I need some help with what to do with an old stamp collection.  This collection was left to me about 15 years ago by a great uncle I never knew.  My dad made me get the last of my stuff out of his house and this was among it.  I think it is mostly crap cause it is just piles and piles of stamps with no organization.

    Anyway I figured I'd just start putting stuff on e-bay and get whatever for them but it will take me forever to go through all this junk.  So do I just toss it?  Is it possible I could actually throw away a valuable stamp?  Can I really expect to get an honest appraisal for such a chaotic mess, or does it need to be put in books first?

    As far as I can tell the bulk of the stamps are from the 60s and 70s with a third maybe older then that.  I'd say that they are are about 70%/30%  U.S./Foreign.

    What can I do with this mess?

[img]www.ar15.com/members/albums/CounterStrike%2Fstamp%2Ejpg[/img]

I WAS GIVIN A BOX OF 1900'S-60'S STAMPS.This was back in the 75 or so.I went thru them quick at first.I collected US used singels.Then I started to collect Canadians,because there was quite a few.Go thing too.I found one that booked at 7,000.Tat was in 79.Its now 13,800.None of these were soake off.They were still attached to part of there envolopes.I dont think stamps will last another 20 years.If you wait I think they will increase a bunch.If your young put them away for awhile.Climate controled though so they dont stick together.

I have the same problem, only about ten times as many stamps, if nothing else buy a book telling values, if not worth taking to a stamp dealer then mail a letter with it. Good luck.

By the looks of the stamps with visible faces, it's mostly unsorted "filler".  

Some are from eastern European nations (Bulgaria, Hungary, East Germany, USSR etc.) that cranked out huge volumes of that stuff.  

Most are very common ones from Korea, Italy, Canada, UK, common US Commemoratives, African nations (Ivory Coast etc.) Many on torn covers.

Don't take it to a stamp dealer - they'll take one look (like I did) and give it right back.
Just one box?  "$10-15 tops for the whole thing, box included."

Sure, there may be that rare stamp worth something, but most likely not.  Most are "book value" of 5-10cents each, but no one pays that much per stamp. Like I said $10-15tops box included.

Don't want to throw it out?  Give to a nephew or niece or neighbor kid to plow through.

I recognize a few just from the picture that a worth a little. No thousand dollar ones or anything. It has been a while since I looked through a value book, but it looks to me like it is worth your time, and a few bucks. If nothing else get one of the world stamp books that have pictures of each stamp so you can put them up.
If not heck I might even give you 20 bucks and shipping for the whole thing. Not trying to rip you off, just that if you aren't interested in taking the time to find what you have, I will.

i'd give them a once-over if i were you. look for any US stamps that are 1 cent, 1/2 cent, any with the founding fathers etc. they are nice collectables. pre-Soviet Russian stamps are a hot commodity these days. look for obvious (US) error stamps, hey, you never know. there might be some old tax-stamps in there, keep anything different. then give the rest to a young relative or friend, it is a great start to a future collection. if nothing else, it'll be a nice break from TV, or a good time-consumer on a rainy-range day. good luck!