They are ‘unhinged’ and not stuck to a page: A stamp which has never had a hinge applied to it is obviously worth more because it will still have its full original gum. Lighter ‘wrinkles’ will also devalue a stamp but much less significantly. No piece of the stamp is missing: A stamp which has part of its design or a perforation missing will not command a premium price – even if it is extremely rare.Ĭreases and other damage are minimal: A ‘bend’ or ‘crease’ will significantly reduce a stamp’s value. Unfortunately, both of these types are often tradedfor well below their face value. In general, decimal currency British stamps with face values in pounds and pence are worth less than those in £sd. The face value is a higher denomination: Stamps with denominations above 1/- (one shilling) are often worth more because of their rarity. In most cases, they are one of the earliest stamp issues from that particular country and, subsequently, they can command a higher price. The most valuable items tend to be rare with a good historical story.įrom a country of interest: Extremely rare and early stamps from countries where postal deliveries were infrequent are known as ‘Classics’ and date from 1900 or earlier. Issued before 1960: The best way to think of a stamp collector is as an archaeologist of postal history, who consider stamps and covers as valuable artefacts. This rare example of a 1910 2d Tyrian Plum realised £48,300 at a Warwick & Warwick auction. They have bright, fresh and original colours: If a stamp’s colour has faded (because of water or sunlight) its value will be significantly reduced. In good condition: It may be stating the obvious, but a stamp which is in the same state as when issued by the Post Office (mint with full original gum) will be worth more than one which has been previously hinged or damaged. This guide has been compiled to help novices with no philatelic knowledge learn how to appraise stamps so that they can decide on the best course of action for their collection. Whilst this is great news for stamp collectors, sites like eBay do present something of a dilemma for non-collectors who may have inherited a collection (or have one gathering dust in the loft!) because it can leave them confused about its true value. Its popularity may have waned since the 1950s and 60s, when almost half of youngsters had a collection of some sort, but the growth of internet sales platforms has resulted in a wide variety of rare stamps coming on to the market in recent years. Stamp collecting continues to be among the most popular hobbies, keenly followed by collectors all over the world.
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