We're Proud to Announce Our New Stamp and Postcard Shop!

We've been hard at work launching a new online shop where collectors can buy a wide assortment of stamps and vintage postcards to add to their collections.

We hope to become one of your main sources for wholesale stamp mixtures, individual stamps and stamp sets, ranging from classic stamps to much more recent.  We also offer a wide assortment of fine vintage postcards.  It will take us some time to get everything listed, because we have tens of thousands of stamps and postcards for sale.

From time to time we'll also be selling collectible vinyl records, cassette tapes, music memorabilia, books and audio books, magazines, paper ephemera and other collectible items.

Please check out The Old Collector whenever you're looking for these types of items!

Buying Stamps Online For Your Collection:  Some Stamp Purchasing Tips

Many stamp collectors build their collections by purchasing stamps online.  After all, it’s easy and convenient, and prices are often better.  Are you thinking about joining them and buying stamps for your collection on the Internet?  If you’ve never done it, you might be a little lost on how to go about it.  Here are a few guidelines that should help you pursue what can become an exciting avenue to add new material to your collection.

Tip Number 1:  Read the complete description and thoroughly study any and all pictures that are available.  Carefully consider these vital pieces of information about every stamp you're interested in.

How else could you learn pertinent details about a stamp such as its gum condition (never hinged, lightly hinged, hinge remnant, etc.), centering, perforation condition, and any faults (thins, tears, creases or bends)?  You’re not in a stamp shop and you don't have the stamp itself right in front of you.

Tip Number 2:  Find one or more online stamp dealers that you trust, and then stick with them.

It might take some trial and error to find them, but many reputable stamp dealers have websites.  One tipoff that indicates whether a dealer is trustworthy is the type of descriptions and stamp images the dealer’s website furnishes.  Good stamp dealers will post thorough and accurate descriptions and provide high-resolution images that accurately portray their stamps.  They also provide superior customer service by responding quickly to any questions you might have, acknowledging your order and your payment, and letting you know when your stamp order has been shipped.

Try to build an ongoing relationship with this type of stamp dealer.  You'll be able to trust the accuracy of their descriptions and pictures, and if you buy from them repeatedly, you just might get more favorable prices as well.

Tip Number 3:  When in doubt, ask questions before buying.

This will actually serve two purposes.  The first, of course, is to receive the answer to your question before you send your money.  For example, you can avoid an unpleasant surprise about a stamp’s condition by asking about it before you buy.  A reputable stamp dealer will always answer your questions honestly, even if it means losing a sale. 

You can also ask questions for a second reason:  to determine how responsive a particular dealer is.  A good online stamp dealer will respond quickly, professionally and as thoroughly as possible.  However, some stamp dealers may not respond at all, may take an undue amount of time to reply, or otherwise not provide good customer service.

Keep the first type (the good stamp dealers) on your short list of stamp sources. Don't bother ordering from the unresponsive ones.

Tip Number 4: When you find good online stamp dealers, don’t abuse them.

Recognize that good online stamp dealers are worth their weight in gold to your stamp collection.  By definition, they're trustworthy and reliable stamps sources. But in addition to those golden qualities, they will often go out of their way for you. Don't abuse this valuable relationship.

Follow these tips and you’ll be on the right path to an exciting new way to add stamps to your collection.

Buying Stamps at Wholesale Prices - Stamp Kiloware and Stamp Mixtures


When I first began collecting stamps I bought all of my stamps in low-priced mixtures. Either on-paper kiloware or off-paper stamp mixes, I didn't care which. Most of the time, those stamp mixtures I bought as a kid didn't have much in them that had any significant value, but I always hoped that there might be a nice find or two. And even when all the stamps in a particular mixture were pretty common (which didn't always happen, sometimes I did find some nice stamps worth a few bucks each), they sure did fill in a lot of holes in my stamp collection.

Filling in the "missing links" in a stamp collection is one of the main purposes of buying wholesale-priced kiloware and stamp mixtures. Sometimes those pesky holes are very common stamps that should be very easy to find, but just aren't. And sometimes you'll find nicer stamps even in a low-priced mixture: one or two of these can more than pay for the whole bunch.

If you collect used US or used foreign stamps, there's no cheaper alternative than buying stamp mixtures. Generally you'll get better mixtures when you pay more per ounce, but even high-priced mixtures are far cheaper than buying stamps individually.

Compare the mixtures you receive from different dealers - good stamp dealers will provide good quality and a lot of variety at a reasonable price. There are stamp mixtures being offered today that have good stamps in them, so shop around. When you find a stamp dealer that sells mixtures that you like, buy more from that dealer.

