beezy07
**Member** 
Inactive
wondering if I should focus on collecting in just one certain area for now....hmmmm.. 🤔
Posts: 43 
What I collect: Anything that catches my eye!
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Post by beezy07 on Sept 19, 2018 10:07:16 GMT
Hey guys. I recently ordered about.....1,000 😖 stamps from Ebay. Lol. Any ideas or suggestions of reputable places to purchase stamps for collecting besides this? I'd like to know how some of you acquire your collections. Also I can't sell or trade yet but in the mean time if you're looking for something specific let me know and when able maybe we can trade and or sell to each other.
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Beryllium Guy
Moderator 
Posts: 5,912
What I collect: Worldwide Stamps 1840-1930
Member is Online
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Post by Beryllium Guy on Sept 19, 2018 10:31:36 GMT
Hey guys. I recently ordered about.....1,000 😖 stamps from Ebay. Lol. Any ideas or suggestions of reputable places to purchase stamps for collecting besides this? I'd like to know how some of you acquire your collections. Also I can't sell or trade yet but in the mean time if you're looking for something specific let me know and when able maybe we can trade and or sell to each other. Hello, Beezy, and thanks for your post! I think you will find that most of the members here also primarily use eBay for stamp purchases. That said, there is also Hipstamp (https://www.hipstamp.com/) and the APS Stamp Store (https://stamps.org/StampStore), but those places seem to sell more individual stamps than large lots. Personally, I have used eBay on occasion in the past, but have not been 100% satisfied with my experiences, so I make acquisitions by other means. I like to travel, and when I do, I still visit stamp stores or stamp shows whenever possible. Shows are excellent places to buy stamps. I have purchased from the APS Stamp Store, and I have been generally happy with that, as I can readily return any item within 30 days when it is not as described. I have also purchased stamps through the classified ads in Linn's Stamp News (https://www.linns.com/). If you are not familiar with this publication, you might want to consider a trial subscription. There are lots of ads in there for stamps from both dealers and other collectors. This is not at all a comprehensive response, but hopefully it helps a little. Have fun! |
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beezy07
**Member**
Inactive
wondering if I should focus on collecting in just one certain area for now....hmmmm.. 🤔
Posts: 43
What I collect: Anything that catches my eye!
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Post by beezy07 on Sept 19, 2018 11:02:51 GMT
Thanks bro. I appreciate that. The individual stamp buying thing I guess when I get a little more comfortable and figure out what interests me buying one particular stamp might be good. I think I might stop by the stamp club there's one here in Leesburg so maybe I'll check them out. Any leads on finding auctions or shows rather? Like is there a list on line somewhere that's open to the public or whatever? I made that large purchase because I know not every stamp is worth big bucks but variety is important I imagine. Or maybe not I don't know anything. Lol
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Admin
Administrator 
Posts: 2,676
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Post by Admin on Sept 19, 2018 11:37:21 GMT
T...Any leads on finding auctions or shows rather? Like is there a list on line somewhere that's open to the public or whatever? ... You can search the shows listed on the APS website here. StampAuctionNetwork has quite a few auction listings. |
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beezy07
**Member**
Inactive
wondering if I should focus on collecting in just one certain area for now....hmmmm.. 🤔
Posts: 43
What I collect: Anything that catches my eye!
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Post by beezy07 on Sept 19, 2018 17:48:05 GMT
Thanks admin. I think I know where to find what you're talking about. I'm gonna check it out. Us like to see if there are any shows near me or in Florida in general.
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tomiseksj
Moderator
Woodbridge, Virginia, USA
Posts: 6,385
What I collect: Worldwide stamps/covers, Cinderellas, Ohio Prepaid Sales Tax Receipts, U.S. WWII Ration ephemera
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Post by tomiseksj on Sept 19, 2018 18:17:58 GMT
... like to see if there are any shows near me or in Florida in general. The FLOREX show in Kissimmee runs from Nov 30 to Dec 2.  |
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beezy07
**Member**
Inactive
wondering if I should focus on collecting in just one certain area for now....hmmmm.. 🤔
Posts: 43
What I collect: Anything that catches my eye!
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Post by beezy07 on Sept 20, 2018 0:02:39 GMT
Thanks!! I think I went on it when I woke up but fell back to sleep. Lol. Love that day off. Anywho thanks for listing that show. I lived in Kissimmee for a short time. Its about an hour or so from my house. I'll have to definitely check that one out
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zipper
Member 
Posts: 2,649
What I collect: Classic GB, QV, France Ceres/Napoleon, Classic U.S., Cinderella & Poster Stamps
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Post by zipper on Sept 20, 2018 3:06:52 GMT
Stamporama has stamp sales.
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Post by jimwentzell on Sept 20, 2018 12:39:42 GMT
hi breezy!
Central Florida should have a few stamp shows each year, and also several stamp clubs. As you might find out about any meetings from the web, DO check to make sure that the same meeting place and time is correct. Otherwise you might be wasting time and gas showing up at a meeting that has since moved or been rescheduled. Some websites or lists are very outdated.
Don't be too rushed getting stamps, they will always be available as previous responders to your post advised. Some collectors also join "circuits" where your name gets put on a list and others send stamps to you and you are expected to send similar value in return or forward to the next name on the list. This might not be the best for yours as you're newer and may not have "desirable" material, but some trading or circuit groups do accept or encourage newer collectors. Ask, and carefully read what is expected of you. Sometimes pen-pals also send each other stamps.
