How to Buy and Sell Stamps

Stamps won't make the casual collector rich, but as a hobby they're almost unbeatable. They don't take up much room, and your postal carrier brings new opportunities every day--for free!

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Yellow Pages
• Stamp club membership

Buy

1. Decide what you want to collect. Topical collecting (looking for any stamp with a flag, train or other specific item on it) is the latest trend. For example, an extensive collection can be made from collecting the Christmas stamps of just one country, especially if you include all the varieties of each issue. Some people even collect postmarks.

2. Look in the Yellow Pages for a shop that specializes in stamps. The store owner will know of upcoming stamp shows in the area.

3. Ask the shop owner about auction houses that sell stamps. Order an auction catalog. Expect big-ticket items; most auction houses want their lots to sell for more than $100 to make it worth their while. Look in collector magazines for advertisements by mail-order stamp sources.

4. Search online. Some stamp dealers have opened shop online, and a few auctions feature stamps. The U.S. Postal Service (usps.gov) also has information on starting a collection.

5. Select stamps with a bright color--fading can be caused by sunlight, artificial light, dirt, pollution and natural skin oils. The stamp should not be torn or damaged, and all perforations should be complete. It should be centered inside the white border.

Sell

1. Look through your collection for pre-1940 stamps for investment quality material. Many fewer stamps were printed in the old days, making good specimens more difficult to find. For the most part, today's stamps are not going to greatly appreciate in value over the years because so many are in circulation.

2. Join a stamp club--it's a great way to find fellow collectors looking to buy. Clubs often hold their own stamp shows for members.

3. Ask a stamp dealer to assess your collection if you want your money right away. Face-to-face interactions are best.

4. Keep in mind that auction houses won't even look at your collection if they don't think it will sell for hundreds of dollars, and it may take a month or more to receive the proceeds.

5. Sell your stamps online. This method can be time-consuming: You must submit a photo and description for each stamp or lot.

Tips & Warnings

• Glue on the back of a stamp means it has never been circulated. Removing stamps from letters also removes the glue.

• Don't bother trying to soak a stamp off a colored envelope. The ink in the envelope will bleed and ruin the stamp.

• Store your stamps using hinges or mounts on acidfree paper, all available at hobby shops. You'll also need tongs, a magnifier, a watermark detector and a perforation gauge.

• See How to Buy at Auction.

• You can't buy just one collectible stamp at the post office--you have to buy a roll or a sheet. If you don't send many letters, you might prefer to pay double face value at a shop for just one stamp.

• Since it's so easy to sell items online, keep in mind that the seller might not be an expert and could overstate the quality of the item.