Stamps for Any Budget

Stamp collecting has many benefits for people of all ages. But one of the best things about collecting stamps is that it's very inexpensive to get started. The Stamp People features stamps for any budget - they sell stamps for as cheaply as a dime or fifteen cents, but they also have stamps as expensive as several hundred dollars.

The goal of The Stamp People is to sell a wide enough range of stamps that just about any stamp collector will be able to find something of interest. And they add new stamps and other philatelic items all the time. They try to make it easy for you to find stamps on their website, and all their items are listed in categories: by country, by topic, by type (covers and postal history, souvenir sheets, etc.) and other categories, and they also let you know what's new and what's on special sale at a reduced price. If you know what you're looking for you can use the search box and if you don't, you can browse the various categories. But if there's something you don't see, just send them an email: they'll quickly respond and they're worthy of your trust.

Stamp Collecting Can Yield High Gains As A Long-Term Investment

Stamp collecting, especially vintage stamps, can be an investment that steadily grows in value over the years. Stanley Gibbons, the large London stamp dealer, reported that postage stamp prices roughly doubled between 2000 and 2006. Not bad when you consider that's only 7 years. And Stanley Gibbons believes that over the last 50 years the average gain in value of postage stamps has been about 9.5% per year.

It's crucial to do business with reputable stamp dealers, especially when investment gains are one of the goals of a stamp collector. The Stamp People, an established online stamp dealer, take great pride in their integrity and provide superior customer service, thorough descriptions and accurate pictures. Visit The Stamp People today and see what they have to offer - you'll find everything from classic vintage stamps worth hundreds of dollars to inexpensive stamps priced below 20 cents each, to bulk stamp lots and wholesale priced stamp mixtures.

How to Buy Stamps

Finding free stamps is nice - you can get them from your own mail and from friends and relatives. But at some point (usually soon) those free stamps just aren't enough to satisfy you. Either you already have them or you just want to branch out into something different than what you see in the mail. Fortunately there are many ways to build your stamp collection if you're willing to spend a little money. Once you begin buying stamps, your problem will be too many stamps to choose from, and not enough money.

Stamp shops aren't as common as they used to be, even just a few years ago. They still exist, though, and there are 1,200 stamp shops in the US, with thousands more throughout the rest of the world. To see if there's a stamp shop in your town, look in the telephone yellow pages under "stamps for collectors."

Online stamp shops like The Stamp People are taking up the slack from the lower number of brick and mortar stamp shops that are still around. Online stamp dealers, like any other sellers, are generally reputable, honest and professional, and their stamp offerings are of the same quality as an in-person stamp dealer. Online stamp auctions also exist on a number of websites.

Another source of stamps are the public stamp shows that are regularly held in the US and all around the world. Some are very large, but others are much smaller with fewer dealers. The smaller shows are perhaps a better place to start: big stamp shows feature hundreds of dealers and can be a bit overwhelming unless you've been to one before. Learn where and when local stamp shows will be held by asking your stamp dealer, reading philatelic newspapers and checking stamp websites. You'll find stamps, covers and supplies at just about every stamp show, and sometimes paper ephemera and vintage postcards too.

Some stamp dealers offer mail-order stamp services: some are worldwide stamp dealers, while others are much more specialized. Some stamp dealers, including some pretty large ones, will send you stamps on approval, where you pick and keep those you want and return the rest along with your payment.

You can also buy stamps (new issues only) at any post office. Not all post offices carry every current stamp, but all should have at least a few different stamps to choose from. Some of the post offices in larger cities have a special philatelic window that serves the needs of stamp collectors. If you're lucky, one of these "retail stores" will be easy for you to get to. But don't panic if there isn't one in your area: the US Postal Service also offers a mail-order Philatelic Fulfillment Service Center. You can also buy stamps on the USPS website, located at www.usps.gov. And every country that issues stamps has its own postal administration. Many take stamp orders from collectors that are located elsewhere, and they often have websites, making it far easier for you to make purchases.

How to Sell Stamps



If you have duplicate stamps and you don't want to give them to a child or donate them to a charity, they'll just continue to accumulate. There are two solutions to this stamp collecting "problem:" if you know other stamp collectors you can trade your duplicates for other stamps that you don't already have; or you can sell them.



