamps in this one. Well, it is Christmas after all. I deserved a gift.
Merry Christmas and many nice finds in the new 2018 to all!
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How about posting the gem you received.
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Yes, please I would also very much like to see what you found that made buying and searching the kilo worth while. I have never bought any so I am curious to what can be found.
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Burundi 1983 WWF - 85F hyena. For some unknown reason these sell for $50/piece.
I do not know how to attach an image here since Photoshop went out of commission for most of us.
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12:33:16pm
"I do not know how to attach an image here"
Very easy. All you have to do is point and click at a picture on your computer.
Instructions here:
https://stamporama.com/forms/display_form.php?id=dbimageupl
In the menu above:
General >> Uploading images
Roy
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Just to add to Roy's comments, you may get an error "image to large" unable to upload message . If so you will need to reduce the image size to about 900 pixels (I use Irfanview which is quick and easy and free) and then upload your reduced size image.
The error message is this:-
Error: No file uploaded
Error Numer 2, "The uploaded file exceeds the MAX_FILE_SIZE directive that was specified in the HTML form, which is 350,000 bites. " was returned
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Let's see...
....works great!
So this is the stamp. I am sure a few of the other stamps in the kiloware were printed in lower print volumes than this one, but pricing is a crazy thing.
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I have no idea how they are coming up with these prices from a country I find dubious at best. The Hippo is from a set from 1991 and values $5.25. The Hyena is from a 1983 set and
catalogs for a whopping $525.00. I do not know why they would not be thought to be CTO'S as they have the same corner cancel as the pair above from the 1991 set. Seems pretty fishy to me. I do not collect post liberation African nations so I know or care little about them
but something just seems off here.
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How come on a such neat CDS there's no "D"?
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This puzzled me too. No date on both cancellations. Anyways, they are all real legitimate stamps, so cancellation or not, I am happy.
Plus I do not think anyone will try to make up the correct letter rate on a plain airmail envelope to create CTO material.
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03:57:36pm
".... I have no idea how they are coming up with these prices from a country I find dubious at best. ...."
I bet that there are many Burundians who find the USA and even Canada quite questionable also, if they can find it on a map in the first place.
"....The Hippo is from a set from 1991 and values $5.25. The Hyena is from a 1983 set and
catalogs for a whopping $525.00. ...."
Blame it on catalog publishers.
Assuming that we are referring to a Scott listing, it seems to be just another example of an inane listing non-policy, having little relation to actual value. However, it is also possible that the image is of an animal not usually found so well depicted with a low print run, and thus the numbers could be driven by topical collectors, an entirely different species of philatelist.
"....I do not know why they would not be thought to be CTO'S as they have the same corner cancel as the pair above from the 1991 set. ...."
Yes, viewed alone, off paper, they could well be thought to be CTOs, especially if one has little interest in modern (post-2000) issues. However there are many examples of such careful cancellations found in kiloware, such as from recent envelopes from the Federal Republic, and other European nations.
All in all, I'd never pay anywhere near the Scott listing for those stamps despite the neat corner cancel and attractive images. But the discussion has raised some interest in looking for a good sized kiloware purchase like Jules found. Sometimes a few nights spent soaking and sorting two or three kilos is very calming of my often shattered nerves.
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The cancels do look iffy. The best way to keep all 4 stamps is on paper together (assuming the 90 franc postage is appropriate.
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04:21:55pm
".... The cancels do look iffy. The best way to keep all 4 stamps is on paper together (assuming the 90 franc postage is appropriate. ....
I think I might trim the paper a bit and on the back of the paper write kiloware as well as the source and date of purchase if I wanted to show their provenance.
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I lean toward CTO, heck I'm an stamp collector and meticulously affix the stamps to the envelope to my mailings and never in my wildest dreams I though I could have the stamps attached so evenly to an envelope, did they use a ruler to guide themselves?
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The Hyena catalogs at $1,100 mint in my 2017 catalog. However the stamp is from 1983 and the value must have been well determined before it's use in 1991. Why then would anyone use it for postage and devalue it over half it's value? I seriously doubt anyone would ever certify it to be anything better than a CTO. Would be interesting to know how the combination came into existance.
I for one try to place my stamps as neatly as possible no matter if it/they are on envelopes or in my albums, so I see nothing to raise an eye because of that.
CTO or whatever it is I would probably give $20 for it primarily because of the cat value.
