Stamp Appraisal
Notice: Due to several factors, including market changes, ValuePros NO LONGER APPRAISES STAMPS. We recommend those looking to sell stamps instead go directly to the market or to buyers, dealers, and collector societies. If you are in Florida, we recommend visiting floridastampdealers.org.
This week I am busy continuing the appraisal of a large postage stamp collection. This stamp appraisal report will be used by the family of the collector to make an equitable distribution decision and possibly market the collection for sale. Collecting stamps was a lifelong passion of the collector. She started collecting in her teenage years in the 1940’s and continued to as recently as several years ago.
The collection is a real pleasure to appraise because it is so well organized and presented. The collector obviously had a strategic plan for her collecting as many of the annual albums custom pocketed for stamp presentation and preservation are completely filled – hundreds of pages, thousands of stamps, in order, in place. It is quite impressive and very likely quite valuable.
Of course not all stamp collectors have the same passion, meticulousness, available resources, etc. The stamps that are new issues this year will very likely one day in the future have more collectible value than their current face value. And of course, the irregularly printed stamps of today can one day have significant collectible value.
As a stamp appraiser that has seen many stamp collections of varying amounts of value the following are basic considerations in order to enhance the enjoyment, effectiveness, return on investment, and collection longevity and preservation.
- Do it because you enjoy it and not just for an investment return
- Collect with an organized purpose either by date, country, subject, or type
- Collect diligently over time to avoid costly collection gap filling on a later date
- Invest in protective albums or stamp sleeves that preserve your collection