You can often sell stamps and covers at the same places you bought them, except for stamps that you bought at the post office (they won't buy them back). Sell them back to stamp dealers, advertise them for sale in the philatelic press, offer them for sale on an internet stamp auction, or sell them to fellow stamp collectors at stamp club meetings. You can also consign them to a stamp dealer, who will sell them for you in exchange for a commission. Be aware that most stamp dealers at stamp shows are there to buy as well as to sell stamps. When they're not busy with customers they'll be happy to take a look at what you want to sell. If the first dealer you try isn't interested, move on to the next.



Maximize the money you receive by grouping the material that's for sale and offering those groups of stamps separately rather than as a general worldwide mixture. You can group your stamps by country or by topic.



Keep in mind that the stamp Values listed in catalogs are estimated retail prices and represent what a stamp collector might have to spend to buy specific stamps in very fine condition. A stamp dealer will almost always pay less than catalog value when buying stamps - after all, dealers need to make a profit on resale. You may make more money by selling to other collectors, but it may be easier (and quicker) to sell to a dealer.



Stamp values depend on condition, the number that's available, and market demand. These factors interact with each other, and it's a matter of common sense. Condition will have less influence on the value of rare stamps because everyone wants them, even flawed copies. The high market demand together with low supply counteracts, at least to a certain degree, any faults in those rare stamps. But for stamps in large supply and/or unpopular stamps, value will be low even if they're in perfect condition.



Any questions? Just contact us, we'll be happy to help.

Duplicate Stamps - What To Do With Them?

Some stamp collectors are literally swimming in a sea of duplicates. It's easy to have happen - you buy some stamps, find out that some of them duplicate what you already have, and off go the duplicates into a box where they accumulate. It can get quite overwhelming after a while, especially if you buy large quantities of stamps (and hence have large quantities of duplicates).

What to do with all these duplicates?

There's nothing wrong with them, so they're too good to just throw away. After all, they'd be in your stamp collection but for the fact that you already own them (that's why they're duplicates). But if you don't find something to do with them they'll take over your stamp room - or even your house! A couple of ideas pop into mind:

1. give them to a child or a veteran to help them get started in this great hobby.

2. donate them to a non-profit charity. Many charities raise money for their good works by selling donated stamps - as well as stamps gathered by their volunteers from incoming mail - to stamp dealers, who then sell them to stamp collectors. For example, the folks at The Stamp People buy stamps from an assortment of different charities all the time.

It's a win-win situation - the charities raise money, and the stamp dealer gets stock.

A variation on this theme is sell the stamps directly to the stamp dealer. You can then take the money you receive from the sale and donate the cash (instead of the stamps) to the charity of your choice.

Above all, don't just throw your duplicates away - they can be put to a very good use!

Selling an Inherited Stamp Collection


As stamp dealers we often get emails that ask about that very question. The emails are often like the one below:


"About a year ago I inherited an old stamp collection from my father. We spent a long time trying to figure out what the stamps were and what they're worth, but we've given up because there are just too many stamps. After looking at your website I decided to contact you. We'd like to sell this old stamp collection, get some money for ourselves and at the same time find a home for the stamps with someone who will enjoy them."


Here are some of our thoughts on this situation:

Trying to value your stamps by using a stamp catalog is a logical first step in selling an inherited stamp collection, but it can often be very time-consuming and frustrating. It can also lead to disappointment - you need to be aware that peopple selling a stamp collection almost never get anywhere near the catalog value of their stamps. Here's why:

The value listed for a specific stamp in a stamp catalog represents what a dealer would charge you if you went to them to purchase that stamp. It is their selling price, not the price they pay when buying. And their selling price doesn't take into account any volume discounts, discounts because of past business dealings, or any other factor that might cause a stamp dealer to sell their stamps for less. For example, most of the 20 cent catalog values that you see in Scott's Standard Postage Stamp Catalog, for example, exist to compensate the dealer for his or her time and effort to secure that one stamp. In reality, many of these minimum value stamps are worth much less. But a dealer has to find them, identify them and stock them, even though they're not worth much. For stamps that have a higher catalog value, a dealer's selling price will be closer to the catalog value, simply because their catalog value is due more to their rarity than for recouping the dealer's time and overhead.

Extremely rare stamps that are in great condition can and do yield a premium value over the catalog value: they sell for more than the value listed in the catalog. But these types of stamps are very rare, and although it's possible, they aren't likely to be in Aunt Fannie's old stamp collection.

A reputable stamp dealer won't take advantage of your lack of knowledge of stamps and offer a ridiculously low price for your stamp collection. Most stamp dealers, especially those that have been in business for a long time, will offer you a fair price. But remember, the name of the game when you're a stamp dealer is to buy low and sell high when you can.