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Interesting... here's an eBay link to Burundi covers. My first thought was your stamps were from first day covers. But I noticed that all first day covers have fancy cancels, dates and first day something in French.
There are a bunch of commercially used covers for sale at enormous prices, including covers with the Hyena stamp.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2499334.m570.l1313.TR1.TRC0.A0.H0.Xburundi+covers.TRS0&_nkw=burundi+covers&_sacat=260
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Stamp Collector, I agree the Burundians must have an incredible sense of precision to affix the stamps like that. The other thing that stands out is that the perfs are perf-ect. Whoever detached the stamps from the sheet clearly did it properly. The use was philatelic, but still there is nothing to suggest the covers did not travel with the regular mail.
I believe in 1991 when the hyena stamp was used on this particular cover, its value wasn't that high. I bet it shot up sometime after year 2000.
Interestingly after trying to add this stamp to my collection for a year and bidding $15-$22 on Ebay only to be outbid, this month I got the 1983 and the 1981 hyenas for close to nothing.
The 1981 was in a lot of Burundi stamps with other stamps that sell in the $10-$30 range. The seller had listed them on the last page. They were all in plain view, but nobody looked, other than me. Total damage for all $3.99 Still waiting for them to arrive though.
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I have a number of Burundi CTO's but none are cancelled anything like those above. Maybe they were favour cancels or possibly done at home.
Has anyone ever bought from POSTLYNX? Would like to know of others experience with this firm.
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01:40:06pm
Why would someone use stamps
with such a high catalog on regular mail ?
Well not everyone has easy access to a stamp catalog,
especially in Central Africa. Sometimes people
buy some extra stamps,
intending to use them on future postings,
or to save for their progeny.
Then life happens.
One fine day as they are looking for some stamps
to use on a letter to their momma back in the home country,
they recall those colorful stamps
that have been stuffed between Ezra and Nehemiah
for years and they use them,
glad that they are still valid for postage.
I seem to detect a strain of the ever popular attitude;
If I don't have an example in my collection,
your copy must be bogus.
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Fot the record, I don't collect Burundi nor do I care anything about it or most other post colonial Africa.
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"Fot the record, I don't collect Burundi nor do I care anything about it or most other post colonial Africa."
I am not a fan of Burundi stamps in general either. But as a WW collector, I need to have a few postally used sets from this place. And the place exists. You can go to Google and get a satellite view of Bujumbura. You will see their streets, the parking spots for trucks and trailers, some more modern buildings, hotels and the river separating Burundi from the Republic of Congo. In the past it was called Rwanda-Urundi, but then Rwanda became a separate country. And before that, it probably had a different name.
Still nice to have postally used materials from there. A small touch to that place and that time. Isn't this what collecting is all about?
I will show you my new Burundi additions as they come. I actually already have 30-50 stamps in my Burundi glasine envelope in the big box for Africa.
I have not bought from POSTLYNX but my worst lot came from midford1966 on Ebay last year - one of his "unpicked" lots.
Let's see how high this one will go. It will be real price as it started out low
https://www.ebay.com/itm/BURUNDI-WWF-USED-BURUNDI-2264/352236346815?hash=item5202ec1dbf:g:0CIAAOSwBkRaOOia
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For the record, I have purchased kiloware from PostLynx, and had a horrible experience. As a previous writer noted, the owner of this site almost never responds. Furthermore, I spent a lot of money for a lot of African kiloware that was advertised as containing ex-French colonies, and the lot came with no such stamps. It took many weeks of communication with the owner of the site to finally get him to send me a lot that was as advertised. I will never buy from PostLynx again. I also had a bad experience with Nordfirm, but this was mostly because I expected a lot of world kiloware to contain some African stamps, and it didn't. Having said this, I have been able to find a few lots of good African kiloware, and have had many happy hours adding some fantastic stamps to my collection. It wasn't cheap, but African kiloware is probably the most difficult kiloware to source, so I was happy to pay the price.
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My recent purchases of stamps on paper have been less than stellar. And there is more on the way to me, which I will be afraid to even look at.
What I notice is that something advertised as "quality kiloware" still contains about 90% landfill material - small common definitives, really common stamps from the 70's, 80's and the 90's , Christmas stamps, self-adhesives on postcard cutouts and then out the 10% that are better, I start finding all kinds of defects - creases, missing corners, thins and what not. It almost looks like someone has spent the time to inspect every stamp, which it must be true as no unfranked stamps were found.
