The first inspection you should make is to look at the back of the stamp. If there are any green specks of ink, the stamp is a flat plate printing and therefore is Scott 552, the unwatermarked 1¢ Franklin issued January 17, 1923.

Similarly, What are the 10 most valuable US stamps?


The 10 Most Valuable U.S. Stamps

  • The Inverted Jenny. (Courtesy of Siegel Auction Gallery) …
  • 1847 Issue Block of 16 of Ben Franklin. …
  • Almanac Stamp of 1765 or 1766. …
  • ‘Blue Boy’ Alexandria Postmaster’s Provisional. …
  • 1869 Pictorials—Inverted Center Errors. …
  • Two-Cent Blue Hawaiian Missionary. …
  • 1860 Stolen Pony Cover. …
  • Pan American Inverts.

Additionally, How can I tell if I have a rare stamp?
How to Determine Stamp Values

  • Identify the stamp.
  • Find out when was the stamp issued.
  • Know the stamp’s age and material used.
  • Determine the centering of the design.
  • Check the stamp’s gum.
  • Determine the condition of the perforations.
  • See if the stamp has been cancelled or not.
  • Find out the rarity of the stamp.

How do you count perforations on a stamp?

We use a perforation gauge to measure the number of holes or teeth within two centimeters.




How to measure perforations

  1. To measure your stamp, lay it on the center of your gauge.
  2. Slide the stamp up or down until the perforations on the stamp line up with the pattern on the gauge all the way down the length of the stamp.

How do you identify coil stamps?

The only difference when you look at them may be the number of sides with perforations. A sheet stamp has perforations on all four sides. Coil stamps are issued in long strips for use in vending machines. They have straight edges on opposite sides and perforations on the other two sides.

What stamps are worth a lot of money?

The Four Main Elements of a Stamp

Stamp Year Price
The Inverted Jenny 1918 $1.35 Million
1c Benjamin Franklin Z Grill 1868 $935,000
3c George Washington w/ B Grill 1867 $900,000
Tiflis Stamp 1857 $700,000

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14 sept. 2020

How do I know if my stamps are worth anything?


How to Determine Stamp Values

  1. Identify the stamp.
  2. Find out when was the stamp issued.
  3. Know the stamp’s age and material used.
  4. Determine the centering of the design.
  5. Check the stamp’s gum.
  6. Determine the condition of the perforations.
  7. See if the stamp has been cancelled or not.
  8. Find out the rarity of the stamp.

How much are stamps from 1970 worth?

1970-74 Regular Issue

Denom. Description Mint
8 cent United States Postal Service
$0.35
14 cent Fiorello LaGuardia $0.55
16 cent Ernie Pyle – Journalist $0.90
18 cent Elizabeth Blackwell – First Woman Physician $0.65

Is there an app to value stamps?

The must-have app for any stamp collector

The free “Stamp Manager” app takes the stamp collectors’ world into the digital age with a mobile desktop platform. The philosophy is to make stamps accessible to everyone and support stamp collecting by providing the possibilities afforded by digital technology.

How do I know how much my stamp is worth?

How can I find the value of an old stamp? We recommend contacting a Stamp Dealer in your area to discuss the value of any stamp. The USPS only recognizes stamps at face value, no matter how old or valuable they are.

How do I know if my stamp collection is worth anything?

Contact the Philatelic Traders’ Society by visiting its website. They will be able to give your collection an ‘appraisal’ for free and give you advice as to whether or not your collection may be worth something.

What does perforation mean on stamps?

Perforation –the stamps being separated with columns of small holes. Rouletting – the stamps being separated with small horizontal and vertical cuts. Die-cutting – the stamps are separated using a metal die—usually used for self-adhesive stamps.

What does a Imperf mean in stamp collecting?

Imperforate (Imperf): Stamps which have been deliberately printed and issued without perforations, so that they bear straight edges on all four sides.

What are perfin stamps?

In philately, a perfin is a stamp that has had initials or a name perforated across it to discourage theft. The name is a contraction of perforated initials or perforated insignia. They are also sometimes called SPIFS (Stamps Perforated with Initials of Firms and Societies).

What does coil mean in stamps?

A coil stamp is a type of postage stamp sold in strips one stamp wide. The name derives from the usual handling of long strips, which is to coil them into rolls, in a manner reminiscent of adhesive tape rolls.

How do you identify rotary press stamps?

If the stamp you are measuring is wider or longer than the template it is a Rotary Press Printing. Until 1918, every U.S. stamp had been printed using the engraved process.

How do you classify a stamp?

One type of classification divides stamps into three basic types: definitives, commemoratives and special stamps. For many years after the introduction of adhesive stamps for prepayment of postage, definitives were the only type of stamp produced.

Are stamps from the 1960s worth anything?

Stamps may also have value if they were issued no later than about 1960, though this doesn’t mean the older the stamp, the more valuable they are. … Interestingly, stamps with genuine errors of production (for example missing colours) are often worth considerably more than ‘normal’ issues.

How much is a green 1 cent George Washington stamp worth?

george washington 1 cent stamp Value: $0.25 – $1,710.00 | MAVIN.

Are stamps from the 1930s worth anything?

PLEASE DO NOT ASSUME, that just because a stamp was issued in the 1930’s or 1940’s, it is worth a fortune. Dealers, as well as some collectors, did a lot of heavy speculation during that time period, and there are hundreds of millions of those stamps, both mint and used, with very minimal value, on the market today.

Are old stamped envelopes worth anything?

Do they have any value? A–Yes, but it depends on the stamp used and the postmark. Do not remove the stamps from the letters since collectors want the entire envelope as part of postal history. Take the letters to a stamp bourse or stamp store to get some idea of value.

How do I get my stamps appraised?

Look for an appraiser through authoritative sources like official stamp collection societies. The American Philatelic Society notes you may pay anywhere from $75 to $250 an hour to have the stamps/collection appraised. Some local groups, like the Northern Philatelic Society, may offer free appraisal services.

Are old postage stamps worth anything?

Stamps may also have value if they were issued no later than about 1960, though this doesn’t mean the older the stamp, the more valuable they are. … Interestingly, stamps with genuine errors of production (for example missing colours) are often worth considerably more than ‘normal’ issues.

How much are 1972 stamps worth?

The 1972 USPS first-class stamp was priced at 6 cents, but like the standard stamp, no changes in cost were announced that year. There were four postcard stamp increases and one decrease in the 1970s; on May 16, 1971, postcards increased from 5 to 6 cents, and on March 2, 1974, to 8 cents.