Then of course our TSF family can be very generous with duplicates etc., but be aware many collectors are asked repeatedly for stamps from people all over, often posing as new collectors. They offer nothing in return except more and more requests. For instance, if someone from Asia (or anywhere else, really) were to expect collectors in North America or Europe, for example, to send them their duplicate stamps, there might be more repeat, cooperative senders if a postcard with a couple current colorful stamps from their own country were offered as a thank-you in return. One-sided exchanges are not repeat exchanges!
On eBay you're always going to find almost anything but a true treasure worth real money is likely NOT to be found--at least until you become an intermediate or advanced collector and can spot the scarcer watermarked or perforated varieties. Even then. for every truly valuable find there are likely dozens, if not hundreds, of slightly disappointed or otherwise overly-optimistically described lots.
Remember, you get what you pay for. And on eBay (or elsewhere) you sometimes get LESS than you pay for!
Meanwhile let all your friends and family know you are now a philatelist, and you can leave your name with thrift or charity shopkeepers and ask to call you when interesting stamps or letters and postcards come in. Garage sales, flea markets, or "boot" sales are good places to browse for stamps as well. I've often found quite nice material for not a lot of money at such places, and I've collected for nearly 49 years now!
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janetc
Member
Inactive
Posts: 320 
What I collect: US and WW. Lighthouses, Dragons and Christmas
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Post by janetc on Dec 13, 2018 20:25:47 GMT
I watch the local newspapers and Free trader paper for estate auctions and sales. They sometimes list collectibles such as stamps, coins, etc. Not sure about where you live but here in my part of Texas if there is an estate sale it usually runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Sunday is usually half price so they don't have to haul the remainder off. I have picked up some pretty good deals that way. They usually want you to buy the whole box or boxes of stamp stuff. Which is OK with me. I just sell what I don't want on ebay or at a friend's flea market.
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renden
Member
Posts: 9,162
What I collect: Canada-USA-France-Lithuania-Austria--Germany-Mauritius-French Colonies in Africa
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Post by renden on Dec 13, 2018 20:46:19 GMT
I watch the local newspapers and Free trader paper for estate auctions and sales. They sometimes list collectibles such as stamps, coins, etc. Not sure about where you live but here in my part of Texas if there is an estate sale it usually runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Sunday is usually half price so they don't have to haul the remainder off. I have picked up some pretty good deals that way. They usually want you to buy the whole box or boxes of stamp stuff. Which is OK with me. I just sell what I don't want on ebay or at a friend's flea market. Texas is Texas....here in the Maritimes (Provinces) no such thing.....we are the mercy of Auctions, Ebay etc........ René |
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rkelly
**Member**
Inactive
Posts: 13
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Post by rkelly on Dec 17, 2018 15:52:04 GMT
I use a few shops mostly and stamp Fairs i've tended to shy away from ebay.
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beaverstamps
**Member**
Inactive
Retired
Posts: 21
What I collect: Hunting & Fishing, US 19th Century
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Post by beaverstamps on Dec 17, 2018 17:48:12 GMT
Word of mouth works best. Let people know you collect. Go to a club meeting or show and get some copies of Linn's Stamp News or the APS monthly mag. Mail sales, shows and traders are listed. When I hit fifty posts I'll be trying to sell or trade some of my accumulation. I like to trade for fishing and hunting items. For now I'm sticking pretty much to eBay for selling. It's not as good as it used to be. RB aka beaverstamps
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Post by sherro on Dec 23, 2018 13:16:21 GMT
I'd appreciate some recommendations for dealer sites in the US. I have quite a large list of bookmarks for dealers all over the world, but almost none from the US.
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kgvistamps
Member
Posts: 201
What I collect: British Colonies - King George VI from all countries and King Edward VII & King George V from the West Indies.
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Post by kgvistamps on Dec 23, 2018 13:34:41 GMT
Regarding dealer sites, it might help if you indicate what you collect. (U.S., Canada, British Colonies, French Colonies, Worldwide, etc)
For those who collect British Colonies, I have a page: Links to British Colonial Stamp Sites. It has links to dealers, auction sites, societies, and other resources that might be useful to collectors of British Colonies.
I also sell stamps and have all my inventory on this site. Currently this is over 38,000 listing of individual stamps and sets.
Unfortunately there are no pictures, but you can select any stamp and I will scan it and send it to you before you decide to make a purchase.
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Post by sherro on Dec 23, 2018 13:36:23 GMT
I should have been clearer, I need the sites more for reference than purchasing
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Beryllium Guy
Moderator
Posts: 5,912
What I collect: Worldwide Stamps 1840-1930
Member is Online
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Post by Beryllium Guy on Dec 23, 2018 14:12:41 GMT
I should have been clearer, I need the sites more for reference than purchasing OK, Dave, if you are looking for references to get ideas on pricing of individual stamps and sets, and general availability/abundance of certain items, here are two good ones in the US. These were already mentioned earlier in this thread, so you might want to review the earlier posts if you have not already done so. Beryllium Guy wrote: That said, there is also Hipstamp (https://www.hipstamp.com/) and the APS Stamp Store (https://stamps.org/StampStore), but those places seem to sell more individual stamps than large lots. Read more: thestampforum.boards.net/thread/5673/stamp-purchasing#ixzz5aW3iT8xe |
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Post by sherro on Dec 24, 2018 0:39:10 GMT
Thanks, but I read that. I currently sell on Hipstamp and am a member of the APS. Dealer sites better reflect market prices and help with pricing items for sale
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