Another guy mails me "stamps from the past 3-4 years". To his ad he had attached an image of about 30 nicely trimmed stamps, with at least 5-6 gems among them. What I finally got was those 30 stamps in a separate small envelope and the remaining almost 600 grams of stamps were about 50% from outside the stated period. The better half had hardly any more gems in it. Whatever there was, it wasn't with the same frequency as the sample image suggested. To make matters worse, those stamps were not trimmed at all and were on huge pieces of paper. I trimmed them, so 1/3 went straight into the bin right there.
After spending hours of soaking stamps off paper, classifying and sorting, I figure I will be unable to recover my money, even if I sell what I have at generous prices.
Things do not have to be this way! I wonder if you have any good sources of used stamps on paper that you can share in a PM to me.
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07:33:12pm
re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
Jules:
Instead of tossing the "dreck" into the bin, please consider donating them to The Holocaust Stamps Project (Canada) - the recent international expansion of the successfully completed original project based in Foxborough MA, USA.
Each stamp, however damaged or seemingly worthless, represents one of the 11 Million persons "discarded" in The Holocaust, and is therefore valued and important to our project.
For more information about this initiative, search on the Stamporama Discussions for posts by "csheer" - the original founder, or follow this link:
http://www.foxboroughrcs.org/students-families/frcs-holocaust-stamp-project/
Thanks for your consideration, Craig.
Holocaust Stamps Project (Canada)
434 Christina Street North
Sarnia ON N7T 5W2 Canada
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re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
Sorry Craig, my fear is that those stamps may end up in another kiloware disappointing yet another collector, or even getting back to me.
The only use of these stamps could be for art purposes. I have seen some very intricate pictures made out of stamps. I destroy stamps daily in the office - those "P" beaver definitives. All mail comes with them on. I have no use for them and in the bin they go with all of their glory.
Your project seems to be already complete.
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09:56:09pm
re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
they ARE used for art projects: http://www.foxboroughrcs.org/students-families/frcs-holocaust-stamp-project/views-voices-suggested-reading/
The first Holocaust project has attained their goal of 11 million stamps, and a second project, based in Canada has begun.
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re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
Cougar accurately describes the major drawback in purchasing stamps via kiloware. Indeed I cannot understand why anyone would wish to acquire stamps in this way. Perhaps if you were starting a children's stamp club the mass of worthless stamps would serve a purpose, but I can think of little else besides.
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06:50:21am
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re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
Kiloware is not just for accquiring stamps.
It passes the time.
What better way is there to travel the globe while sitting in your chair on a dark and cold evening.
It is also cheaper than dining out or heading to the pub.
The added benefit is you might find a few stamps for your collection.
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07:24:10am
re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
Jules. As Scott noted, if you read the link you will see what the mandate of The Holocaust Stamps project is: To collect 11 Million stamps to honour The Holocaust victims, and to create collages that further this rememberance.
At no time are stamps thrown away, given away, or sold.
I think most Stamporama members know this from Charlotte's activities here over the years but I want to reiterate this important point for newer members.
Thanks, Craig
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re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
I have similar experiences with buying large lots of covers. Sometimes it appears that the seller had a box that every damaged, stained, illegible cancel or otherwise useless cover was tossed into. Then he sold it to me!
Some of these covers have been passed around like a hot potato for a hundred years. So recently I've taken some out of circulation by cutting the stamp off and tossing them! At least I got a used stamp on paper out of it. And I've saved future generations of collectors the grief of sorting through them again.
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re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
I do not think all kiloware should look like the ones I usually get.
If whoever collects the stamps just tosses the useless and defective ones away, there will be a pretty nice selection left.
However what sellers seem to be doing is, they remove only the valuable stamps - those they can soak and sell separately, plus the unfranked ones. All common undesirables are then advertised as top grade unpicked etc, and sold to me.
Craig, I will mail you some stamps shortly. I just have to accept the loss, wrap things up and move on.
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re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
For years I have sought out good sources of kiloware. To me the only point is to either get decent stamps for a reasonable price or to try to get the most recent stamps (which in my experience are hard to get otherwise).
I'm going to quote a post I created on another stamps board:
I've been soaking some of my hoards for the last couple months, it has occurred to me that most kiloware has a fair bit of damage. Now, this is expected given the circumstances of course, so I'm not complaining. It did make me think of the final output though and what I'm actually getting in my pound of stamps on paper ....
