Finding the Value of a Stamp Without Using a Catalog – Part II

From our previous blog we gave you tips on how to start figuring out how to describe your stamp so you can search online stamp auctions to see how much people might be willing to pay for what you have. Once you have determined the relative age of the stamp, next, you need to know if it is a definitive stamp, which is your generally run-of-the-mill, day-to-day, workhorse stamp. These are printed in big repetitive sheets that repeat the stamp over and over again. Is it a commemorative stamp? Commemorative stamps are generally more than twice the size of ordinary stamps and usually printed to commemorate special events.

Now you need to decide if it is used or unused (also sometimes called "mint". For the most part these will have different values. Used stamps generally have a cancellation on them or were at one time stuck on a letter, card, or package. Mint stamps will still have some of the original gum on the back.

Even with all this information, you still need other information to narrow down your search. The denomination of the stamp is important as is what is depicted on the stamp. Many stamps from the 19th Century have either George Washington or Benjamin Franklin on them.
OK, with this information you are ready to search and see what some people are willing to pay for your stamp. You might want to search for "19th Century, unused, George Washington" or maybe "Elvis, 29 cent, commemorative stamp". In the matter of minutes, you can then easily see what some people are willing to pay for your stamp!