Parts 1: Check the quality of stamps.
1. Judge whether the seal pattern is aligned. The closer the stamp pattern is to the center of the white perforation, the better. After all, everyone wants stamps to have a balanced, symmetrical and neat aesthetic feeling.
2. Turn the stamp over and check the adhesive. Stamp glue is a kind of glue that can stick stamps to paper. Ensure that the back glue is intact, without any peeling or serious creases.
3. Check the stamp tape. Stamp tape is a small piece of thin and transparent origami coated with a mild adhesive. Sometimes, people stick stamps on the back of stamps and fix them in the album. Stamp tape will reduce the value of stamps, even if it is removed later. If there is stamp tape on the stamp, it is best to call the stamp dealer or expert first, and then try to remove it to avoid further damage to the stamp.
4. Check whether the tooth holes are neat. A perforation is a small hole around the edge of a stamp, which is convenient for people to tear off stamps from a full-page stamp. Some stamps have many perforations and some have large perforations, but it doesn't matter. The most important thing is that the perforation should be neat.
5. Check the postmark. Once used, stamps will be postmarked. The more pictures the postmark covers, the lower the value of the stamp. Make sure that the postmark does not stain or cover the design on the stamp.
6. Evaluate the color of stamps. Everyone wants the stamps to be bright and clean. The factors that lead to the dim color of stamps are natural or artificial light, dirt, stains and sebum.
7. Determine the grade of stamps. According to the center of stamp pattern and the degree of postmark cover, the grade of stamp can be roughly judged. Stamp grades are generally divided into inferior, medium, inferior, excellent and excellent (perfect appearance). Fundamentally speaking, the more the stamp pattern deviates from the center of the face, the more the postmark is covered, and the closer the appearance is to the "inferior" level.
"Excellent" stamps are extremely rare, because such stamps must be perfect in all aspects.
8. If the stamp is still attached to the envelope, it will remain intact. After all, you don't want to risk tearing it up or cutting it off. Sometimes, used old stamps with special postmarks on envelopes are more valuable than those that are not affixed to envelopes and have never been used. You might as well consult an expert or ask a professional to evaluate whether it should be removed from the envelope during the stamp exhibition.
Part II: Determine the issuing time and rarity of stamps.
1, find out the issuing time of stamps. Easier said than done! However, from the stamp pattern, for example, from the characters on the stamp, historical figures or historical events reflected by the pattern, the release time can be inferred. Generally speaking, stamps are not marked with the date of issue, so it is difficult for you to know the specific date of issue. If you want more help, you might as well ask the stamp dealer. After all, the older stamps are, the more valuable they are, and it is worthwhile to spend more time!
Stamps issued less than 70 years ago, even if their appearance is perfect, their value is probably not much higher than when they were first issued.
2. Find out the issuing country of stamps. Like the issuing time of stamps, the issuing country of stamps may be inferred from historical events reflected by words, historical figures or patterns on stamps. Especially the handwriting, if you know what kind of handwriting it is, you can narrow down the scope of finding the issuing country. For example, if the stamp pattern is the head of Queen Victoria, the stamp may have been issued in Britain from the early 9th century to the 20th century by/kloc-0. If the picture of the stamp is Hoover Dam, the stamp may have been issued by the United States in the 20th century.
3. Identify stamps by reference books. By consulting reference books, you may find the issuing time and country of stamps more easily, but it depends on the stamps themselves. When you look at the stamp carefully, you will know it well, so you can find it in the reference book. American stamp collectors often use Scott's stamp catalogue, which is now available electronically, while British stamp collectors tend to use Gibbons' catalogue. Go to your local library and see what reference books are suitable for you.
You can also find suitable online resources, online stamp catalogue, but be careful. After all, I'm afraid these online references are inaccurate and have no official approval.
4. Assess the rarity of stamps. The scarcity of stamps depends on its issuing time and initial circulation. The rarer stamps are, the more valuable they are. Even some stamp collectors claim that rarity is the only factor that determines the value of stamps, which is much more important than well-preserved or old. Check the initial circulation of stamps with reference books or stamp dealers. Just because stamps are old doesn't mean they are rare and precious. For example, Benjamin 186 1 issue, face value 1 cent? Franklin stamps are not very valuable, because when this stamp was first issued, it was 65.438+0.5 billion pieces.
5. Pay special attention to the wrong stamps. People usually want their stamps to be as perfect as possible, but the wrong stamps are an exception. The wrong stamp is a mistake in pattern design, not an off-center picture or irregular holes. The wrong stamp is extremely precious because it is extremely rare. There may be only 50 or 100 stamps in one edition. Valuable error stamps include design errors, such as the wrong boundary of the ground icon on the surface; Omission errors, such as the omission of the bridge on the stamps of Thatcher Ferry Bridge; Inverted mistakes, such as the American "inverted Jenny" stamp, the biplane in the stamp picture is printed backwards.
Part III: Consultation with stamp experts
1. Consult stamp reference books or online resources to evaluate the value of stamps. When you realize the flaws in the stamp design, you can consult the stamp reference book to understand the value of stamps step by step. You can consult the price guide of special stamps. The newer the version, the better. The price guide of stamps may not be completely accurate, but it can give you a preliminary understanding of the value of stamps.
2. Participate in the stamp exhibition. Stamp exhibitions are held regularly around the world to provide places for stamp collectors to trade and evaluate stamps. Stamp dealers often publish exhibition schedules on their official websites. In the United States, you can also check the latest exhibitions on the official websites of the American Philatelic Association (APS) or the American Association of Stamp Dealers (ASDA), and then take your stamps to the exhibition to listen to other people's different opinions.
3. Let stamp experts evaluate stamps. In the United States, you may want to find a stamp dealer who is a member of the American Philatelic Association or the American Stamp Dealers Association to help you evaluate stamps. Look up the "philatelists" column in the telephone yellow pages to find out the telephone number of the expert, or contact the local stamp dealer on the Internet to inquire about the charges for stamp valuation services. Through the stamp valuation service, you can know the most accurate valuation of stamps in a short time. Look for stamp dealers from other countries on the Internet. For example, the American Philatelic Association is a local organization in the United States, but its official website often lists the contact information and exhibition schedule of stamp dealers from Canada, Britain and other countries.