Stamps on eBay

Spoonie_Turtle

Not sure if there's a more appropriate forum for this, if there is then please let me know.

I've come across a fair few listings for what appear to be bulk unused stamps, in sheets or in books, working out at around 50p per stamp (e.g. for first class large letter). Can these be legitimate? How?

There are also low priced listings for stamps with the security thingy (the two sets of tabs in the middle of the stamp so you can't easily peel them off), gummed I think, and again, just wondering if they could be genuine usable stamps - although one listing I saw covers itself by stating they're for philatelic purposes. 

misterthrifty

You are right to be cautious, there are a lot of dodgy stamps around and they can be difficult to spot if you don't know what you are looking for. There are legitimate reasons why somebody might be selling off unused stamps but if there is somebody selling a large quantity of them in sheets then you need to beware, so maybe you need to look at the seller. It's OK to sell stamps if you say they are for 'study' but using fake stamps to send letters can land you in court.
There are plenty of stamp traders who advertise online, but not ebay, who may be more reliable if you make a search for something like 'discount postage stamps'.

Spoonie_Turtle

Well I've answered my own question. It looks like a lot of people sell unfranked ones that have already been used, sometimes people even wash them to remove any postmarks. The 'new' books I saw come from a person simply saying the sheets they sell are stamps that have already been fulfilled their primary function, so I have huge doubts that the books are legit.

One shop selling them in bulk, and selling "pre-stamped envelopes" so you can "save time and money" disclaims in the tiniest font possible that they've already been used so shouldn't be used again. This one makes me angry because why the heck would someone buy a stamped envelope just to put a genuinely new stamp over the top of the old, used one already one there?! How on earth is it saving time OR money?! I think with the disclaimer eBay probably can't accuse them of encouraging illegal activity, but the whole thing is so deceptive - and defrauding Royal Mail surely is a factor in needing to hike up the price all the time

A couple of useful sources in case anyone else is wondering about stamps they've seen elsewhere:
https://blog.norphil.co.uk/search/label/postal forgery
https://www.frama.co.uk/news/single/married-couple-sells-used-stamps-as-new/
https://personal.help.royalmail.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/14308

Spoonie_Turtle

misterthrifty said:

You are right to be cautious, there are a lot of dodgy stamps around and they can be difficult to spot if you don't know what you are looking for. There are legitimate reasons why somebody might be selling off unused stamps but if there is somebody selling a large quantity of them in sheets then you need to beware, so maybe you need to look at the seller. It's OK to sell stamps if you say they are for 'study' but using fake stamps to send letters can land you in court.
There are plenty of stamp traders who advertise online, but not ebay, who may be more reliable if you make a search for something like 'discount postage stamps'.

Didn't see your post as I was typing mine, sorry.

Yes, that seems to be the way to go, thanks

knightstyle

I have bought fake stamps on Ebay!  I have also bought several lots of commemorative 1st class stamps for less each than 2nd class postage and they seemed genuine and I have used them many times.

ElefantEd

knightstyle said:

I have bought fake stamps on Ebay!  I have also bought several lots of commemorative 1st class stamps for less each than 2nd class postage and they seemed genuine and I have used them many times.

Surely you should only use them once?

NBLondon

knightstyle said:

I have also bought several lots of commemorative 1st class stamps for less each than 2nd class postage and they seemed genuine and I have used them many times.

Ditto.   It takes a bit of hunting and you have to some arithmetic to work out your max bid (I will pay 2/3 face if I like the stamps and 1/3 face to use for competitions  not including P&P) but I have had some good deals.  Best being 2 sheets of first class for 16.7p per stamp.

As misterthrifty said; you can get old stock from dealers but not at that big a discount.  Others will sell older mint stamps in bags that can be used for postage e.g.  100x30p and 100x35p which you can use for 100x 2nd class  or 100 envelopes with those stamps stuck on them.   But again, perhaps only at 10 or 15 percent discount on the face value.