Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
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Emily,
i'll start off by welcoming you. Glad you're here.
So, just getting started. There's no wrong answer, although I think that NOT doing things that can't be undone should be avoided, so, those stamps still on the envelope.... I'd leave them there. Leave the envelope intact for the moment. At a later date, you can still remove them OR trade the whole envelope or begin a collection of certain kinds of envelopes....
I'll let others jump in now.....
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Hi Emily,
Welcome to the family. Be warned that this may start a hobby that can last a lifetime, and is only dictated by what you personally wish. The proper handling of stamps is a small learning that will take place as you go, and as David says, just avoid doing anything that might hurt the items.
It is a really neat adventure to share with your boyfriend should he be interested along those lines. If not, no matter, this is for you. Be ready to ask questions-there is much knowledge here for the asking.
Now to get out of the way to let others meet you.
Best,
Dan C.
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Emily,
next tip. place sorted stamps into what are called "glassines." These are see-through envelopes. Why? first, you can see (like with baggies) and the stamps lie flat (unlike baggies, where they are more likely to bend).
David
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Thank you everyone. Where do I get these better bags? And if they are on envelopes should I put them in albums or stick to these bags for now? There are so many! And they are all before the 70s
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Emily...send me an email or private message with your address and I can mail you a boat load of glassines.
Ernie
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Emily,
If stamps are on envelopes now, they will fit in few albums. I simply store mine in envelope boxes (you know the sturdy kind that contain 500 #9s or #10s) or in manilla folders or....
David
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Below is a link to the American Philatelic Society's web site page dedicated to starting a stamp collection. It offers many tips, suggestions and helpful ideas. You do not have to be a member to access this information.
http://stamps.org/Starting-a-Collection
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Thank you Ernie and thank you everyone. They are just the corner on paper. I will be emailing you Ernie in just a moment. This is an awesome place I am glad I found it.
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Since you are just starting out in the hobby, please do not get caught up in the "is this a valuable stamp" trap. As you learn the hobby:
- collect everything that interests you (you can always trim the collection down later if you want to)
- consider every stamp and every cover to be a treasure unto itself
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We have looked up a bit but a few of my faves are worthless. I just love the history.
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Some of the coolest stamps have little or no catalog value and no stamp is worthless, if YOU like it. A good U.S. stamp album will go a long way in helping you to start sorting things out. You can use StampWorld.com to help, too. It's free and catalogs virtually every stamp ever printed.
Welcome to SOR!!
WB
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Emmikate wrote:
"We have looked up a bit but a few of my faves are worthless."
That's great! It stretches your hobby dollar when you can get nice stamps for pennies. I'd guess that 90% of my collection is comprised of nickel and dime stamps.
-Steve
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Welcome to our hobby, Emmikate. May you have many years of happy collecting ahead of you.
You said,
"We have looked up a bit but a few of my faves are worthless."
Here are some guidelines about value that may prove useful:
• The value of anything is always in the eye of the beholder. In the case of stamps, value is determined as well by the marketplace, and certainly not stamp catalogues.
• Few stamps ever sell for more than smallish fraction of their catalogue value, 10% to 20% for common stamps, 30% to perhaps 80% for less common stamps, depending on demand and condition. Only truly rare stamps ever sell for amounts far in excess of catalogue value.
• Some stamps have little catalogue value but are very difficult to find in any condition, a situation that's especially true of used modern stamps. You can buy a used Penny Black far more easily than you can obtain many recent stamps in good used condition.
Bob
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I like looking up the stamps to see, and then seeing they are fifteen cents because to me they are precious.
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"I like looking up the stamps to see, and then seeing they are fifteen cents because to me they are precious. "
Hi Emily-
I am currently building an album for my US collection. Right now I'm in the mid 1960s and am admiring the poster art like stamps with bold colors and simple design. They are absolutely brilliant! And ya know, not one of them is worth much more than face value!
As long as we're having fun, that's all that matters!
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10:36:18pm
So my boyfriend was cleaning and found a box of stamps he got from his grandfather a few years ago, along with a hobby box of a "Scott's bicentennial stamp collecting hobby outfit" to celebrate the 200thh anniversary of America. The stamps are still on envelopes and are all used. Do I take them off? I really don't know what to do. I have been sorting them into plastic baggies (I have so many fdrs it's not funny). Some of them have cool stamps with the paper but some are just mounted on an envelope. How should I be sorting (especially when I have like 50 and counting of one) and should I use the kit I have or should I get something else? I am so confused. I am looking forward to this hobby.
Thank you
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re: Brand new with a box of stamps still on paper and not sure what to do
Emily,
i'll start off by welcoming you. Glad you're here.
So, just getting started. There's no wrong answer, although I think that NOT doing things that can't be undone should be avoided, so, those stamps still on the envelope.... I'd leave them there. Leave the envelope intact for the moment. At a later date, you can still remove them OR trade the whole envelope or begin a collection of certain kinds of envelopes....
