How to Sell a Stamp Collection

In terms of popular hobbies, collecting stamps should be in the top ten. A few decades after we first encountered adhesive postage stamps in the 19th century, this versatile and popular activity has become an old favorite. 

Stamp collectors need to know that specific stamps cost a lot, especially the scarce and limited ones. If you have managed to get your hands on your grandma’s collection and want to sell it, you may want to consider several factors to increase its value and figure out which one will give you the most cash. 

A detailed walkthrough can be found here; 

How To Sell Your Stamps

Inherited or passed through your hands, stamp collections may be worth more money than you can imagine. And if you plan to sell them, hold them back a little bit, and let’s tackle vital details on how to increase the collection’s value. While it’s an old favorite, some collections are worth the money, and some are not. 

This is where collectors need to take careful considerations, especially if you plan to sell your collections in the future. While reselling your stamps is 100% legit, you need to be wary of where you’ll auction your collections. Popular sites like Return My Stamps, Sell Forever Stamps, and other credible sites offer great value to your stamp collections. 

However, before you rush and sell them, you will need to do a checklist to identify stamp value and if they are even worth the rush. 

The neater and more well-taken care your stamp collections are, the more likely it will cost more than clipped and dirty stamps, which are randomly dumped in boxes and albums. Postage collections increase the value if they are:

• Your collections come with a higher face value (denomination on stamps themselves)
• If your collection focuses on one theme or country instead of a mixture
• The storage (album) is neatly and adequately taken care off
• Your stamps are dated back prior to the Queen’s reign) 1952

Knowing the value of your collection can help you identify and decide whether to sell the whole collection now or later on. For most philates, whether they sell collections or not, they want to determine the overall value of every collection. There are several ways to help you identify the value of the collection;

• Check with fellow stamp collectors advice
• Auction your collections to popular sites like eBay to give you a glimpse of the stamp collections potential value
• Check with stamp dealers or houses
• Look for a credible dealer near you

Once you’ve made up your mind and decide to sell the postage collections, you may opt for the following options; 

Sell it directly to a stamp dealer.

The best and fastest way to sell your stamps is to sell them directly to a reliable stamp dealer. Most houses or dealers may charge you for valuations or commissions for every successful sale. You may opt to reach out to fellow collectors in your area to give you additional options and best deals when selling your postages.

Sell it yourself

Doing it alone may seem a daunting task, but you’ll get the highest possible price. While this can be tempting to most collectors, especially if sites like eBay are your first choice, remember that rare or limited edition postage sells first, then regular or less rare postage stamps. 

If you sell stamps individually, it’s more likely you’ll be left out with less rare stamps, which most dealers and collectors may not be so interested in. 

Auction the collection

Participating in most stamp collection auctions gives you higher chances of getting everything sold; however, most house auctions may sell stamp collections by lots over a few months, which won’t guarantee the actual price of your postage collections. 

If you’re still contemplating whether to sell your collections or not, there are several options to help you decide;

• First, you can leave the stamps as they are and do nothing. Check on them later on when you have more free time to check and analyze every stamp condition.
• You may keep it and add new stuff to your collection.
• You may opt to pass it to another person who’ll appreciate the whole package.

Best Place To Sell Your Stamp Collections

Selling postage collections should not be a pain and won’t be time-consuming if you know where and how. Once you’ve decided, here are the best and known places to offer them;

• Pawnshops
• Stamp shows
• Stamp dealers
• Yard sales
• Online auction websites like eBay
• American Philatelic Society

Final Words

Once you determine the value of your postage collection, it will be easier for you to decide whether to sell them or not. For most, especially if it’s a family heirloom, stamp collections are passed from one generation to the next one. While the thought of selling stamps means stashing cash in your wallet, it’s essential to know the ins and outs, benefits, and setbacks of dealing with stamps. Once you made up your mind, the aforementioned places can help you get great deals.