First sort, remove obvious damage, lose about 15% of stamps. Pre-soaking double check, lose about another 5%. During soaking, the less obvious tears and corners become visible, lose another 5%. Finally, as I examine them post-drying, I realize about another 5% is damaged.
On average I'm getting use of about 73% of the stamps I paid for. So assuming 100 stamps/ounce or 1600 per pound (look at this metric girl use imperial, yay me!), I'm actually getting 1168 stamps in a pound of kiloware. That shall be my new benchmark when I price it out!
Now if I'm buying a general charity mix, with tons of duplication and definitives I don't really need, then I am generally 'getting rid of' about 50% off the top, before I even do the damage check. In that case, I'm getting use of 36% of the stamps, or 576 stamps per pound.
If I want to pay 2c per stamp, then a pound of commemorative kiloware should cost me no more than $23.36 and a pound of charity kiloware $11.34 ...
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re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
I have tried on at least two occasions, over the past year or so, to purchase Kiloware from a firm called Postlynx. The order appears on their website but I never have received an invoice to pay, the account is marked TBA (to be advised) on account of postage. One order was placed via Delcampe but even they failed to get a response from Postlynx when I heard nothing.
Like Katie I find a lot of damaged stamps, mostly from bad cutting from envelopes but it always seems the higher value or least common stamps are the ones damaged.
I would add that most of mine came via an animal charity in UK back in early 90's that I am only now sorting and soaking. (Life got in the way, after emigrating to Canada)
Maybe someone knows of a good source and will care to share with our membership.
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07:36:11pm
re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
I haven't looked at a Linns in years but they used to have a column by "E Rawolik" (Kiloware backwards)that reviewed the various mixes available at the time. Not sure if anyone is doing the column these days.
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08:51:00pm
re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
The column is still there weekly, and it is one of the features I enjoy. It's not what I would call kiloware however, more sorted packets of world wide.
Geoff
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re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
"Like Katie I find a lot of damaged stamps, mostly from bad cutting from envelopes but it always seems the higher value or least common stamps are the ones damaged."
And I think we are doing it to ourselves. Instead of leaving the negative feedback those sellers deserve, we shy away with an "OK" positive feedback (in my case).
Leaving good looking damaged stamps and taking out the good sound ones is what I see in nearly all purchases of stamps on paper on Ebay. And amazingly people still pay $40/pound for that type of uncollectable junk.
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re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
E Rawolik is not kiloware in the "unsorted" sense; instead, it is generaly material culled from collections, whose contents have been described, and therefor known, before sending. These are typically not missionary clippings.
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12:48:16pm
re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
It has apparently changed over the past twenty five plus years. I think my last subscription ran out in the late 80's.
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re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
Back in the 1970s my uncle worked for a public utility. He'd bring me large movers boxes of covers, that came from where people mailed in their utility bill. These had all been sent though an opening machine, that took the top edge off the envelope. A good number of the stamps had the top edge cut off, thus used for artwork or tossed out. I'm sure some kiloware comes from similar sources.
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re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
I would very much like to see the stamps that people have described as gems and valuable found in these lots. I think it would be very interesting to see why people find it worth their time in going thru these lots.
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09:58:37pm
re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
Nordfrim advertises a lot of "Kiloware." Has anyone bought from them?
Geoff
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04:49:10am
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re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
I once found an imperforated 1st class NVI Machin in a kiloware lot.
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07:01:11am
re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
I've bought from Nordfrim. Good prices but lots of duplicates.I do have a purchase coming from Nordfrim, arriving soon though
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re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
Antonius, the "gems" I had in mind were some Norwegian non-adhesive recent stamps. The guy who sent me those had probably 5 of them in his sample image of 30 or so stamps. Then the whole of his 600g on paper lot had another 5-10 of them.
I buy kiloware because I am always hopeful that I will find a good dealer who is not removing the nice stamps and leaving the junk. All stamps in our collections (of used stamps) originate from mail collected by someone. It makes sense to believe that the best quality stamps will be found in such kiloware lots (if they were not previously removed)
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re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
Just when I thought nothing could surprise me....
The new 500g of kiloware came in today. Went halfway through it and my jaw must have dropped at what I found; a stamp worth twice the value of the whole kiloware with shipping and all. Put the magnifying glass to the stamp to see where the damage was. There was none!
