Suzor Cote Sheet, Uncirculated, Value?

[tigergirl1]

Back in the 1970's my Dad told me to buy mint, uncirculated plate blocks or pages of stamps, which I did.  I have an entire page of Suzor Cote, I have several plate blocks of $1 Export, in the special cellophane envelopes, and I have Quebec $2 plate blocks.  What are these worth please?

[pierrelebel]

Unfortunately the Suzor-Cote sheet shows curly or folded selvedge and, as such, would not command much premium over face value.  The "Export" plate blocks typically sell for two or three times face value IF they are in perfect condition.  The $2 Quebec is generally included in lots selling at or below face value.  Plate #1 may command a small premium if you can find a buyer. Plate #2 is more common except for the UL corner (worth a premium).

I see from you many posts this morning that you have lots of modern stamps to dispose.  You may find it easier to sell them all in one lot to a dealer.  The alternative is to market them individually here on eBay but, once you factor fees and your time, it may not be worth it.

The market for stamps is not what it used to be.

[femmefan1946]

You may get your best price from these stamps (anything since 1952 when the Queen took the throne) at a percentage of face value in largish lots ($50 to $1000) .

Eighty percent of face including shipping, tracking and insurance would be resonable. Stamps valued under 20 cents on their face would go for less. (You need 10 eight cent stamps and a 5 cent stamp to mail a letter.)

Yes there may be a few varieties that could go higher, but as pierre says, finding that buyer is difficult, harder than identifying the variety.

[ypdc_dennis]

As femmefan1946 says best sale price will be less than face value.

But to get the best value for average quality stamps is to actually use the stamps to mail or ship stuff. That's what I did with most of the stamps I collected in the 1970's.

[tigergirl1]

Hi pierrelebel,  You say to sell them as a lot to a dealer.  How do I find an honest dealer?  Also, did anyone on this discussion board see my posting about the Olympic silver ingot stamp in the leather folder with authenticity cards and invoice etc.?  I have four of these, for which I paid almost $400 back then.  I would like to get an idea of value for selling them please?

[pierrelebel]

"about the Olympic silver ingot stamp"

I had a few of those over the years but could not find a collector on eBay interested in paying for them.

Eventually I ended up selling them to a precious metal dealer, at a discount of the then current silver price.

Some of the "cheaper' silver stamps were produced by Jerry Parker in the '70s and '80s.  Many were marketed by the late Kasimir Bileski of Winnipeg.  There is a market for these silver stamp replicas. They typically sell in the $15 to $25 range.

For example: http://www.ebay.com/itm/US-Frigate-Constitution-Stamp-Replica-from-Jerry-Parker-Silver-Bronze-1971-/...

[tigergirl1]

My silver ingot stamp commemorative "item" is from the Canadian Mint and has a first day cover with it, a leather folder in which it sits, and authenticity certificate and number etc.  I paid around $160 Cdn each for them.  Is there a way I can send you or someone else all the photos for one of them, so it can clearly be seen what I have? Thanks. Kathy

[pierrelebel]

Price of silver fluctuates and, as example, while selling for about $50 an ounce in early 2011, today it trades for about $15.  That is a drop of 70% in four and half years.

Coins and medallions issued by marketing outfits (with nice packaging and - always - certificate of authenticity) typically price their items at three to ten times of value of the silver content (they have to make a profit after all and marketing costs are very high).  Unfortunately, there is very little interest in the secondary market.

"I paid around $160 Cdn each for them"

That is most unfortunate if you purchase these items with the intention of eventually reselling them for a higher price.  Very few of these "collectables" are every sold for the original cost, let alone at a profit.  The value of the investment is the enjoyment the original buyer had over the years admiring and displaying the items.

If sold to a metal dealer, you will get about 50% of the current value of the silver content (over 90% if it were gold). You may want to try your luck listing it on eBay - at auction with a relatively high starting price (the lowest price you are willing to let them go for).

Good Luck

[tigergirl1]

Thanks for your reply.  Yes, I did understand that these commemorative items are priced higher than what any metal in them is worth, but when I bought them, I relied on the fact that it came from the Canadian Mint (rather than those other outfits that advertise in magazines).

I purchased these items on the advice of my Dad who was collecting stamps and other philatelic and "collectible" items.  He told me to buy these as an investment, whose value would grow in the future.  I guess he was wrong.

I guess I will have to advertise them during an Olympics event, and/or go much lower in price and/or put them for auction on eBay and see what happens.

I bought four sets in January 1977 for a total of $364.00.  (although I notice that this receipt is for a Tait McKenzie stamp - which I don't have in my possession.  Maybe it is still with the things my mother put in her safe deposit box - since I was too young and poor to have my own box.  This might be bad news because she stole almost everything that was mine.

Thanks for taking the time to reply.