How to sell or find out how much this stamp collection is worth

FrankFalcon

Hi all

I guess this has probably been asked previously, and I'm not expecting the actual answer here but I just wanted to know where to find the right information.

My wifes Father died last year and left a huge, old stamp collection.  My Mother in Law recently told me "Please can you find out if that collection is worth anything".  So, I did what a lot of people might do and type that into google.  Indeed, there is what seemed like a very popular stamp collecting site called.'stampforum'.  However, on the very first page it says, clearly as day...'Please don't join this forum if all you want to do is find out the value of stamps/collection etc'...Which is what I want to do.  So, does anybody know a forum where i can upload pictures of the stamps and get a valuation etc?

Thanks in regards

Grumpelstiltskin

Try a proper local antique auctioneers, but majority are worth very little.

fwor

We had the same issue with my late father's stamp collection (and also his huge cigarette card collection). The problem is that the vast majority will be worth next to nothing, and it's actually quite a labour-intensive job to figure out the value simply because of the volume of items.

In the end we decided to accept the offer of a local dealer to just take away the lot for (IIRC) fifty quid.

Purple_Jumper

This was discussed recently on https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6625156/selling-a-stamp-collection-advice-needed-please#latest 

singhini

Perhaps take them to a local auction house and see what they say

gwynlas

Is there any correspondence available to show if he purchased any stamps through a major auction house like Spink?
If so you could go to them for a valuation.
If family have been told collection of some value then approach an good local auctioneers with relevant knowledge in house.
Alocal saleroom/auctioneer might or might not recognise the quality of a collection

RedImp_2

I don’t think you’re going to find anyone on a forum to value a “huge” collection of stamps for you. Depends what you define as old as well, I think as a rough rule anything under 100 years old is unlikely to be worth anything.
There is a site Stampworld.com which has online catalogue and values (although don’t expect to realise these values).

On the other hand I might offer you the £50 mentioned earlier to relieve you of them 🙂

Spoonie_Turtle

Depending on what sentiments are attached, you never know someone might want to use them in an art piece, or for set dressing … I have no idea how you'd go about finding any such person though.  (E-mail TV production companies about set dressing?)