I will be leaving it on paper. Many other nice stamps in this one. Well, it is Christmas after all. I deserved a gift.
Merry Christmas and many nice finds in the new 2018 to all!
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re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
How about posting the gem you received.
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Yes, please I would also very much like to see what you found that made buying and searching the kilo worth while. I have never bought any so I am curious to what can be found.
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re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
Burundi 1983 WWF - 85F hyena. For some unknown reason these sell for $50/piece.
I do not know how to attach an image here since Photoshop went out of commission for most of us.
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BuckaCover.com - 80,000 covers priced 60c to $1.50 - Easy browsing 500 categories
19 Dec 2017
12:33:16pm
re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
"I do not know how to attach an image here"
Very easy. All you have to do is point and click at a picture on your computer.
Instructions here:
https://stamporama.com/forms/display_form.php?id=dbimageupl
In the menu above:
General >> Uploading images
Roy
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re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
Just to add to Roy's comments, you may get an error "image to large" unable to upload message . If so you will need to reduce the image size to about 900 pixels (I use Irfanview which is quick and easy and free) and then upload your reduced size image.
The error message is this:-
Error: No file uploaded
Error Numer 2, "The uploaded file exceeds the MAX_FILE_SIZE directive that was specified in the HTML form, which is 350,000 bites. " was returned
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re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
Let's see...
....works great!
So this is the stamp. I am sure a few of the other stamps in the kiloware were printed in lower print volumes than this one, but pricing is a crazy thing.
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re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
I have no idea how they are coming up with these prices from a country I find dubious at best. The Hippo is from a set from 1991 and values $5.25. The Hyena is from a 1983 set and
catalogs for a whopping $525.00. I do not know why they would not be thought to be CTO'S as they have the same corner cancel as the pair above from the 1991 set. Seems pretty fishy to me. I do not collect post liberation African nations so I know or care little about them
but something just seems off here.
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re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
How come on a such neat CDS there's no "D"?
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re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
This puzzled me too. No date on both cancellations. Anyways, they are all real legitimate stamps, so cancellation or not, I am happy.
Plus I do not think anyone will try to make up the correct letter rate on a plain airmail envelope to create CTO material.
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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
21 Dec 2017
03:57:36pm
re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
".... I have no idea how they are coming up with these prices from a country I find dubious at best. ...."
I bet that there are many Burundians who find the USA and even Canada quite questionable also, if they can find it on a map in the first place.
"....The Hippo is from a set from 1991 and values $5.25. The Hyena is from a 1983 set and
catalogs for a whopping $525.00. ...."
Blame it on catalog publishers.
Assuming that we are referring to a Scott listing, it seems to be just another example of an inane listing non-policy, having little relation to actual value. However, it is also possible that the image is of an animal not usually found so well depicted with a low print run, and thus the numbers could be driven by topical collectors, an entirely different species of philatelist.
"....I do not know why they would not be thought to be CTO'S as they have the same corner cancel as the pair above from the 1991 set. ...."
Yes, viewed alone, off paper, they could well be thought to be CTOs, especially if one has little interest in modern (post-2000) issues. However there are many examples of such careful cancellations found in kiloware, such as from recent envelopes from the Federal Republic, and other European nations.
All in all, I'd never pay anywhere near the Scott listing for those stamps despite the neat corner cancel and attractive images. But the discussion has raised some interest in looking for a good sized kiloware purchase like Jules found. Sometimes a few nights spent soaking and sorting two or three kilos is very calming of my often shattered nerves.
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re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
The cancels do look iffy. The best way to keep all 4 stamps is on paper together (assuming the 90 franc postage is appropriate.
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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
21 Dec 2017
04:21:55pm
re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
".... The cancels do look iffy. The best way to keep all 4 stamps is on paper together (assuming the 90 franc postage is appropriate. ....
I think I might trim the paper a bit and on the back of the paper write kiloware as well as the source and date of purchase if I wanted to show their provenance.
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re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
I lean toward CTO, heck I'm an stamp collector and meticulously affix the stamps to the envelope to my mailings and never in my wildest dreams I though I could have the stamps attached so evenly to an envelope, did they use a ruler to guide themselves?
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re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
The Hyena catalogs at $1,100 mint in my 2017 catalog. However the stamp is from 1983 and the value must have been well determined before it's use in 1991. Why then would anyone use it for postage and devalue it over half it's value? I seriously doubt anyone would ever certify it to be anything better than a CTO. Would be interesting to know how the combination came into existance.
