Your opinion on a nice 299

fishguts

I have bought stamps on eBay over the years and while I will say I have had my share of disappointments (never got ripped off, but some work involved in recouping my $$$ LOL), I've also had some out right steals. Just a few off the top of my head are the 393 strip mentioned in another thread, a 495 NH pr that came back as a 95 ($27), an absolutely blazing E13 NH got PF 95 ($38.50) and this one:

It came back clean OGNH from the PF and I do agree with them. It is really clean on back, the stamp is literally PO fresh and well preserved. Anyone want to take a stab at what PSE will give it? Provided they agree it is NH, what do you guys think it could get. I'm guessing an 85?? I can't see 90, but I have seen some really questionable certs lately where 90 and 95 were given out, IMO, a tad to freely. What helped me to go for it was the vignette's perfect placement in the center.

I know I'm not talking about any rarities here, but with the current economic conditions, I don't see any (or should I say too many) new stamps being added to my collection**eyes a rollin** Figured this message board would be fun to participate in.

KentuckyJ

fishguts,
I don't know what PSE will grade this but I did want to say it's nice to see your contributions to the forum

edueku

I say 85 or 90.

And about being 43 and the youngest at shows, I know the feeling, I'll be 40 Thursday, and I'm usually the youngest, other than the bored grandchildren of a stamp dealer

coinpictures

Yup. I'm 43 this week and I'm usually one of the youngest in the room. Makes you wonder where the hobby is heading.

Does anyone else sometimes wonder about paying strong money for items, when we don't know if there will be a collector base to sell to in 20, 30, or 40 years?

Also, with the vast majority of stamp dealers being in the age 60+ category, do you see a time where finding material locally or at shows is a thing of the past?

fishguts

Thanks for the welcome, Ken-j


other than the bored grandchildren of a stamp dealer Thaaaaaaaat's funny! I was gonna put something like that in the original post! LOL

I hope I'm not paying those big prices for nothing. Only time will tell??????????

By the way, check this out:

I wasn't kidding when I said I stole it! LOL This is a print out of the eBay listing. That's me, 58-les-paul (Jimmy page's guitar).

How many 131 dollar 299s do you see in NH?????????????????

And here's a 295 that I thought was a good grab.

eBay......................you just have to be careful

Matttodd1

That's a nice 299 given the price. I'm a bargain hunter too. I'd guess it would grade 80 or 85. SMQ on an 80 is still $350.

I'm 34 years old and also wonder if there will be a market for my stamps in 40 years. As for local dealers, it might be me in 30 years or so!

Matt

fishguts

An 80???!!! Boy, Matt, you're tough!

edueku

I think there will be dealers but likely more online. The shows I've gone to locally(50 miles away is the nearest) seems to be more of a get together sort of thing for the dealers. I've gone to tables where I have seen four or five of em debating about some stamp topic, and have to break them up to look at the dealers table. Honestly I haven't been for a while (couple years) because I rarely find anything I wanna buy, I find much better deals online and don't have to drive anywhere. Also I don't have sit hunched over a table looking through endless amounts of mediocre stamps, i.e. average to fine stamps priced at 80% of Scott etc. I will say I have had some interesting consverations with people there which makes it worth the drive sometimes. I may go to the big stampshow this year called Indypex in Indianapolis, it's usually big enough that there are a few new things for sale. I do tire of dealers trying to talk me in to buying junk stuff , because I seem a lot younger than I look.

coinpictures

Ahh, but there's something visceral about the thrill of the chase (and find). My primary collecting focus is esoteric enough (handstamped and printed cancels on 1st-3rd Series U.S. revenues) that I can still find gems in dealer junkboxes. Sure, if I'm looking to fill holes in my regular R1-151 collection I'm at a point where my holes are 4 figures and up, but for the cancels that's a different matter. There's nothing like finding a $100 cancel in a dealer's 50-cent box.

I would imagine that if you're collecting strictly based on grade, the odds of your finding something at a local show are much smaller.

I was at Indypex last year and will be attending again this year, since Indianapolis is only about 1.5 hours away. I hear that they are not holding it at the Convention Center due to rising costs.

fishguts

I was at the Mega in NYC @ Madison Square Garden (hard for me being a huge New Jersey Devil fan LOL). There were a few times where I found myself standing or sitting in a chair at a booth waiting...................................................................... for the "What can I help you with?" or "What can I show you?" greetings.

I'm not a wealthy guy, but I've been held hostage by Washington/Franklins and going after GENUINE flat plate coil pairs. Picked up a nice 411pr, 413pr and a 442pr both in NH w/ certs. A really great 326 as well. Three days later I get a nice genuine 442pr NH on eBay in much better centering for less than one third of the show pr. Not to mention I paid $8 to cross the GW bridge and 30 bucks to park two block from The Garden.

It's nice to see the dealers I've been buying from since the mid '80s and to hear the same gossip about the same dealers yadda yadda, but I went twice so that's 76 bucks just to be there!

Going on these hikes is getting to be more work as I get older.