Another factor that works against a non-collector who tries to sell a stamp collection is that they tend to over-estimate the age and condition of the stamps they are trying to sell. Many stamps have to be in absolutely perfect condition to be anywhere close to their catalog value. That would include things like how well-centered the stamp is, if there are any damaged perforations, if the cancellation mark on a used stamp is light, etc. A stamp can quickly lose half of its value, if there is the slightest disturbance of the gum on the back of the stamp. Condition, condition, condition: it's everything in stamp collecting. We can't tell you how many times we've seen stamps where the person selling them has said they're in "good condition," but when we actually see them, they have tears, missing corners, holes, missing perforations, etc.

There are, however, a few thngs you can do to maximize the value of your inherited stamp collection.

1. Consider using the collection as a starting point for your own stamp collection. Stamp collecting is a hobby that can fit just about anyone's budget, and you can usually collect stamps well into your senior years because it is not physically demanding.


2. If you are determined to sell the collection you inherited, you can accept the price that was offered by a dealer. If the collection was inherited, you don't have anything invested in it, so any amount you get will be better than nothing. But try to get quotes from at least two stamp dealers before you sell.


3. If you think the collection has one or more rare stamps, meaning a stamp with a catalog value of more than $250 or so, you could send them off to be expertized. Expertizing is the process by which a philatelic expert will evaluate the stamp by determining if it is genuine and give a definitive opinion on exactly which stamp it is (some stamps have many, many different varieties, in which case it can be very difficult to determine which variety a particular stamp is. Some of those varieties may be valuable, but others may be very inexpensive, even though the stamps may look the same to a non-expert.) Some services will also grade the stamp by evaluating key aspects of the stamp: is it centered on the paper, is the paper in good condition, are the colors bold, etc. But most expertizers will not give an estimate of the stamp's value, they just look at its condition and whether it's a forgery or not. Expertizing services are not free, so you don't want to have it done for every stamp you own. Typically you'd want to expertize only those stamps that may be of significant value.


4. Sell the collection on a stamp auction site. You can sell the collection yourself or you can consign it to someone to sell it for you. If you sell it yourself, you'll make more money because you won't pay a consignment fee, but you'll have to spend some significant amount of time taking pictures of the collection and writing a careful, thorough and accurate description.


5. Consider donating the stamp collection to a charity. Many stamp magazines include ads from recognized charities that request donations of stamps. And local charities such as veterans' hospitals, schools and senior citizen centers might be interested. Be sure to check with a tax consultant regarding the tax implications of donating a stamp collection. Some donations are tax deductible, some are not, and some may trigger additional taxes; it all depends on your individual tax situation.

Oh, and one last thing. We get emails all the time from people who want to sell a "huge" or "very large" stamp collection they just inherited. When we ask how large it is, the person says "there must be at least a couple of hundred stamps in there, but they're too many to count." Well, no offense intended, but that number isn't "huge" or "very large" - in fact it's a very tiny stamp collection and most stamp dealers wouldn't even bother to look at it unless they knew that it contained rare stamps.

How To Sell A Large Stamp Collection

Typically, the sale price of a large stamp collection is based almost strictly on the quality and value of only the better stamps. A stamp dealer will not be willing to pay more than a fair percentage of the retail sale value of those better stamps, and probably less unless he or she has an opportunity to carefully inspect the collection in person. This is why it's always better to take or ship your stamp collection to a dealer before selling it - it may be inconvenient to do so, but the offer you then receive may in turn be much higher.

No one would pay much for the cheaper stamps in a collection (even if there are 10's of thousands of them) because they are just not economic for a dealer to process and resell. It can take just as long to process a stamp that's worth 10 cents as a stamp that's worth 100 dollars. A good auction house or stamp dealer will sell the best stamps as individual lots and then sell the balance of the collection (the inexpensive stamps) as one or more lots.

Selling directly on eBay is always a possibility, but because the bidders can only see a few pictures of the collection and not the actual stamps themselves, the price fetched for your stamp collection may be disappointing.

If using an auction assistant on eBay, avoid those who do not specifically specialize in stamps, especially if they may not have the necessary equipment (a scanner), experience and knowledge to properly identify or describe stamps and are not able to produce high quality (but fast loading) scans. Finally, eBay and PayPal fees make it difficult to profitably sell lower cost stamps.

You might also consider having a handful of your better stamps graded or expertized. The bidding may (or may not) go as high as you hoped just on the weight of a few really desirable "highlights". This would be a likely advantage whether you sell via ebay or through a "real life" auction house. This way the buyer can feel like they are buying some high quality, specific items, and essentially getting the rest as a bonus.

