Is stamp collecting still a thing here?

Posted by ChelseaMourning@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 35 comments

I’m clearing out my belongings from the garage (divorce) and as the family historian, I’ve ended up accumulating an absolute shit load of photos going back 100 years from both sides of the family, along with what appears to be my Nana’s stamp collection from the 60s. Mostly loose with the gum still intact.

There’s 100s of the buggers and I have absolutely no idea if they’re worth keeping, selling or just chucking in then bin. I haven’t got the time or inclination to go through them all individually. I just wondered if philately was still a thing. I don’t hear anyone talking about it anymore.

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IndividualCurious322@reddit

It's still a big thing.

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CatsCoffeeCurls@reddit

It is and my local collectors fairs are still well-visited. I'm assuming this is 60s Great Britain? See screenshot below for a general idea (2017 Scott catalogue, $USD). There's some very high value error stamps in the decade, but for the most part it's not particularly desirable stuff and most have a catalogue value in pennies. No major difference in value between mint condition and used condition.

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ChelseaMourning@reddit (OP)

Thanks for this. They’re mostly international stamps from post war to about 1968. I’ll have to do some digging.

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CatsCoffeeCurls@reddit

Chinese stamps in mint condition from the late 50s and early 60s are probably the ones to look for here. Not life changing money, but worth the hassle of selling especially if there are complete sets. As a very general rule, the higher the face value on the stamp itself, the higher the collector appeal. Eg for British stamps the penny ones aren't much, but shilling and above tend to be more desirable.

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ChelseaMourning@reddit (OP)

I looked this one up and apparently it commemorates the CCP coming into power. Showed my friend from Hong Kong. He wasn’t into it.

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CatsCoffeeCurls@reddit

East China local variant most likely 5L71 with all those perforations on the side, but a huge amount of different paper and cuts was seen around that time and that's not just a Chinese thing. Very common series: Train and Runner 1949 shortly after they established the provincial post office.

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ItsDominare@reddit

I work in home insurance and we have several thousand customers with a stamp collection insured on their policy, so it must still be relatively popular.

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Alternative-Bed3802@reddit

If you happen to find one of these Black penny stamps you'll be in for big return, So look carefully and do a wee bit of research before you get rid of any stamps. Good luck🍀

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notouttolunch@reddit

Actually, a particular variant of the penny lilac is more valuable! And this is the one I have, the only valuable stamp I have!

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Alternative-Bed3802@reddit

Nice

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ChelseaMourning@reddit (OP)

Most of them seem to be commemorative stamps from around the world from the 1930s-60s. I doubt I’ll be lucky enough to find a penny black!

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fourlegsfaster@reddit

I collect stamps, most have little monetary value, auction houses will sell for you.

Any GB commemorative stamps post-decimalisation can still be used on mail.

Machins - the stamps with just the queens head on can still be swapped out for stamps with a barcode on. You can print out a form from the Royal Mail website.

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getoutmywayatonce@reddit

They’re worth going through tbh. If you really and truly can’t be bothered/don’t have time to go anywhere or manually examine them all just lay them all out and take high quality photos of them in groups clear enough so someone else could zoom in and identify each one. List them as a clearance lot with all the pics on eBay as an auction, and if interest and bids start rolling in you know people have probably seen something in there that’s worth you going through them properly to identify what’s caught their eye. There’s the facility to pull the auction with more than 12 or 24 hours left if you find a goldmine (don’t remember) or if the activity is high it’ll probably sell for a decent price on its own tbh.

Feels like of a scumbag move but it’s part of the game with collecting stuff by scouring job lots for a bargain. I go through jewellery lots and often when something looks of value or I noticed a hallmark (hence why I made a bid) the auction ended early as the seller had obviously realised it shouldn’t be priced as junk lol

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ChelseaMourning@reddit (OP)

I might use my evenings to picture and upload some and see what happens. It’s been a while since I used eBay.

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cap_time_wear_it@reddit

There is a YouTuber, Curiosity Inc-Alex Archbold that might buy them from you. He is interested in antiques, including ephemera.

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Fragrant_Ad3224@reddit

It was quite popular when I was a kid / teenager (70s & 80s), there was even a school stamp club. Of course it is no where near as popular these days - especially amongst young people. Its a shame because when you get into stamp collecting you end up learning so much peripheral stuff, way more (at least for me) than school can teach you. History in particular but also things like currencies, flags, political geography (maps, contested territories etc). Then there is the general simple fun of research and the thrill of a treasure hunt. It really is (well was) a brilliant and valuable hobby.

Oh hum - Tik Tok wins I suppose.

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buy_me_a_pint@reddit

I remember there being a stamp collect club in school (year 3)

Someone got the wrong end of the stick and thought the teacher meant savers stamps from supermarkets

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buy_me_a_pint@reddit

I still got my stamp album but have not looked it in years

I do collect postcards, every place I visit I try to buy at least two or three postcards.

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nourthensoul@reddit

My neighbours family sold their father's stamp collection to the late Queen for £8m to cover death duties. So yes, you could get lucky.

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daydreamingtulip@reddit

My mum collected stamps (first day covers) for years as she was told they’d be valuable. A couple months ago she got them valued and they are worth pretty much nothing. She’s gutted

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DameKumquat@reddit

If they're from the 1960s that's probably old enough to be interesting, but maybe a quid per stamp?

You can get a quick idea from looking on eBay. I asked Stanley Gibbons about a bunch of 70s stamps and they told me I'd get better from eBay - people like stamps with themes like birds or sports, in particular.

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SunJay333@reddit

I'm 18 and I've been collecting stamps since I was about 14. I inherited my family's collection, dating back to as far as the 1940s. Definitely still some of us out here!

I also collect postcards and do this thing called Postcrossing. Lots of stamp collectors on there too :]

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EvaM87@reddit

It ia still a thing thpugh you will need to find somebody knowlegeable to go through them.

If you don't want to bother then don't throw them away, several charities collect them, for example:

https://www.mssociety.org.uk/get-involved/give-in-other-ways/recycle-your-stationery

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Time-Mode-9@reddit

Your know what they say: philately Will get you nowhere.

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GeggingIn@reddit

My Dad still collects stamps. Some are worth an absolute fortune and most, although interesting are not worth not very much.

Would make some effort to find out before you bin them

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Dutch_Slim@reddit

Absolutely 100% agree, especially unused ones. That’s where the value will typically lie - in the unmarked ones.

Also the child of a stamp collector! 😊

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catzrob89@reddit

Take them to Stanley Gibbons (or call them up and ask how to get them assessed). They probably aren't worth much, but you never know. And it might be a few hundred quid rather than £1.87.

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soundman32@reddit

Stanley Gibbons love to tell you your stamps are worth something, mainly to sell you a catalogue. In reality, unless you have a complete, unstamped set, they are almost worthless.

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egismzkobv@reddit

My work colleague ( retired now) still collects, has thousands of them, some worth few bills, some less, normally gets them in the market. I think its more of the older generation thing now. You would not see a teenager going through stamps in Saturday market :D

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AcrobaticAuthor6539@reddit

It's still a thing.

You can see if an auction house will take it to sell. Tennants up in Yorkshire frequently sells stamp collections. They'll tell you roughly what it's worth, and then people who are looking for certain things follow the auctions.

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