Yep. That's what it is all right.
In common used bad condition.
Stamp collecting is a hobby, like golf and bridge. It is not an investment.
Stamps do hold their value against inflation when:
a)They come from a country with both a strong currency and a high literacy rate. So. USA, Canada, Germany but not Russia (high literacy, poor economy) or Saudi Arabia (strong currency, low literacy).
b)The day they came over the PO counter they cost most of a man's daily wage. Those stamps still will be worth most of a man's daily wage.
c)They were issued before the Queen took the throne. This leaves out the millions of stamps issued by newly independent nations to put a little hard Western currency in thier national Treasury. Or the Postmaster-General's Swiss bank account.
Example. Canada Scott #158 (all the stamps of the world have been catalogued and valued). The 50 cent Bluenose of 1929.
It's from a country with a high literacy rate and a strong economy
In 1929, 50 cents was most a man's daily wage.
And the Queen didn't take the throne until 1952, so there is some age on it.
Issued at 50 cents, it paid the Registered Rate, which is now about $9, I think.
While you can buy rough examples for $20 or so, a very nice mint Bluenose will run an easy $300 and could move into the $1000 range given certain varieties.
So.
Go to granpa's collection.
Put out the envelopes from Canada UK US Germany.
Find the ones with the highest face value (50 cent to a dollar, with luck $5)
Look for those that are engraved and /or have a king on them. Or Queen Victoria.
(A penny Queen Victoria stamp is not going to be worth much, see 'man's daily wage" above.)
Now go to the Public Library and ask for the Scott Classic Catalogue of Postage Stamps.
Read the introduction, particularly the pages where there is a big annotated illustration of an African George VI stamp.
That will tell you what the catalogue is actually saying.
Look up your stamps.
Or phone a stamp dealer, ask if he does insurance appraisals, make an appointment, wait during his appraisal (this is for his protection not yours and usually takes under 15 minutes). Pay for the appraisal which will be written on his letterhead.