I'll let others jump in now.....
Login to Like
this post
re: Brand new with a box of stamps still on paper and not sure what to do
Hi Emily,
Welcome to the family. Be warned that this may start a hobby that can last a lifetime, and is only dictated by what you personally wish. The proper handling of stamps is a small learning that will take place as you go, and as David says, just avoid doing anything that might hurt the items.
It is a really neat adventure to share with your boyfriend should he be interested along those lines. If not, no matter, this is for you. Be ready to ask questions-there is much knowledge here for the asking.
Now to get out of the way to let others meet you.
Best,
Dan C.
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this post
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re: Brand new with a box of stamps still on paper and not sure what to do
Emily,
next tip. place sorted stamps into what are called "glassines." These are see-through envelopes. Why? first, you can see (like with baggies) and the stamps lie flat (unlike baggies, where they are more likely to bend).
David
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10:27:45am
re: Brand new with a box of stamps still on paper and not sure what to do
Thank you everyone. Where do I get these better bags? And if they are on envelopes should I put them in albums or stick to these bags for now? There are so many! And they are all before the 70s
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this post
re: Brand new with a box of stamps still on paper and not sure what to do
Emily...send me an email or private message with your address and I can mail you a boat load of glassines.
Ernie
1 Member
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Auctions
re: Brand new with a box of stamps still on paper and not sure what to do
Emily,
If stamps are on envelopes now, they will fit in few albums. I simply store mine in envelope boxes (you know the sturdy kind that contain 500 #9s or #10s) or in manilla folders or....
David
Login to Like
this post
re: Brand new with a box of stamps still on paper and not sure what to do
Below is a link to the American Philatelic Society's web site page dedicated to starting a stamp collection. It offers many tips, suggestions and helpful ideas. You do not have to be a member to access this information.
http://stamps.org/Starting-a-Collection
Login to Like
this post
04:58:12pm
re: Brand new with a box of stamps still on paper and not sure what to do
Thank you Ernie and thank you everyone. They are just the corner on paper. I will be emailing you Ernie in just a moment. This is an awesome place I am glad I found it.
1 Member
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re: Brand new with a box of stamps still on paper and not sure what to do
Since you are just starting out in the hobby, please do not get caught up in the "is this a valuable stamp" trap. As you learn the hobby:
- collect everything that interests you (you can always trim the collection down later if you want to)
- consider every stamp and every cover to be a treasure unto itself
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
06:25:21pm
re: Brand new with a box of stamps still on paper and not sure what to do
We have looked up a bit but a few of my faves are worthless. I just love the history.
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this post
re: Brand new with a box of stamps still on paper and not sure what to do
Some of the coolest stamps have little or no catalog value and no stamp is worthless, if YOU like it. A good U.S. stamp album will go a long way in helping you to start sorting things out. You can use StampWorld.com to help, too. It's free and catalogs virtually every stamp ever printed.
Welcome to SOR!!
WB
Login to Like
this post
re: Brand new with a box of stamps still on paper and not sure what to do
Emmikate wrote:
"We have looked up a bit but a few of my faves are worthless."
That's great! It stretches your hobby dollar when you can get nice stamps for pennies. I'd guess that 90% of my collection is comprised of nickel and dime stamps.
-Steve
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: Brand new with a box of stamps still on paper and not sure what to do
Welcome to our hobby, Emmikate. May you have many years of happy collecting ahead of you.
You said,
"We have looked up a bit but a few of my faves are worthless."
Here are some guidelines about value that may prove useful:
• The value of anything is always in the eye of the beholder. In the case of stamps, value is determined as well by the marketplace, and certainly not stamp catalogues.
• Few stamps ever sell for more than smallish fraction of their catalogue value, 10% to 20% for common stamps, 30% to perhaps 80% for less common stamps, depending on demand and condition. Only truly rare stamps ever sell for amounts far in excess of catalogue value.
• Some stamps have little catalogue value but are very difficult to find in any condition, a situation that's especially true of used modern stamps. You can buy a used Penny Black far more easily than you can obtain many recent stamps in good used condition.
Bob
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12:04:22pm
re: Brand new with a box of stamps still on paper and not sure what to do
I like looking up the stamps to see, and then seeing they are fifteen cents because to me they are precious.
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re: Brand new with a box of stamps still on paper and not sure what to do
"I like looking up the stamps to see, and then seeing they are fifteen cents because to me they are precious. "
Hi Emily-
I am currently building an album for my US collection. Right now I'm in the mid 1960s and am admiring the poster art like stamps with bold colors and simple design. They are absolutely brilliant! And ya know, not one of them is worth much more than face value!
As long as we're having fun, that's all that matters!
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.