I for one try to place my stamps as neatly as possible no matter if it/they are on envelopes or in my albums, so I see nothing to raise an eye because of that.
CTO or whatever it is I would probably give $20 for it primarily because of the cat value.
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re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
Interesting... here's an eBay link to Burundi covers. My first thought was your stamps were from first day covers. But I noticed that all first day covers have fancy cancels, dates and first day something in French.
There are a bunch of commercially used covers for sale at enormous prices, including covers with the Hyena stamp.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2499334.m570.l1313.TR1.TRC0.A0.H0.Xburundi+covers.TRS0&_nkw=burundi+covers&_sacat=260
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re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
Stamp Collector, I agree the Burundians must have an incredible sense of precision to affix the stamps like that. The other thing that stands out is that the perfs are perf-ect. Whoever detached the stamps from the sheet clearly did it properly. The use was philatelic, but still there is nothing to suggest the covers did not travel with the regular mail.
I believe in 1991 when the hyena stamp was used on this particular cover, its value wasn't that high. I bet it shot up sometime after year 2000.
Interestingly after trying to add this stamp to my collection for a year and bidding $15-$22 on Ebay only to be outbid, this month I got the 1983 and the 1981 hyenas for close to nothing.
The 1981 was in a lot of Burundi stamps with other stamps that sell in the $10-$30 range. The seller had listed them on the last page. They were all in plain view, but nobody looked, other than me. Total damage for all $3.99 Still waiting for them to arrive though.
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re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
I have a number of Burundi CTO's but none are cancelled anything like those above. Maybe they were favour cancels or possibly done at home.
Has anyone ever bought from POSTLYNX? Would like to know of others experience with this firm.
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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
22 Dec 2017
01:40:06pm
re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
Why would someone use stamps
with such a high catalog on regular mail ?
Well not everyone has easy access to a stamp catalog,
especially in Central Africa. Sometimes people
buy some extra stamps,
intending to use them on future postings,
or to save for their progeny.
Then life happens.
One fine day as they are looking for some stamps
to use on a letter to their momma back in the home country,
they recall those colorful stamps
that have been stuffed between Ezra and Nehemiah
for years and they use them,
glad that they are still valid for postage.
I seem to detect a strain of the ever popular attitude;
If I don't have an example in my collection,
your copy must be bogus.
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re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
Fot the record, I don't collect Burundi nor do I care anything about it or most other post colonial Africa.
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re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
"Fot the record, I don't collect Burundi nor do I care anything about it or most other post colonial Africa."
I am not a fan of Burundi stamps in general either. But as a WW collector, I need to have a few postally used sets from this place. And the place exists. You can go to Google and get a satellite view of Bujumbura. You will see their streets, the parking spots for trucks and trailers, some more modern buildings, hotels and the river separating Burundi from the Republic of Congo. In the past it was called Rwanda-Urundi, but then Rwanda became a separate country. And before that, it probably had a different name.
Still nice to have postally used materials from there. A small touch to that place and that time. Isn't this what collecting is all about?
I will show you my new Burundi additions as they come. I actually already have 30-50 stamps in my Burundi glasine envelope in the big box for Africa.
I have not bought from POSTLYNX but my worst lot came from midford1966 on Ebay last year - one of his "unpicked" lots.
Let's see how high this one will go. It will be real price as it started out low
https://www.ebay.com/itm/BURUNDI-WWF-USED-BURUNDI-2264/352236346815?hash=item5202ec1dbf:g:0CIAAOSwBkRaOOia
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re: Sourcing stamps on paper / kiloware
For the record, I have purchased kiloware from PostLynx, and had a horrible experience. As a previous writer noted, the owner of this site almost never responds. Furthermore, I spent a lot of money for a lot of African kiloware that was advertised as containing ex-French colonies, and the lot came with no such stamps. It took many weeks of communication with the owner of the site to finally get him to send me a lot that was as advertised. I will never buy from PostLynx again. I also had a bad experience with Nordfirm, but this was mostly because I expected a lot of world kiloware to contain some African stamps, and it didn't. Having said this, I have been able to find a few lots of good African kiloware, and have had many happy hours adding some fantastic stamps to my collection. It wasn't cheap, but African kiloware is probably the most difficult kiloware to source, so I was happy to pay the price.
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