 South Atlantic Auctions values the fact that stamps are miniature documents
of human history and are means by which a country gives expression
to its hopes and needs, beliefs and ideals. In sum, countries mirror
the past, foretell the future and provide a picture of varied
cultures and domestic, civil, and social life. Some of our auctions
carry stamps that stamp=
collectors and enthusiasts will enjoy. The stamps we offer include a
vast representation of worldwide, postal history, and thematic
collections related to philately, stamp design, product ion and use,
and the development of the postal and telegraph system. We know the
public takes an intense interest in the subjects that appear on
stamps and work to bring sellers and buyers together who truly
appreciate stamps and understand their historic value and work of
art.
Selecting Stamps at Auctions
1. Decide on a bid limit for yourself after inspecting merchandise.
2. Register so you can be identified as a bidder.
3. Have fun and bid if you would like. You do not have to bid if you
do not want to. If you are new to auctions; we even recommend that
you attend a few auctions without bidding to fully understand the
rules of the game.
Helpful Tips
1.
Glue on the back of a stamp means it has never been circulated.
2.
Removing stamps from letters also removes the glue.
3.
Do not try to soak a stamp off a colored envelope. The ink in the
envelope will bleed and ruin the stamp.
4.
Store your stamps using hinges or mounts on acid free paper, which
is available at hobby shops. You will also need tongs, a magnifier,
a watermark detector and a perforation gauge.
5.
You cannot buy just one collectible stamp at the post office. You
have to buy a roll or a sheet. If you do not send many letters, you
might prefer to pay double face value at a shop for just one stamp.
6.
The word "philatelist" means a person who practices philately or
stamp collecting. It comes from the French word philatelie, which
was derived from the Greek words "philos", meaning loving, and "atelia",
meaning exemption from tax, which also came to mean "postage is
prepaid". Philately has come to mean, specifically, the collection
and study of postage stamps, postmarks and stamped envelopes and the
study of postal history.
7.
A cachet is a design placed on an envelope, usually commemorating
the event for which the cover, as that envelope is known, is being
prepared. For first day covers, the design is usually closely
related to the subject of the newly issued stamp. The cachet usually
appears on the left side of the envelope.
8.
Stamp hinges are thin rectangular pieces of paper which are used to
hold stamps in an album. One side of each hinge is coated with a
special adhesive that becomes sticky when it is slightly moistened.
Hinges may be purchased from stamp dealers or hobby stores. Hinges
come in two varieties, flat and pre-folded.
9.
Coil stamps are stamps made for use in vending or affixing machines
and are sold in rolls. They have perforations on two parallel sides
only (either the horizontal or vertical side). The other sides of
the stamps are cut straight.
10.
Shortly after adhesive postage stamps were introduced by Great
Britain in 1840, people began collecting them. In 1841, a women even
placed an advertisement in the London Times in which she requested
help in collecting stamps so that she could paper a bedroom wall.
11.
There are more than ten stamps of which only one copy is known. And
while rarity is one factor in determining value, the history behind
the stamp often is more important. Some of the most famous and
valuable stamps include:
1 cent 1856 British Guiana (Sold
for $935,000 in 1980)
1d and 2d 1847 Post Office Mauritus (1d at $1,100,000 unused)
Sweden 1857 3 skilling Banco Yellow (App. $2,000,000)
Hawaiian Islands 1851 2 cent Missionary ($660,000 unused; $200,000
used)
British Guiana 1851 2 Cent Cottonreel ($70,000 used)
Eastern Australia 1854 4d Inverted Swan ($60,000 used)
USA 1868 1 cent Z Grill (Sold for $935,000 in 1988)
Canada 1851 12 pence Victoria on Laid Paper ($80,000 unused and
$50,000 used)
USA 1918 Inverted Jenny ($150,000 unused)
Take the South Atlantic
Auctions Stamp Collector's Challenge
1.
Stamps on envelopes are worth saving.
2.
Removing stamps from letters does not remove the glue.
3.
Stamps should be stored using kiloware on acid free paper.
4.
U.S. Stamps are only sold at the Post Office.
5.
Most stamp subjects are selected by private groups.
6.
The challenge of sorting through U.S. stamp subject proposals falls
to the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC), which meets
quarterly to discuss, debate, and ultimately select each subject.
7.
Developing a stamp can take 6 months.
The Answers
True (Stamps are worth saving)
False (It does remove the glue)
False (Use hinges or mounts on acid free paper)
False (U.S. stamps are sold at many locations outside the Post
Office)
False (Selected by the public)
True (The challenge of sorting through U.S. stamp subject proposals
falls to the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC), which meets
quarterly to discuss, debate, and ultimately select each subject.)
False (Development takes at least 2 years
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