Australian Stamp Auctions & Stamp Collecting
Some may consider stamp collection and trading as a mundane pastime and that couldn’t be further from the truth. Philatelic auctions and online sales of rare stamps can be fiercely battled and incredible prices reached with some Australian stamps reaching the $100,000’s and overseas prices in the millions have often been reached.
Where to find Stamp Auctions
In Australia, they are not as commonplace as they are in the UK or US but occasionally there are dedicated sales, and of course, collections often appear as part of an estate sale or larger antique sales.
When we come across sales we add them to our Coin, Banknote & Stamp Auctions category
Coins & Bank Notes & Christmas Stocking Fillers General Goods Auction - Kearns of SA is holding a Coins and Banknotes Auction tomorrow with 91 lots on offer, and a Xmas Stocking… ...
Jewellery, Coins and Banknotes, Estate Clearances Auctions - Three upcoming auctions at Kearns SA including Jewellery, Coins and Banknotes, Estate Clearance Jewellery Sep 22, 2024 at 7:30 PM… ...
Current and Upcoming Auctions at EHVA - EHVA (ACT) has five auctions closing this week and four openings. CLOSING: Monday - Vintage Toys. Tuesday - Jewellery, Coins,… ...
Stamps & Postal History, Coins & Banknotes and Postcards - Auction Announcement: September 2024 - Stamps & Postal History, Coins & Banknotes and Postcards at Leski Auctions featuring over 900… ...
Current & Upcoming Auctions at AllBids - Current & upcoming this week on ALLBIDS this week includes a range of cars, catering equipment, musical equipment, antiques, vintage… ...
Current and Upcoming Auctions at Theodore Bruce 04/08 - Upcoming Auctions at Theodore Bruce, Sydney, NSW, - Including Watches & Timepieces, Collectables including film & TV memorabilia, vintage… ...
Major Coin & Banknote Auction - Coins & Banknotes of Australia and the World - The Holey Dollars and Dumps of New South Wales featuring 495… ...Also see the Coin, Banknote & Stamp Auctions category
Hints and tips for new stamp collectors
1. Locating stamps
Rare stamps collecting takes some tenacity in visiting sales, auctions, garage sales etc. in the chance of discovering a find that may be oblivious to the holder. Another option for locating stamps is to be sure to let everyone know that you are collecting, many hunters are better than one so recruit as many people as you can to be your hunter-gatherers!
Auctions are a major part of the philatelic market. The first step towards buying at auction is getting on an auction house’s mailing list, or at least getting to a catalog for an upcoming sale. Most auction firms gladly send catalogs without charge and may email updates.
2. Sorting out your collection
Sorting is necessary to facilitate the storage process. Most of the stamps you have are on paper because they are cut out from mailing envelopes. One idea is to sort them into:
• stamps with white background paper
• stamps with colored background paper
• stamps with rubber stamp ink
• stamps without rubber stamp ink
3. Trim the fat
Leave about 1-2 cm safety margin when you trim your stamps. Also, try not to cut the perforations, as it could reduce the value of your stamp.
4. Soak that waste away
Never try peeling a stamp off the paper, even if it’s loose. The way to do it is to soak it in water. The water temperature should be around 30-35°C. Water that’s too warm or hot will increase the chances of color running. Soak your stamps for around 15 minutes. Soak in batches, like you do your washing ie. colors separate from whites. After 15 minutes, pick up a stamp with your fingers and try to peel it off the backing. If there is even the slightest resistance, drop it back into the water and wait for another 10 minutes or so.
5. Dry them off
After peeling, lay your stamps face up into a waiting paper towel. Put another sheet on top and gently blot the excess moisture. Be extra careful since wet stamps are very fragile. Afterward, line them up in the plastic page of your stamp album. They should be dry after 4 hours or so.
