Best estate sale pick up ever!

pab1969 · August 19, 2021 4:10PM

I couldn't believe my eyes. I found these gems in a box full of covers, blocks, and very old U.S. stamps from a massive collection. I have been collecting for over 40 years and could never afford them but thank god people don't care for stamps anymore.

291fifth · August 20, 2021 3:10PM

I sounds like the heirs just wanted to get rid of the collection. That was quite a find. Those still have value and demand.

JBK · August 21, 2021 3:54AM

Can you give an idea of what those three are worth?

pab1969 · August 21, 2021 7:50AM

@JBK said:
Can you give an idea of what those three are worth?

I know the values have dropped on all stamps in general since the 80's but I could never afford this set when I as a kid. I don't know the current values, I guess I could check eBay sold prices, but they are still very desirable stamps. To me, they are priceless.

291fifth · August 21, 2021 12:57PM

All three of the Zeps appear to be very nice examples. A well matched used set!

pab1969 · August 22, 2021 12:20AM

@291fifth said:
All three of the Zeps appear to be very nice examples. A well matched used set!

I just transferred them from that page into my collection and the backs are beautiful as well.

Gansetttime · August 22, 2021 3:48PM

@JBK said:
Can you give an idea of what those three are worth?

$850-$900. Beautiful set you picked up!

JBK · August 22, 2021 4:32PM

Wow!

pab1969 · August 23, 2021 2:07PM

@Gansetttime said:

@JBK said:
Can you give an idea of what those three are worth?

$850-$900. Beautiful set you picked up!

@JBK said:
Wow!

Thank you guys. I go to estate sales every week and when there are U.S. stamp collections for sale I check the first few pages (for the rare old stuff) and then flip to the airmail section to see if they have the zeppelins. I am keeping my fingers crossed on finding a MNH pair. That would be sweet. If I find another used pair, I will sell them. This collection filled a few key holes in my set including Scott #9, 229, 311 and 312. All beautiful used examples. Not bad for $35.

Gansetttime · August 24, 2021 4:47AM

@pab1969 said:

@Gansetttime said:

@JBK said:
Can you give an idea of what those three are worth?

$850-$900. Beautiful set you picked up!

@JBK said:
Wow!

Thank you guys. I go to estate sales every week and when there are U.S. stamp collections for sale I check the first few pages (for the rare old stuff) and then flip to the airmail section to see if they have the zeppelins. I am keeping my fingers crossed on finding a MNH pair. That would be sweet. If I find another used pair, I will sell them. This collection filled a few key holes in my set including Scott #9, 229, 311 and 312. All beautiful used examples. Not bad for $35.

Glad to hear you picked up more nice numbers. Care to share some more pictures?

pab1969 · August 24, 2021 7:53AM

Glad to hear you picked up more nice numbers. Care to share some more pictures?

Sure. There is so much stuff that I am trying to organize. An entire stock book full of 1800-early 1900 stamps, 3 bags of covers, postcards and letters 1800's through 1940. here are just a sample of the collection. thanks again for your interest.

Added to my collection, a few key stamps I needed for a long time:

Gansetttime · August 24, 2021 3:28PM

Thanks for sharing more pictures!
Quite possible there will be something good in that covers lot, especially when one considers what you found in the regular stamps.

pab1969 · August 24, 2021 11:29PM

@Gansetttime said:
Thanks for sharing more pictures!
Quite possible there will be something good in that covers lot, especially when one considers what you found in the regular stamps.

Thanks. I did a quick search through the bags and there are a few first day covers, and many fine covers with very old stamps but nothing too rare. There are even cancelled covers, pre stamps era (I am assuming early 1800's). But what I enjoy the most are the actual correspondence within the envelopes. I love reading some of the old letters in the beautiful cursive handwriting. Too bad they stopped teaching that in school.

voxels123 · December 31, 2021 5:38PM

WOW!

Great thread, and congrats to the op!!

pab1969 · January 1, 2022 3:36PM

@voxels123 said:
WOW!

Great thread, and congrats to the op!!

Thank you!

CCDollar · January 2, 2022 2:42PM

Nice...looks fun!

CC

Gansetttime · January 4, 2022 5:48AM

Have you gone through everything yet? Any other finds?

pab1969 · January 5, 2022 7:00AM

@Gansetttime said:
Have you gone through everything yet? Any other finds?

Hello. Yes, I have. I upgraded a few spots in my collection and the nicer duplicates I put away in stock books. The covers are very interesting. I left them in the original bags, but I sorted them by age. I would love to start listing a few on eBay but I am busy selling other items. Here are some nice covers from the bags:

The one on the bottom left is from 1834. That is one of my favorites because it is older than the first U.S. postage stamp and it has the original letter inside. This is a small sample of approximately 200+ covers and envelopes in the bags. the majority being 19th century.

291fifth · January 5, 2022 4:02PM

The condition of the items in your find seems to be far above average. The collector who put that collection together would probably be very sad if he knew what his heirs had done with it.

pab1969 · January 6, 2022 3:41AM

@291fifth said:
The condition of the items in your find seems to be far above average. The collector who put that collection together would probably be very sad if he knew what his heirs had done with it.

I agree. But at least it went to another passionate collector and not in the trash.

JoeMama · January 8, 2022 11:49PM

My best shopping is in Palm Springs Ca,{I do okay at the Casino's also} However there is a 2nd hand store called AngelView last 2x I went to there store they have 2 books of First day stamps

Best estate sale pick up ever!

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