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Poll - what are these 2 defective, mid range, 1968 China stamps worth?

Here is the dilemma all dealers like me face each day.

You have something on your desk, and you need to set a fair price on it.

What I have here is are just 2 units of a Mao se-tenant strip of 5 from 1968.

The huge new new SG China cat - which I seriously recommend to EVERY person collecting China/HK, has upped the price heavily on perfect examples of these to £225 each.

The current "Yang" catalogue rates then at $US250 each in fine condition

These sadly are not perfect however. There is a large hinge remainder, and both units have gum toning and quite bad creases - as is evident.

The paper is highly surfaced, thick red, so creases crack the printing ink. As you can see!

USED these stamp are worth a third of mint, so washing them and calling them 'VFU' is not an option on these.

These are lesser lights in the Mao China stakes, and these 2 have never been in the stratosphere level of the un-issued stamps we hear and read about so often.

They are basic mid level items, and have no flaw or variety on them - just poor condition.

Indeed these stamps were relatively common in Australia, as Seven Seas Stamps had masses strips of 5 in their cheap approval packets in the 1960s, as the USA dealers were restricted in dealing with China.

So faced with this condition, and knowing the new updated SG cat value, what would YOU offer them for sale at, and regard that as a fair and reasonable price.

See how tricky it is being a dealer and needing to be accurate.

They are on YOUR desk and you need to set a fair value on them. