We spend most of time these days scanning stamps and adding them to our price lists. It is a major challenge keeping our listed stamps current. Our web site provider does a good job of keeping the site working but every time the web site updates their site maintenance software their software conflicts with ours resulting in images being lost and sequencing of our catalog numbers being disrupted. This problem is made worse by their updates being irregular and our learning of the disruptions when customers tell us. We have changed web site providers several times in the last couple of years and each one has had service problems that affect us and our customers.

Enough grousing. This month we have added several hundred new items to our web site listings. We also added more images to existing listings. We pay particular attention to the early Deutsches Reich listings as these stamps are the most favored by our customers’

Auction results

We watch most major auctions to keep abreast of what is selling and for how much. Cherrystone Auctions had a major auction of the Osborne collection of mint stamps from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Most lots had catalog values from $400 to $25000 – all hard to get items. The auction closed with the remaining stamps in country collection lots. Near as I can tell every lot sold! Here are some scattered results of individual lots – I picked lots randomly sticking to stamps in Fine or better condition. Sold prices do not include seller fees.

Finland SC C1a ** cat $2500 sold $3250

Germany SC38-9** cat $2600 sold $900 – bargain

Wurttemburg SC 53** $1750 sold $1200

Italy 115-118** cat $1715 sold
$180 – steal! Most Italy related stamps sold in 15-25% of cat range
Luxemburg SC 1* HR cat $3500 sold $1500

Luxemburg 23* LH cat $1400 sold $1300

Portugal SC 1 * no gum cat $2850 sold $2500

Spain SC 3* no gum cat $2700 sold $1300 most Spain lots sold 30-50% catalog.

Switzerland SC 7* HR cat $1925 sold $1600 – Switzerland lots sold 60-90% cat.

Country collections – mint in varying conditions – high catalog value

Austria estimate $1100 sold $2700

German states – estimate $2200 sold $4750

Germany to 1912 – estimate $2000 sold $4750

German offices and colonies – estimate $3000 sold $8500

SELLING YOUR COLLECTION

I receive many inquiries asking me for help in selling collections. Most inquiries come from family members who have inherited a collection. Most often they have no stamp collecting experience and little or no idea of the value of the inherited collection.

An inventory with catalog numbers and either purchase price or catalog values provides an excellent start for family members to know what to do with the collection.

A smart way to keep an inventory now is using your computer spreadsheet. It is easy to set up, record data, and easy to update. If you maintain a spreadsheet you should also print it out periodically and keep a copy in a safe place like your safety deposit box or home safe. You can also keep a copy with your stamp collection.

I have received collections accompanied by printed inventories listing items in the collection. Listing catalog numbers, whether the items are NH, hinged or used and their condition makes valuing the stamps a snap.

If you are not a collector and have no inventory and no idea what a collection is worth there are several places to go to get a start. Look up your local stamp clubs on line and then show up at one of their club meetings with stamps in tow. I am sure there will be knowledgeable collectors there who will like to give you an idea of what you have. You can also take the stamps to your local stamp dealer (if you have one). Most stamp dealers will give you a rough estimate of the value of your collection at no charge. Lastly you can visit your local library and look for the 12 volume set of Scott Stamp catalogs. If your collection is in a stamp album, the stamps are most likely sequenced in the same order that they are listed in the Scott catalogs. You can look for the price of your stamps in the catalogs. Keep in mind that the catalog prices are retail prices for stamps in fine/very fine condition. If you sell your stamps to a dealer you will get 25-50% of the catalog value for fine/very fine stamps and less for stamps in lesser condition.

Once you have at least a ball park idea of the value of your collection you are ready to sell. If you have a collection from a specific country or group of countries seek a dealer who specializes in that area. If your collection is worth thousands rather than hundreds of dollars you might consign your collection to an auction house. Auctions have the advantage of offering your stamps to many potential buyers but most auction houses don’t want to handle inexpensive collections as the selling process is costly.

Another suggestion is see if you can determine where the collector bought his stamps. If you can offer the collection to a dealer who sold the stamps to the collector you well might get a better price. I have been a dealer for 49 years and have bought back the same collection more than once!

R Schneider
PO Box 978
IOWA Park TX 76367
Office 618 975 2099
FAX 940 213 3596

Email: Rschneiderstamps@gmail.com