How much is it worth?

[gabriel 1 10]

Hi all

 

As I am self employed I get time on a regular basis to work on my collection at my business, this basically in full view of customers coming in and out of the store. There is not a week that goes by that customers approach me with the following taking place:

 

"Oh, you collect stamps"

"Mmm"

"How much are they worth"

Depending on my mood the response varies between millions to "I don't know"

 

Then the nightmare begins

 

"I have alot of stamps that my Father left me"

"Okay, that's nice"

"They are very old"

"Hmmm"

"Can you tell me what they are worth?"

"Probably", Big mistake

 

I have looked at crumpled up stamps in old supermarket packets, stamps in albums with no particular order, stuck down with super glue, stamps ripped off envelopes, torn, cut, you name it and at the end of the day not one worth a cent.

 

Then comes crunch time

 

"So, what are they worth?"

"Nothing"

"Why not"

 

I think that I am going to have the response to this question printed and patented, I could just hand it out and save my breath, the answer on most occassions is in any case viewed with disbelief. Often the stamps are grabbed and a angry departure is made, it is now my fault that the bag of stamps, only about 15 years old, that are torn and crumpled up and that have been with utmost care, stored in the bottom of a box of other junk in the garage are now worth nothing.

 

This weekend I had the pleasure of veiwing 21 postcards sent whilst on holiday in various far off places to **** from Tom and his wife Harry.

 

"Look, this one is from Hong Kong and it has a Hong Kong stamp as well"

"Hmm, that's unusual"

"So, what's it worth?"

*** help me

 

My response should be, "Who the hell are you and Tom and what possible historical event can we extract from your stupid postcard from Hong Kong" but that would be mean and I start to explain the in's and out's of Philately.

 

Regards

Gabriel1

[dstorm 10]

Hello All

Very interesting and yet so familiar.

I also have to endure it about twice a week.

Not asking: “How can I expand this collection?”. No, simply how much is it worth?

And when they get the bad news, it is all but anger at the poor messenger. As if I am the one who tore the 8c RSA stamps (produced by the millions) from the envelopes.

And then they play their trump card: “Now YOU tell me which stamps are worth a lot of money!”.

What can I tell them? What will they understand? A Cyprus Perf 11? A Penny Red with a re-entry? A proof of the SWA K2? A mint QV Pound?

I have learned to be very diplomatic - that is why I smoke a lot.

Regards

Jacques

[mellowred 10]

I have no idea about stamp collecting but just love this bit . Am going to use it myself.

 

I have learned to be very diplomatic - that is why I smoke a lot.

 

Regards

 

Jacques

 

PS : I have a couple of old postcards laying about in my little shop ..... !

[kennyn 10]

Hello Jacques

You should change your "motto" from "Philately starts where the catalogue stops" to "Diplomacy stops where the catalogue starts"

Cheers

Kenny

[dstorm 10]

Hello Mellored

 

I have a couple of old postcards laying about in my little shop .....

 

Send them by courier to Gabriel1, using the "receiver to pay fees" option.

 

Regards

 

Jacques

[gabriel 1 10]

You guys are so funny

[mellowred 10]

Hi Jacques

 

Didn't know about the "receiver to pay fees" option.

 

So, Gabriel1 may I send them COD too?

 

First have to discuss diplomacy over a ciggie or five with Jacques while he values them .

[seahorsefanatic 10]

Jacques - what about some Homeland Grasses or Rhino's lets not mention Machins or I will get out my garlic, silver bullets and sharpened steak - thats not medium-rare either !!!!

 

This will always be the case where the public cross the philatelic path often trodden by us but unfamiliar to them. Stories are plentiful of collections obtained and embelished with the trimmings of " old grandad's " collection which has been in the attic for 100 years or must be worth a fortune because the new owner of the collection has had the history of the collection added to with anecdotes of richness and scarcity by family members who also profess to be experts. This is then compounded by vendors who take this further with " scarce, never seen before, first time ever offered, etc.

 

In conclusion, Jacques Kenny and Steven - the solution can be expressed mathimatically:

 

Member of Public + Collection + Diatribe = Wiskey + Cigarettes + Patience

 

Viva Philately Viva

[dstorm 10]

Hello David

 

I quote:

Member of Public + Collection + Diatribe = Wiskey + Cigarettes + Patience

.

The beauty of it all is that we are allowed to differ!

 

I think that Whisky + Cigarettes = Patience or

Patience = Cigarettes + Whisky.

 

Nearly clobbered many a true philatelist today, including the Vice-Chairman of some obscure sub-region.

 

The sad part is that I always wanted to be a VICE chairman (sounds like so much fun…)

 

Regards

 

Jacques