In the world of stamps and stamp collecting, one of the most-asked questions about stamps is, obviously, about its stamp values, and what we hear a lot is the question:
How much are my stamps worth?
You may have a stamp collection that you started when you were young, or you may have inherited a nice stamp collection from your parents, grandparents and/or relatives, or you found an interesting stamp collection at a garage sale. Whatever the situations on how you acquired that stamp collection you have right now, this question remains: How much are my stamps worth? How do I determine the stamp values in my stamp collection?
People collect stamps for various reasons. Of course, every stamp collector wishes that someday, their precious stamp collection would have stamp values that could be worth a lot of money. If you are someone who thinks like this, then you are in for a shocking realization, because the painful truth about stamp collecting is that roughly 98% of all stamps are only worth less or the same as its handling/shipping fees. All the more daunting is that stamp values of the remaining 2% -- 1% of stamps are worth around $10 to $100 or more, and the other 1% are worth lots of money (the famous and rare stamps). Click here to view rare stamps.
How to Determine Stamp Values
If you are planning to sell your stamps or you are just plain curious to know what your collection's stamp values are, then you have 5 options: Determine the stamp values by yourself, check out a printed book as reference, research the stamp values via the Internet, attend a stamp show, or take it to a stamp expert or dealer who offers professional stamp appraisal services to help you determine the stamp values of your collection.
Option 1: Find out the Stamp Values by Yourself
- Identify the stamp
- Find out when was the stamp issued
- Know the stamp's age and material used
- Determine the centering of the design
- Check the stamp's gum
- Determine the condition of the perforations
- See if the stamp has been cancelled or not
- Find out the rarity of the stamp
Assess the stamp's condition - Stamp grade is expressed in 3 words: sound (stamp with no imperfections), faulty (has minor imperfections such as a small crease at the corner), or defective (has major imperfections such as huge creases, abrasions, pinholes, or stains). Stamp condition is further divided into 7 levels: extremely fine, very fine, fine, good, average, fair, and below average.
Check out the demand for the stamp - No matter how many rare stamps you have in excellent condition, you won't get a good price for it if it is not highly sought after by stamp collectors.
- Find out if the stamp has an interesting and traceable history
Option 2: Check out a Printed Reference
By reading the contents of a stamp catalogue or encyclopedia, you can learn about the stamp values and history of the stamps as well. Some stamp catalogues include the Stanley Gibbons Stamp Catalogue, The Stamp Collector's Encyclopedia by R.J. Sutton, The Encyclopedia of United States Stamps and Stamp Collecting, and many more.
Option 3: Research the Stamp Values via the Internet
Thankfully, there are many sites you can find on the Internet that can help you figure out the stamp values of individual stamps and/or your stamp collection. Auction sites, stamp dealer sites, stamp forum sites, and stamp sites put up by stamp collectors and enthusiasts can easily be found online and these can give you an idea of the current market price of a particular stamp. You can easily and quickly find stamp values at StampWorld.com.
*How to Find Stamp Values at StampWorld*
StampWorld has an online stamp catalogue that is absolutely free for everyone who would like to find out more about stamps, especially the estimated stamp values. Only three things motivate a stamp collector to find out the exact or estimate value of a stamp: (1) the intention of buying, (2) the intention of selling, or (3) the stamp collector already possesses that stamp and is just curious how much is its estimated stamp value.
To find out the stamp values via StampWorld, simply register for a free account. Click here to register for a free account. After successful registration, you can browse their free online catalogue as much as you like. Simply click on the Catalogue in the main page, and you will be brought to the catalogue world map. Click here to go to the catalogue. Click on the desired country, and from there you will be directed to a neat listing of all stamps ever issued in that country. By using their Advanced Search, you can search for stamp values via issued country, issued year, motif, type, color, currency, and denomination. Click here to view Advanced Search. If you are new to StampWorld, please visit the FAQ section for more details. Click here to view the FAQ section.
In case you are the type who learns by watching self-help videos, please check out the StampWorld catalogue videos that can clearly show you how to search for stamps in the catalogue, where you can learn all information about a particular stamp (especially stamp values). Click here to view the StampWorld catalogue videos.
Option 4: Attend a Stamp Show
Attending a stamp show or two shall give you the chance to see the current market's stamp values for different stamps. Going to a stamp show also allows you to talk with other stamp collectors and stamp enthusiasts, and some of them may likely give you their opinions regarding your collection's stamp values.
Option 5: Find out the Stamp Values via a knowledgeable Stamp Expert, Dealer or Appraiser
A lot of serious stamp collectors agree that the best way to find out the stamp values of your stamp collection is to have it appraised professionally. There are stamp experts or dealers that offer stamp appraisal services in exchange for a fee. There are some stamp dealers/appraisers who charge you a fee, and if interested, they then try to buy your collection and deduct the fee from it.
You can find reputable local stamp dealers and appraisers that can help you determine your collection's stamp values. Click here to go to the Stamp Dealers page.
Determining Stamp Values Take Time, Effort and Research
Determining the stamp values of stamp collections, old stamps and new stamps depend highly on what kinds of stamps they are. There are many and varied steps on how to figure out stamp values and how much the stamps are actually worth.
The only surefire way to know the correct stamp values on your own is to learn how to thoroughly evaluate your collection, and of course, this takes some time, effort and a whole lot of research.