I know, some of these suggestions cost both time and money, but sometimes you have to spend a little to make more.

The Challenge of Collecting Postally Used Stamps: Part 1

We all know that stamp collecting can be fun and rewarding (and rewarding in more ways than one). And, sometimes, it can be challenging too - trying to "fill a hole" in a stamp collection isn't always easy to do.

But most challenging of all is collecting stamps that have actually been used in the mail - what we call "postally used" stamps. After all, if you have enough money, you can usually find mint never hinged or mint hinged stamps for your stamp collection - that's what most dealers focus on selling, and what most dealers carry as their stock. With most stamp dealers, you'll find plenty of unused stamps and some postally used stamps - but only the expensive used stamps. You won't find inexpensive used stamps at most stamp shops, or for that matter, at most online stamp dealers' websites either.

This fact can make it difficult to fill out some "missing links" in a collection - often, it is more difficult to find an inexpensive postally used stamp than its unused counterpart. And the situation is compounded when you're trying to put together a postally used complete set of one of the large sets of definitive stamps or commemorative stamps that some countries have issued.

We'll talk about some specific examples of challenges in collecting used stamps over the next few days. In the meantime, if you're looking for specific postally used stamps or sets (or mint, unused stamps, for that matter), have a look at The Stamp People They sell everything from minimum value stamps (individually identified and priced) to kiloware and off paper stamp mixtures, to classic, vintage stamps (mint and used).

Help for Stamp Collectors - Philatelic Societies & Local Stamp Clubs

One of the most valuable assets a stamp collector can have is a reputable, trustworthy, reliable stamp dealer. A good stamp dealer will work with you and go out of his or her way to help you build your stamp collection. A stamp dealer like that will also cheerfully answer questions, help you identify "toughies," look for specific stamps that you want, and otherwise act as a great stamp resource.

Other types of help are also available. Some of the best resources are philatelic societies and local stamp clubs.

For American stamp collectors, the "Great-Great-Granddaddy" of all philatelic societies is the American Philatelic Society (the "APS"). Take a look at their website. There's a wealth of information there and it's not expensive to join.

More specialized societies also exist. Three that come quickly to mind are the Plate Number Coil Collectors Club ("PNC3"), the American Plate Numbers Singles Society ("APNSS") and the American Topical Association ("ATA"). Hundreds of additional specialty stamp societies exist.

Local stamp clubs can also be a wealth of information as well as camaraderie. They allow stamp collectors to get together in person for informative meetings (often including presentations by the members), exhibitions and stamp bourses. Check your local area to see if there's a stamp club. If there is, join it.

Buying Stamps Online For Your Collection - Some Stamp Purchasing Tips

Are you wondering how to go about purchasing stamps online? Here are a few guidelines.

Tip Number 1 for Buying a Stamp Online: Read the complete description and study any and all pictures that are available. Carefully consider these vital pieces of information about the stamps you're interested in.

How else could you learn pertinent details such as gum condition (never hinged, lightly hinged, hinge remnant, etc.), centering, perforation condition, any faults (thins, tears, creases or bends)? After all, you don't have the stamp itself right in front of you.


Tip Number 2: Find an online stamp dealer (or a few stamp dealers) that you trust, and stick with them.

Good online stamp dealers will post thorough and accurate descriptions and provide pictures that accurately portray their stamps. They also will provide superior customer service: they'll respond quickly to any questions you might have, acknowledge your order and your payment, and let you know when your order has shipped.

Try to build an ongoing relationship with this type of stamp dealer. You'll be able to trust the accuracy of their descriptions and pictures, and if you buy from them again and again, you just might get more favorable prices, too.


Tip Number 3: When in doubt, ask questions before buying.

This will actually serve two purposes. The first, of course, is to get the answer to your question before you buy (rather than finding out after your purchase). But you can also ask questions for another reason: to determine how responsive a dealer is. A good online stamp dealer will respond quickly, professionally and as thoroughly as possible. Some other stamp dealer may not respond at all, may take an undue amount of time to reply, or otherwise not provide good customer service.

Keep the first type (the good stamp dealers) on your short list of stamp sources. Don't bother ordering from the unresponsive ones.


Tip Number 4: When you find good online stamp dealers, cherish them.

Recognize that good online stamp dealers are worth their weight in gold to your stamp collection. By definition they're trustworthy and reliable stamps sources. But in addition to those golden qualities, they will often go out of their way for you. Don't abuse this valuable relationship.