How does find the worth of some older stamps & coins?

Condition is everything. Go to the library and find Scott’s book on stamps. Look at the grading system. Also look at http://www.glassinesurfer.com or similar places on the web. Search for the stamps you have on ebay. You will probably be very disappointed. Stamp collecting is taking a dive as an entire generation is skipping the hobby in favor video games and virtual social networking. If you do the ebay thing, be sure to do an advanced search and look for completed auctions.

I believe your are right about being somewhat disappointed in the worth of stamps and coins. I stopped by a stamp collecting store one day and they sounded like I shouldn’t bother even bringing them in for them to try to appraise, etc. Not sure why then they have such a store that sells stamps unless it’s strictly a hobby thing for people to sit around and put old stamps in books that cost a small fortune in themselves.

Stamp and coin dealers can’t unload the stock they already have, and most of them seem to either be going out of business, or they are run as a hobby and don’t need to make money.

It’s a mistake to dismiss coins and stamps without first checking what it is you own. I work with some of the leading coin and stamp auctioneers and I can tell you the prices being achieved are often astonishing. However, these are pieces that only experts can recognise and value. Read more at http://www.writeantiques.com/pleasure-from-hidden-treasure/ and contact me off list – I’d be happy to arange some assistance.

I’m sure Gavel is correct. But those high end items are either extremely rare and/or in excellent condition. From the original post, I doubt any of the stamps or records were properly stored so as to retain value. Of course, it’s always possible there is a diamond in the rough.

I was just going through some of my parent’s things (they passed away recently) and found a beat up old necklace my wife and I were convinced must be some hideous costume jewelry. Turns out, ugly as it is, it is an old Navaho “squash blossom” necklace, handmade of beaten silver and mother of pearl, and is worth a few thousand. So you never know.

Which rather illustrates my point…