R  SCHNEIDER’S THIS & THAT

Well my eldest daughter, Jill, is now on board!  She is still getting her household organized but I am putting her to work on my web site.  We will be doing a lot of fine tuning of the software and then making a lot of listing changes.  As in all things – our complete redesign of our web site didn’t turn out to be as easily accomplished as planned. We ran into a lot technical problems and still have a few to resolve. We have piles of new items to add to our listings and a couple hundred more images ready to load as soon as we get all of the bugs out.
We are also organizing our stock to be shown at stamp shows – something I have long avoided doing.  Now that I have two daughters working with me – guess who get to do most of the work.  It will be a few months before we are ready to try a few shows but it is going to happen.
This month we are mailing our Austria price list Part I. We have added quite a bit of new material to this list.  Most of the items over $250 will also be listed on our web site including images so you can look at the items before ordering them.
Next month we will publish our Luxembourg price list. It has been over two years since we published the last list so you can expect a lot of additions on the new list.

Auction Results

There were several auctions with good European material that closed in August.  We usually attend the Rasdale auction every August but this year we were more interested in lots offered at other auctions – especially at Harmer Schau and Regency.
Overall we noted that almost every single collection lot sold!  Over 90% of the lots were sold to floor bidders and internet bidders – mail bidders didn’t have much of a chance. Realistically you have to see the actual lots to be able to formulate an intelligent bid.  Some lots were sold at the start bids but most of the lots with better stamps sold well over the estimates.  On larger collections you absolutely have to see the collection to have a realistic idea what the stamps are worth.  (Most auction houses’ estimates are either way too high or way too low – this month the estimates were too low except for Regency which was very close on its estimates.)
The Harmer Schau auction had  9 Austria collections of which 8 sold and most were very close to or above the estimates.
A mint and used collection estimated at $800 to $1,000 sold for $1600.
A postal history collection estimated at $600-$800 sold for $1100.
Harmer Schau had 35 German area collections of which all but two sold.
Most sold at prices very close to the estimates.
A large German states collection estimated at $3,000 to $3,500 sold for $4,000.
A large German collection of mint and used estimated at $3,000 to $3,500 sold for $4,300.
A lot of propaganda cards from WWII estimated at $800 to $1,000 sold for $1,400.
Regency had some very large advanced German area lots.
They had 4 Austria lots all of which sold.  The best lot was a collection which included the scarce Death Mask issues NH estimated at $1,000 to $1,500 sold for $2,200.
Regency offered 28 German area lots of which all sold!
A gorgeous collection of Michel varieties estimated at $1,500 sold for exactly that.
A very complete mint and used collection from 1850 to 1980’s estimated at $6,000 to $8,000 sold for $7,500
An AMG collection estimated at $700 to $1,000 went for $1,600
A Belgium Legion complete collection estimated at $2,000 to $3,000 sold for $2,700.
Overall, all of the better collections sold for the estimates or a bit higher.

Austria michelAUSTRIA MICHEL SPECIALIZED 2014

This year’s catalog contains quite a few price increases throughout. Most increases are in the 5% range.  My last’s year catalog is already gone so I can’t do my more detailed review. Sorry!
This catalog  can be acquired from Werner Zielniewicz on his web site – http://www.wernerzielnet.com

Scott Catalog 2014 Volume 5 N-Sam

This volume contains just a few areas related to Austria and Germany but all areas reflected price changes this year.
Poland General Government shows quite a few minor price increases for never hinged stamps again this year.
Gdansk also show quite a few minor increases.
Austria -Romania shows increase and Scott has added the unissued “BANI” overprinted set – SC 1N35-47 ** $1625.
Saar shows quite a few changes throughout but almost all are very small . The changes are half increases and half decreases.
Saar 1-17 * $277 to $262
U $439 to $417
19 * $1000 to $900
38-9 *  $800 to $940
U $1200 to $1125
Samoa shows increases across the board in both * and U categories including the GRI issues.
51-6 * $86 to $142
U $154 to $253
101* $22.50 to $60
111* $3000 to $4000
                                               American Philatelic Society

Periodically we remind customers that the American Philatelic Society (APS) is one of the best philatelic bargains around!  For $35 a year members receive an excellent monthly stamp journal and a myriad of philatelic services.
As the premiere stamp organization in the US, the APS offers a sometimes overlooked benefit to its members.  As prospective member applications are reviewed and because the APS demands member responsibility, being a member of the APS brings added credibility when you deal with fellow collectors and stamp dealers.  Citing your APS membership when conducting philatelic business is perhaps the single best philatelic  reference you can give.  Almost all stamp dealers will send stamps on approval to APS members without requiring any  additional reference.
APS services include a superb sale circuit, an on-line sales site, an excellent research library, stamp expertizing service, and affiliations with many other  collector groups.
If you would like an application, we have them.