Value of unpostmarked stamps

bcachot

Is a lone, unused/mint stamp that has no postmark always worth at least it's face value? Also, does a stamp that has no postmark but has been removed from an envelope (ie no gum) going to have a value in between a mint and postmarked or is it more complicated? Thanks.

StampAlarm

An unused stamp is going to be worth it's face value for postage. An unused stamp that has been removed from an envelope can still be used for postage...face value. Collector value would depend on the stamp obviously. With a stamp that has collector value the gum being absent would devalue it.



Jerry

dougwtx

For awhile there I thought Jerry was speaking to himself again. The two identical avatars got me confused, until I looked at the usernames.

bcachot

<< <i>An unused stamp is going to be worth it's face value for postage. An unused stamp that has been removed from an envelope can still be used for postage...face value. Collector value would depend on the stamp obviously. With a stamp that has collector value the gum being absent would devalue it.

Jerry >>



So Jerry, is it possible for a mint stamp to be worth LESS than face value to a COLLECTOR? Just trying to get a feel for the basics of how stamp values work since I couldnt find any good general discussion about this on the Web.

Berty

KentuckyJ

Old thread on this same subject

As Jerry pointed out, you have the postage value but often little more than that, sometimes even less.

KJ

StampAlarm

bcachot, "...worth Less than face value to a COLLECTOR?" Throw that out the window and insert....bought Less than face value by a COLLECTOR.

If there is a common stamp from a few years ago I want and the P.O. no longer has for sale I might end up paying $1 - $2 for a 32 cent stamp. On the other hand, I might win/buy a $1000 mint/unused Fave Value lot for $750 and there might be 3 sheets of the same stamp that I was going to have to pay a dollar + for.



Jerry