You inherited a stamp collection and have no idea what it is worth?

We help you with some rough-and-ready rules:

The best information is to tell us about the former owner. If he invested much money in his collection, it is generally worth something; if only little money was spent on it, the value is small.

Generally of little value are: First Day Covers and First Day Souvenir Sheets (even if they fill several large packing cases), collections put together by children, collections consisting of only modern German issues (from ca. 1960 upwards), collections composed exclusively of stamps from the daily correspondence.

Thematic collections

Thematic collections (e. g. soccer world championships, Olympic Games, Walt Disney), which were usually bought for much money by subscription are almost worthless, as a rule you can count 25—50 € per full album.

Country collections

Country collections with issues from ca. 1960 upwards do not make you rich, but if it is a bulky collection it is the volume that counts. Collections with older stamps can but need not necessarily be valuable. The oldest stamps have no perforation — they are imperforate — and again these stamps can be more valuable, but need not always be so. The normal values needed for the letter postage mostly exist in masses, although they are 150 and sometimes even more years old.

Certificates

Today expensive stamps are usually sold with a certificate delivered by an expert. If you find such certificates in a collection, it is an indication that the collection might be valuable. Reversely the absence of such certificates does not necessarily mean anything since in earlier years certificates were delivered only in rare cases, and many collections have been slumbering peacefully for many many years.

Illustrated, pre-printed album

If the collection was built alongside an illustrated pre-printed album this is again a hint that we have to do with a serious collector. The same can be concluded if in a collection you find invoices or lot cards from auction houses.