Collecting stamps is still a popular hobby. The mass fashion for philately has passed, but there are no fewer real philatelists. If you happen to be the owner of a postage stamp, which, as you think, may be rare, for sure there will be people willing to purchase it from you. It is important to know the real market value of this brand.
Necessary
- - a catalog of postage stamps (all over the world or a specific country of your interest)
- - access to electronic resources dedicated to philately and collecting;
- - "live" consultation of an experienced philatelist.
Instructions
Step 1
Look for a catalog of postage stamps - you can buy it or even borrow it from the library. Large foreign catalogs are expensive and difficult to find in the open sale, but a catalog of USSR postage stamps can be found in many second-hand bookshops. Therefore, if the brand, the price of which you are interested in, was issued in Russia during the Soviet era, it will be much easier for you to figure it out than with a pre-revolutionary or foreign brand. Do not take the quoted stamps prices literally, just try to get an idea of the value of a stamp by comparing its value to the average cost of other postage stamps at the same time.
Step 2
Find on the Internet specialized sites and forums of philatelists (or collectors in general, among which there are sure to be philatelists). On many of these resources, there are the same catalogs in electronic form, and there is also the opportunity to discuss the value of the alleged rarity with experienced philatelists without giving away, and it is definitely worth using it.
Step 3
Find out if a philatelists' club exists in your city. If yes, then where is it. If you come to connoisseurs and lovers of stamps with your copy and ask for approximate information about it, this will not oblige you to anything. The opinion of one individual collector should not be taken literally - get an idea of the possible cost of a postage stamp by talking at different times with several experienced philatelists.
Step 4
Try to assess the condition of the brand, the possible market price of which you are interested in. Remember that the real value of a collectible, including a postage stamp, is highly dependent on its condition - the degree of preservation. Philatelists must take into account the presence of all prongs, clear cancellation (if the stamp went through the mail) or the presence of glue on the back (if the stamp was not used for its intended purpose).
