Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
I then said. I hate to be the one to tell you this. I then said you collect cars, guns and coins don't you? He said yes.
He then asked. Where are you going with the conversation? I then said I'm trying to as nice as I can here so listen carefully to what I am about to say and take this advice to the bank. Here is a correlation for you. The model 98 Mauser was made in the millions for more than 70 years, manufactured in numerous country's spanning two world wars and other wars before after and in-between. The original design for wheat pennies were made for over 50 years. There are some of these items are considered more desirable than others. You do understand the correlation I've just given to you don't you? Stamps are no different. If you don't believe me take your collection to a dealer or two and get other opinions. Go right ahead and be my guest. You'll be lucky if you get 30% of retail value if the dealer has any interest in it. Keep it and learn more about the hobby and add to it. Then pass it on to your children or grand children. If you don't want to hassle with it donate it to a charity or stamp club nearest you. You have my apologies but I'm not interested in what you have.
Here is a list of superlative terms to lookout for when buying or selling anything collectable.
1) Unique: Only one is known to exist or has been reported.
2) Very Rare: Fewer than 10 examples are known to exist or have been reported.
3) Rare: Fewer than 25 examples are known to exist or have been reported.
4) Very Scarce: Fewer than 50 examples are known to exist or have been reported.
5) Scarce: Fewer than 100 examples are known to exist or have been reported.
6) Few Hundred: Generally 100 to 300 known examples are known to exist or have been reported.
7) Several Hundred: More than 300 known examples are known to exist or have been reported.
8) Few Thousand: Generally 1000 to 3000 examples are known to exist or have been reported
9) Several Thousand: More than 3000 examples are known to exist or have been reported.
N/A) Not Available: There is no reliable information available.
Unless they were owned at one time by someone famous or were a deliberate limited production run and you have a letter of provenance. Then all you have is a story nothing more. Buy the collectable not the story.
The sad part is that I informed him ahead of time that what I find that this might be the case. I also said that for that reason and that reason alone is why I don't appraise anyones collectables period. That's what happens when I try to be nice. Maybe I should've given him some Q tips to clean his ears along with a box of kleenex first.
He contacted me a few days ago and apologized and said thank you for being honest with him. He has started his journey in philately and is going to keep the collection and keep adding to it. I even suggested that he create an account here on SOR.
I call this a success story.
Jeremy
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I must say that of the dozen or so times that I've looked at someone's collection - invariably passed down from a relative - they are ALWAYS described as "old, my uncle's lifelong collection, some very interesting stamps that must be worth a lot, etc).
In EVERY case they have been mostly common stuff, many glued on to pages/damaged/poorly centred/etc, or poorly organized (in envelopes/boxes/mounted on letter-paper or in worn-out albums.
In a couple cases I felt bad enough to offer them something (knowing I was throwing away money) but mostly I just gave them a realistic view of what they might get.
In ALL cases, people were unhappy with me for not telling them they were rich or not offering them what they (with zero knowledge) thought should get (with zero cost to acquire the collection). And ALL said they would just keep the stamps until they could "get what they're worth".
It is just not worth the time or hassle, or questioning of my ethics, to try to help people in this situation.
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I'm surprised someone who collected coins didn't already know that just because something is old doesn't mean it's of great value. You can pick up some NICE 2,000 year old Roman coins for under $50.
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I had a pal whose father had left him stamps and cigarette cards and he wondered what they were worth. It took several months for David to dig them out his attic.
I looked through them and said he would get about £1000 at auction. I said I would identify the most valuable items, put them in protective pages and he could leave them to his daughter or sell them.
I wasn't able to do that as he just put them back in the attic!
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My 67 year old stamp collection is worth $0.00, research value is it's main value!
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I also collect coins, and know that the value of a 1777 silver Mexican 1 Real I own, is different than my 1977 1 Pesos in rarity AND value.
I have appraised a stamp collection once.
Same as Holocaust stamps.
Nothing much really.
The person was cool with it and did not want the stamps. Gave them to me and I still have them, it is still only worth $10-$15.
Sometimes its hard for people to accept the truth on stamp values.
Those spammy eBay million dollar listings don't help either!
-Ari
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PhilatelistMag20
Well said. Top drawer!
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@1899
Thank You!
I try to be helpful.
-Ari 
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A friend of mine asked my opinion of his “stamp collection”. It was one of those “rare, valuable” collections of gold “replica” U.S. stamps, which he had purchased as an investment. He did not take it well when I had to tell him that it was almost worthless as an investment, and that he’d probably have trouble selling it. I certainly wasn’t unkind — I apologized for having to tell the truth — but he drove off in a his huffmobile and never spoke to me again.
Bob
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Bob
I say that you gave him lesson in humility for falling for the investment tout. For investment is the worst term to use in collecting for the purpose of a hobby. There is almost never any really positive return.
Jeremy
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"For investment is the worst term to use in collecting for the purpose of a hobby. There is almost never any really positive return. "
While this may be true money wise, collecting things often leads to learning about them - in other words, you gain riches of the kind nobody can steal ;-)
Martin
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01:06:46pm
I recently hurt a friends feelings by informing him that the stamp collection that he possess and was passed down to him by his grandfather isn't worth what he thought it should be worth. I would presume that almost everyone here on this forum understands the type of collection that I'm referring to. It is a worldwide collection made up of all common stamps no individual stamp would retail for more than $10 at the very best. He got really offended and belligerent when I broke the news to him. He calmed down rather quickly when I handed him a catalog and showed him how to use it. He then asked why some stamps in the catalog were worth thousands and others with the same design are only worth less than a dollar. I then said to him that is because the stamps you have where made in quantities that exceed 100's of millions and in some cases billions. He then said oh with a look of disgust but many of the stamps I have here are really old. I had to think quickly of a way to put things into a perspective that he'd understand without offending him and losing him as a friend.
