Inherited a large collection of posted stamps
 

A family member has given me a large collection of their postage stamps (probably a few thousand in no organized order). Mostly stamps from 1975-2015 that they tore off their business’s envelopes, that looked interesting. Mostly U.S. stamps, but some international.

Also The Harris Freedom stamp collection album with several stamps posted matching the collection guide including a stamp dating back to 1893, a few 1908-1922, several 1922-1932 and so on.

Any value here? If so, what to look for?

Just wondering if it is worth keeping space in storage for this.

Stamp collecting was insanely popular from the 1930's-1970's. Every kid it seemed had a collection. As did their father.

Not many at all looking for 99% of these stamps any more. My father in law, who is in his late 80's, asked me what his stamp collection was worth.

He had thousands neatly sorted in a bunch of binders that he put together from the 50's -70's.

I hauled all of that around to 3 different hobby shops and a pawn shop, that dealt in stamps/coins.

Everyone said the same thing. They leafed through it, said it looks like mostly common and unwanted stuff. Even those from the early 1900s. There might be a handful that are worth $50ish. But only if I have them professional graded, which would cost nearly as much as Id get.

A couple shops offered to really go through it all, but only if I paid them to. And they all passed unless I was willing to take an offer of like $25 per album.

No one wants to deal with stamps. Its a dead hobby. I suggest you do the same as me. Go ask a pro. But dont offer to pay anyone to keep and sort them. For all you know, they will steal anything of value.

Thank you, Grid! I suspect a very similar outcome to you. I just noticed that the exact stamp that I have pre-1900 sold for $1 on eBay and was much, much cleaner than the one I have.

after my grandmother passed, my brother located numerous unused stamps going back to probably the 20's. He figured after some research there was probably nothing of value and uses them for mailings. just be aware if you go that route you cannot put tape over them if the glue is all gone and won't stick. it's always fun getting a card in the mail with 15 different value stamps lacing the sides.

I collected stamps as a kid in the 80s, but I think the thing that killed stamp collecting was when email replaced writing letters in the late 90s. I don't know if my teenager has ever even seen a stamp, LOL. She's definitely never mailed a letter.

I occasionally end up with stamp books full of stamps, and I wish I could get $25 per album with hundreds or thousands of stamps. I get closer to $5 per album.

Upper Deck has put out some cool stamp relic cards in Goodwin and Pieces From The Past has been out some really crappy looking stamp relic cards. Those cards are worth way more than the stamps used on them.

I collected for years when I was a teen, there's nothing of value in the era you have there. The only real value stamps of any kind are the first ones issued in the 1840's up to 1880's. Aside from errors like the 'Inverted Jenny' airmail stamp with an upside down airplane, also the British stamp from 1840 we call a 'penny black'.

stamp
 

The Postal Service normally prints at least 100,000,000 of each stamp that is issued, so there isn't any rarity any more. I remember when I was Postal clerk, every time a new stamp was issued, on the first couple of days after they were issued, we had a line of customers who came in because they were collecting every stamp that was issued. Some bought singles, some bought plate blocks, and some bought full sheets.

But I don't think that we have had a collector come in within the last 20 years. As far as used stamps from 1975 through the 2020's, they have zero value.

Rick

I never thought the point of stamp collecting was the rarity. It was about learning geography and looking at the cool art from around the world.

There are definitely people that still collect them or USPS wouldn't spend so much money creating so many different designs.

I believe mainly people collect sheets like these now:

[url]https://store.usps.com/store/product/dungeons-dragons-stamps-S_485404?gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22480713809&gclid=CjwKCAiA0eTJBhBaEiwA-Pa-hSCwfyEMw3ifTSS9eVEIE0ZtO7sCr-UcCYR927kiua5BzST3NBJp_RoCYDwQAvD_BwE[/url]

If USPS was smart, they'd issue some limited edition, serial numbered stamps or something that people would never actually use as postage. Those would be almost pure profit.

Every time I go on Facebook Marketplace I see a hundred people selling rolls of 100 fake Forever stamps. I wonder how many millions of dollars a year USPS loses from that? The probably don't sell enough to collectors that aren't using the stamps to make up the difference, that's for sure.

Sounds like it’s inverted Jenny or bust, then!

[QUOTE=Rictor;20108260]I never thought the point of stamp collecting was the rarity. It was about learning geography and looking at the cool art from around the world.

There are definitely people that still collect them or USPS wouldn't spend so much money creating so many different designs.

If USPS was smart, they'd issue some limited edition, serial numbered stamps or something that people would never actually use as postage. Those would be almost pure profit.

Every time I go on Facebook Marketplace I see a hundred people selling rolls of 100 fake Forever stamps. I wonder how many millions of dollars a year USPS loses from that? The probably don't sell enough to collectors that aren't using the stamps to make up the difference, that's for sure.[/QUOTE]

I assume that was the point at one time. The same way the point of collecting tobacco cards was to see what players looked like, as most just heard their names on the radio. Or to see stats, in world before the internet.

Things changed. You don't need to luck into a stamp to see something cool from around the world. The OP asked about value. And with so much money going into various private collections these days. Everyone wants to think that what they spend on will either hold value, or even better, become a good investment.

Most governments now cast a super wide net in what stamps they make. From Apes & Dragons, to Disney & SpongeBob. Everyone that buys a stamp and doesnt use it, is giving them nearly free money.

By far, there are more different stamps being produced now then back when collecting stamps was popular.

[QUOTE=Cactuspies;20107269]it’s always fun getting a card in the mail with 15 different value stamps lacing the sides.[/QUOTE]

Agree with this, it has a charm and much more interesting than a boring ol printed ebay label.

Got a set of cards on ebay years ago mailed to me like this…thought it was pretty cool and so kept the box as is.

[IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20251211/b13651ad1ef11067de392a5d9353ae45.jpg[/IMG]

[QUOTE=DynaEtch;20109150]Agree with this, it has a charm and much more interesting than a boring ol printed ebay label.

Got a set of cards on ebay years ago mailed to me like this…thought it was pretty cool and so kept the box as is.

[IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20251211/b13651ad1ef11067de392a5d9353ae45.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]

That's awesome! The best thing about collecting stamps, you'll never lose money if you buy and hold em. Even if that stamp doesn't become popular and appreciate in value. Its still a stamp, and will always be worth what a new stamp sells for.

I watched a video where a guy buys vintage Disney Dollars from the 90's. Then goes to Disneyland and spends em. He paid like 10 X face value, since they are collectable. Horrible idea, but those work the same way LOL

I collected stamps as a kid, loved it and never for one second thought they would ever be worth anything, just a fun hobby. I need to go find my stamp album and relive the nostalgia LOL.

Stamp dealers do tend to accumulate all kinds of antique paper so stamp shows (and postcard shows especially) are a decent way to find really wacky stuff like trade cards. That's like two or three dealers per stamp show, though.