Looking for some advice in selling a huge Collection of US Stamps

[delawarelister]

Hi, I've been selling on eBay for 20+ years, my main area of selling is Military Surplus but would like some advice in selling a huge collection of US Mint & cancelled Postage stamps that my Grandfather & Father had been collecting for a very long time, would it be better to sell as a complete collection, by the Scott Albums or to list them in single listings, I see some getting crazy money in Buy it Now listing & auctions with lots of bidding activity? I even a Scott US State and Federal Duck stamp album mostly full, not sure if it would be wise to brake the collection up? some look to be signed, I guess they would be consider cancelled/used and does that increase the value? any help would be most helpful!!

[Anonymous]

I break down and sell big estates (10-40 shipping boxes full of material) and it is hard work to correctly lot and identify things of value and then to box up and sell in bulk the things that are more common.  It might make more sense to go to a specialist auctioneer, like Rasdale or Kelleher.  If not, then you should probably take the time to understand what single items (stamps, sets, albums, groups of items like the Duck stamp folder) sell well and try to lot up a few and sell them, and see how it goes, before deciding to take it all on or to use a stamp auction specialist?  Breaking down an estate is hard work and takes months or more!  It is only worth it if you find it FUN!  Way more collections from older guys passing on being sold right now, than there are new or active collectors these days, except maybe for China/Asia, and some US specialty areas, IMHO.

[delawarelister]

Hi Thanks, I think I'll pick maybe 20 or so singles that I seen get good money so not to waste my time and list them in auction with no reserve & $1.00 starting bid, is there any fraud to look out for in this type of item from the buyers? I sell hundred thousand of dollars of Military Surplus each year and very little problems/returns from the buyers aka older knowledgeable buyers and don't give me any problems about the items etc. Again thanks for your help. Is there any value in packs of I'm guessing 100 cancelled US STAMPS #'s 900 & up I can remember when my father use to get 20-40lb boxes from churches where they cut the corner of the envelopes for the stamps, my dad would soak in tub to release the stamps, place them on large craft paper upside down to dry with heavy board on top to stop curling and once dry package them in the small stamp envelopes of I believe 100 count. The trick was to not let them stay in the water to long to discolor, plus sticking to craft paper. It was fun as a kid, Kids now a days would laugh at the idea to have to help there dad do something like that!! Thanks again for your help!!

[Anonymous]

That sounds like a plan, but beware of the new buyers with little track record who make offers way above asking but then hit you with all sorts of flakey offers and excuses.  Also, stamps usually fit into envelopes and tracking is either not supported (ie first class mail) or super costly (certified or registered) and so not really cost effective for items less than about $50 - you do run the risk of maybe 2%-3% of transactions failing to recognize delivery, and getting automatic eBay refunds, and you not being able to leave negative feedback.  Just one of the frustrations and costs of doing business in eBay.

On the bulk stuff, I have had success selling cigar box lots of commemoratives and other stamps, usually in the $1/ounce range - just too much of it around.  However, when I have had common stamps sorted on stockcards, they have gone for a few $/stockpage, way more than off the stockpage, so go figure, right?  I have also been selling on-paper for about $30/4 lbs (2 kg) in bulk, and just stuffing it into a medium flat rate box for $13 postage via eBay.  

Good luck!

[billsey]

Run some scans of better items past us first, it's easy to have misidentified material in a large collection like that. The newer bulk material isn't going to have much value, way under $0.01/stamp for used from the 1930s on in general, so bundles of 100 of the common stuff won't find buyers. That stuff is better to box up and sell by the weight. For unused stamps from the 30s on sells for a percentage of face value. Newer material will sell for more than the older, just because it's easier to make up the postage rate with higher denominations.