Any Stamp Collectors around?

[Blondiebeachbabe]

I have inherited a Stamp Collection from the 1940's. Does anyone know how I can find out if any of them are of any value? Happy to post pics. TIA.

(Can't see any dedicated areas of MN for hobby related topics)

Following as I've got an extensive old collection in the loft!

It’s a lot of work. I would try and find a local group.

Not sure what to do with it. It was my Auntie's.

Not the best place for them! Unless your loft doesn’t get cold etc.

How many stamps roughly?

Stanley Gibbons

https://sgbaldwins.com/sell/free-valuation

I would suggest taking them to an antiques fair. My late DF used to have a stall at some of the larger fairs.

Take them to Stanley Gibbons on the Strand - they’ll be able to tell you instantly.

I'd need to count them, maybe 100?

I'm in Scotland, close to Edinburgh.

My Aunty was born in the early 30's.

I'll see if Stanley Gibbons can look at it remotely - thank you!

If only there was a system where you could connect your computer to other devices around the world, to find information and send messages.

Wouldn't that be super?

I could google it for you and see if there is such a thing...

😏

100 stamps is barely a collection.

I inherited one of these from a relative. Maybe a few thousand.

I took it to a dealer who rather impatiently flicked though it at rapid speed, stopping to dwell on the odd page here and there and then told me it was what they call a junior collection and might sell for a hundred quid or so in an auction.

Of course your relative might have collected some very valuable stuff in their 100 stamps. My guess is that it is unlikely though.

You can buy catalogues, or look on Stanley Gibbons site or ebay for people selling or sold prices, but stamps are really worth what someone will pay. Old are usually better as are high original value and good condition, Victorian can be worth a bit although some low value ones are very common. Post some pics of some you think are interesting,

If you want to sell take a few pictures and put on ebay, realistically they will probably only be worth a few quid unless there is a gem in there.

If old means Victorian times that might be worth a bit, if you think George or early Elizabeth is old maybe not. I think Stanley Gibbons do valuations.

A friend took his wife’s albums to a dealer and was told that generally speaking stamp collections are worthless these days unless you have any special stamps. The run of the mill collection is best given to a charity shop.

Sadly stamp collections are pretty worthless these days including stamps from the 30s and 40s unless there is a rare gem in there of course....however there rarely is. I collect stamps myself actually but thematic ones...ie marine or birds...they aren't worth anything other than the pleasure I get from looking at the pictures on them. I enjoy looking for different ones from around the world both old and new....costs me pennies so is a really cheap little hobby.

Find a stamp collector forum. Them old boys love to help. My dad could do it but I’m not inclined to ask him, sorry!

I had a number of albums from various different relatives and got quite excited about it. I took them to a specialist auction house in the South East, left them there for two weeks and they phoned me to say that’s there’s nothing that is of interest to them. There are mint collections from the early 20th c from all over the world, Victorian stamps, many first day covers etc.
I then spent the morning photographing and loading them onto EBay. I’ve sold two first day covers and a small collection of 1950s stamps and made £10 so far. They’ve been on sale for about 6 weeks so far. There’s absolutely no interest.

Stamp collecting is practically dead and there’s no market for collections at all. In my experience.

Just give it to a charity shop. It’s not worth the effort.

You have to remember that it's a fairly niche hobby and given I doubt that anyone under 25 has ever written a personal letter the excitement and glamour of getting an actual letter as a child hasn't been a thing for 20+ years.

Also the 20th century saw billions of the same stamps produced...so unless you have a completely obscure country or a complete set of every stamp one of the communist countries stamps issued

Like a lot of old things, there is little market for them theses days. Antiques fluctuate with fashion, unless they are very rare.
I’d keep them, they don’t take up much space and with the diminishing use of postage stamps they might be worth a lot more in 20/30 years.
An example is that 60s concert tickets are quite valuable now because everyone threw them away.