Sell a Stamp Collection
Most people who want to sell a stamp collection have one of two very different things, and they are worth very different amounts. Sorting out which one you have takes about a minute and decides where you should send it.
Which Kind of Collection Do You Have?
Unused postage issued after 1930
Sheets, books and rolls of stamps that were bought to mail things and never used. Forever stamps, older denominated stamps, accumulations from a closed business or an estate. This is what we buy, and we pay a published percentage of face value for it.
A philatelic collection
Albums of used and cancelled stamps, pre-1930 issues, first day covers, foreign material, anything assembled to be collected rather than mailed. Value here comes from rarity and condition, not face value, so it needs an appraisal rather than a rate table.
Plenty of collections are a mix of the two. If yours is, send us the unused postage and have the older material appraised separately.
What We Pay for Unused Postage
50% Face Value
All Forever stamps, including First-Class Forever, Global Forever, 2 Ounce and 3 Ounce Forever stamps.
40% Face Value
Non-Forever stamps over the 82 cent First-Class rate, including unused vintage stamps issued after 1930.
30% Face Value
Non-Forever stamps under the 82 cent First-Class rate, including unused vintage stamps issued after 1930.
Face value is the postage value of the stamp. For a Forever stamp that is the current First-Class rate, which is 82 cents. A shoebox of unused 20 cent stamps with a face value of $400 pays $120 at the 30% rate. See the full face value rates.
Older Than 1930, or Used and Cancelled?
We do not buy those, and a face value percentage would be the wrong way to price them anyway. A pre-1930 issue or a scarce cancelled stamp can be worth many times its printed denomination, or close to nothing, depending on condition, gum, perforations and demand. Only an appraisal tells you which.
Our sister company West Coast Stamps handles that side. They appraise collections and buy philatelic material outright.
- Get a stamp appraisal if you want to know what the older material is worth before you decide anything.
- Sell a stamp collection to West Coast Stamps if you already know you want to part with it.
How to Sell Your Unused Postage to Us
Step 1: Sort out the unused postage
Set aside everything that is unused, uncancelled and issued after 1930. Leave it as you found it. Do not soak, clean, trim or remove anything from its backing, because that lowers what it is worth rather than raising it.
Step 2: Print the packing slip and ship
Fill out our packing slip and include it with the stamps. We need it to process your order. Pack so nothing shifts or takes on water damage, and use a service with tracking so delivery can be confirmed.
Step 3: Accept or decline the offer
We count and grade what arrives and send you a Purchase Offer with the exact figure. Accept it and payment goes out by check, PayPal or bank wire. Decline it and your stamps come back.
What We Cannot Buy
Used or cancelled stamps, anything issued before 1930, foreign postage, and stamps marked Bulk-Rate, Nonprofit-Rate, Presort-Rate, Official or Postage Due. Torn, stuck-down or water-damaged stamps cannot be refunded either.
We also inspect everything we receive for authenticity. Counterfeit Forever stamps circulate widely on websites, eBay and Amazon, so if part of a collection was bought at a steep discount there is a real chance it is not genuine. If we cannot authenticate something we tell you and send it back.
Common Questions
Who buys stamp collections?
It depends what is in it. Postage buyers like us buy unused modern postage by the pound, quickly and at a set rate. Philatelic dealers and auction houses handle rare and cancelled material, take longer, and price piece by piece. Local antique shops buy both and usually pay the least for either. Matching the material to the right buyer is most of the job.
Where can I sell my stamp collection near me?
You do not need to find someone local. Mailing stamps is cheap and safe, and a national buyer sees far more material than a nearby shop does, which usually means a firmer number. We have bought from more than 3,600 customers across the country since 2016.
How much is my stamp collection worth?
For unused postage after 1930 you can work it out yourself before shipping anything. Add up the face value and apply the rate above. For older or cancelled material, ask West Coast Stamps for an appraisal, because catalogue values assume perfect condition and real offers rarely match them.
Is there a limit on how much you will buy?
No. Our largest single purchase to date is $30,000, and we have paid out over $8.2 million since 2016.
Ready to Sell?
Start your sale and send your unused postage in, or have the older material appraised by West Coast Stamps first. If you are not sure which pile something belongs in, our support pages walk through the conditions we accept.