Gold Foil Stamps - First Day Covers?

[wirelessdog]

They are supposed to be 22kt foil. Are they worth refining?

 

[rewalston]

They are worth more as a collector's item...but in the end it's completely up to you what you do with them.

Rusty

 

[Geo]

i processed about two hundred of them. they have about as much gold as per square inch of coverage as plated glassware. i couldnt find a buyer for mine. they are fairly common.

 

[wirelessdog]

So what did you end up with out of 200?

 

[Geo]

well, that was almost two years ago. i think, if memory serves me right, about a gram and a half.

 

[wirelessdog]

Of pure?

 

[Geo]

well, as pure as i can get it. :shock: :lol:

 

[rewalston]

So Geo in your opinion should they be refined? I think I have some as well.

Rusty

 

[Geo]

i would hate to give bad advise on these so all i can say is, i took the stamps i had to a stamp and coin dealer here where i live and he told me that only the original stamps had value, but only as stamps. the goldplated replicas were mass produced. thats not to say they aren't collectible, its just that there are so many out there the value is next to nothing. the replicas that do have value are the unusual stamps of people, like Elvis or other mega stars.i had a set that included the wright brothers airplane and the first railroad and he said they were worth whatever gold was in them.

 

[MMFJ]

I wouldn't say they are 'next to nothing' in value - if you got 1.5g from 200 of them, they are then worth just about the cost of a stamp! (about $.38 each at $1590 gold).

I've found them to be 'gold value only' as well, though I only have a few that are stuffed away in the 'process someday' pile.

A good way to judge these is to check out the online auctions. There are very, very few of them that are collectible, though it is worth a look to see if you can find the one you have in the 'sold' section. The ones I've seen sell, though, are typically about $1-$2 which is barely enough to cover the shipping cost and all the 'feeBay' fees!

Not a big winner, but certainly don't throw them away (unless you want to throw them MY way!