GUIDE

Inherited a stamp collection – what now?

Many families eventually find themselves with boxes of albums, covers and loose stamps – often without knowing what they contain. A few simple rules help you avoid losing value and find the right way in your own time.

1. Don’t change anything yet

• Don’t soak off or cut out stamps. Covers and envelopes are often worth more than the stamp alone – especially older items.
• Don’t sort or rearrange. The original order helps with the valuation, and rearranging easily causes damage.
• Don’t clean, tape or iron anything. Water, adhesive tape and pressure damage paper and gum.
• Store dry and dark – not in a damp cellar or a hot attic.

2. Get an overview

• How many albums, boxes or folders are there?
• Which countries and periods – for example German Reich, Federal Republic, abroad?
• Are there loose covers, picture postcards or coins?
• Are there documents, such as certificates, receipts or the collector’s notes? Please keep these with the collection.

3. Stay realistic

• Catalogue values are not selling prices. They are a guide for collectors; in the trade you usually achieve only a fraction of them. How stamps are identified in the catalogue is explained in our guide What is a Michel number?
• A lot is not the same as valuable. Large quantities of newer stamps are often very common. Value tends to lie in older items, special covers, rare areas or expertised stamps with a certificate.
• Mint never hinged stamps with euro face value from Germany, Austria and Switzerland are bought by us at fixed percentages of face value – see Sell your collection.

4. Common mistakes

• Taking out the “best” items first and selling them separately – this often weakens the rest of the collection.
• Removing stamps from the albums one by one to count them.
• Selling under time pressure to the first buyer who comes along.

5. A solution for every collection

• A small collection that isn’t right for us? Then we will tell you honestly what you can do with it.
• A large, extensive collection? We will make you an offer or suggest how best to market it.
• Either way: you decide in your own time, without pressure.

6. How we help you

• Send us a few photos and a short description by e-mail – the first assessment is free of charge and without obligation.
• By arrangement, we view larger collections and estates at your home – in Ulm/Neu-Ulm and throughout southern Germany.
• You receive a clear offer and decide in your own time.
• We are an online and mail-order business only, without shop premises; personal appointments by prior arrangement only.

Inherited a collection?

Write to us – the first assessment is free of charge and without obligation.