How to Price Stamps

Certain stamps are rare and worth a lot of money.

Pricing a stamp can often be as easy as looking through a stamp catalog or price guide. However, the actual price of a stamp often varies from that listed in a stamp price guide due to factors that include the stamp's condition, the current market condition, the rarity of the stamp and other shifting variables. The last word in stamp pricing comes from a stamp expert, who deals with authentication, grading, and obtaining a certificate of insurance, although this only happens with especially high-value stamps.

Things You'll Need

• Stamp catalog or pricing guide
• Watermark fluid/tray
• Stamp tongs
• Perforation gauge
• Stamps

Instructions

1. Determine which country the stamp comes from. Stamps from the U.S.A. say either U.S.A. or U.S. Postage. Stamps from non-English speaking countries are printed with their country names in their native languages.

2. Obtain a stamp catalog or pricing guide that includes stamps from the country in which your stamps originated.

3. Find your stamps in the catalog. When handling your stamps to compare them with images in the catalog, use tongs to avoid causing any damage to the stamp.

4. Avoid identifying the incorrect stamp by using the perforation gauge and watermark kit, which includes fluid and a tray, to help in locating the correct matching stamp.

5. Look at the range of values listed for your stamp in the catalog. Stamp catalogs list prices based on stamp type (mint, used, unused), condition (no tears, thins or creases), and how centered the image on the stamp is. Try to determine where your stamp falls in each category, as this will greatly affect its value.

6. Decide on the value of your stamp based on its listing in the catalog and how it meets each of the criteria.

Tips & Warnings

• Locating stamps in a catalog can be very challenging and if you aren't having any luck or are unsure of your match you should consult a stamp expert.

• If you are looking to sell your stamps, don't expect to get get the full catalog value for the stamp. Often sellers get much lower than catalog value for the stamp.

• Use an online stamp catalog to double-check the value of your stamp. Look at the resources section of this article for more information on online stamp catalogs.

References

• stamporama: Stamp Valuations
• findyourstampsvalue: Stamp Value

Resources

• allworldstamps: Online Stamp Catalogue