I then said. I hate to be the one to tell you this. I then said you collect cars, guns and coins don't you? He said yes.
He then asked. Where are you going with the conversation? I then said I'm trying to as nice as I can here so listen carefully to what I am about to say and take this advice to the bank. Here is a correlation for you. The model 98 Mauser was made in the millions for more than 70 years, manufactured in numerous country's spanning two world wars and other wars before after and in-between. The original design for wheat pennies were made for over 50 years. There are some of these items are considered more desirable than others. You do understand the correlation I've just given to you don't you? Stamps are no different. If you don't believe me take your collection to a dealer or two and get other opinions. Go right ahead and be my guest. You'll be lucky if you get 30% of retail value if the dealer has any interest in it. Keep it and learn more about the hobby and add to it. Then pass it on to your children or grand children. If you don't want to hassle with it donate it to a charity or stamp club nearest you. You have my apologies but I'm not interested in what you have.
Here is a list of superlative terms to lookout for when buying or selling anything collectable.
1) Unique: Only one is known to exist or has been reported.
2) Very Rare: Fewer than 10 examples are known to exist or have been reported.
3) Rare: Fewer than 25 examples are known to exist or have been reported.
4) Very Scarce: Fewer than 50 examples are known to exist or have been reported.
5) Scarce: Fewer than 100 examples are known to exist or have been reported.
6) Few Hundred: Generally 100 to 300 known examples are known to exist or have been reported.
7) Several Hundred: More than 300 known examples are known to exist or have been reported.
8) Few Thousand: Generally 1000 to 3000 examples are known to exist or have been reported
9) Several Thousand: More than 3000 examples are known to exist or have been reported.
N/A) Not Available: There is no reliable information available.
Unless they were owned at one time by someone famous or were a deliberate limited production run and you have a letter of provenance. Then all you have is a story nothing more. Buy the collectable not the story.
The sad part is that I informed him ahead of time that what I find that this might be the case. I also said that for that reason and that reason alone is why I don't appraise anyones collectables period. That's what happens when I try to be nice. Maybe I should've given him some Q tips to clean his ears along with a box of kleenex first.
He contacted me a few days ago and apologized and said thank you for being honest with him. He has started his journey in philately and is going to keep the collection and keep adding to it. I even suggested that he create an account here on SOR.
I call this a success story.
Jeremy
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05:29:32pm
re: A success story.
I must say that of the dozen or so times that I've looked at someone's collection - invariably passed down from a relative - they are ALWAYS described as "old, my uncle's lifelong collection, some very interesting stamps that must be worth a lot, etc).
In EVERY case they have been mostly common stuff, many glued on to pages/damaged/poorly centred/etc, or poorly organized (in envelopes/boxes/mounted on letter-paper or in worn-out albums.
In a couple cases I felt bad enough to offer them something (knowing I was throwing away money) but mostly I just gave them a realistic view of what they might get.
In ALL cases, people were unhappy with me for not telling them they were rich or not offering them what they (with zero knowledge) thought should get (with zero cost to acquire the collection). And ALL said they would just keep the stamps until they could "get what they're worth".
It is just not worth the time or hassle, or questioning of my ethics, to try to help people in this situation.
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re: A success story.
I'm surprised someone who collected coins didn't already know that just because something is old doesn't mean it's of great value. You can pick up some NICE 2,000 year old Roman coins for under $50.
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06:17:18pm
Auctions - Approvals
re: A success story.
I had a pal whose father had left him stamps and cigarette cards and he wondered what they were worth. It took several months for David to dig them out his attic.
I looked through them and said he would get about £1000 at auction. I said I would identify the most valuable items, put them in protective pages and he could leave them to his daughter or sell them.
I wasn't able to do that as he just put them back in the attic!
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re: A success story.
My 67 year old stamp collection is worth $0.00, research value is it's main value!
5 Members
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Login to Like.
Approvals
re: A success story.
I also collect coins, and know that the value of a 1777 silver Mexican 1 Real I own, is different than my 1977 1 Pesos in rarity AND value.
I have appraised a stamp collection once.
Same as Holocaust stamps.
Nothing much really.
The person was cool with it and did not want the stamps. Gave them to me and I still have them, it is still only worth $10-$15.
Sometimes its hard for people to accept the truth on stamp values.
Those spammy eBay million dollar listings don't help either!
-Ari
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re: A success story.
PhilatelistMag20
Well said. Top drawer!
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Approvals
re: A success story.
@1899
Thank You!
I try to be helpful.
-Ari
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re: A success story.
A friend of mine asked my opinion of his “stamp collection”. It was one of those “rare, valuable” collections of gold “replica” U.S. stamps, which he had purchased as an investment. He did not take it well when I had to tell him that it was almost worthless as an investment, and that he’d probably have trouble selling it. I certainly wasn’t unkind — I apologized for having to tell the truth — but he drove off in a his huffmobile and never spoke to me again.
Bob
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02:09:03pm
re: A success story.
Bob
I say that you gave him lesson in humility for falling for the investment tout. For investment is the worst term to use in collecting for the purpose of a hobby. There is almost never any really positive return.
Jeremy
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this post
re: A success story.
"For investment is the worst term to use in collecting for the purpose of a hobby. There is almost never any really positive return. "
While this may be true money wise, collecting things often leads to learning about them - in other words, you gain riches of the kind nobody can steal ;-)
Martin
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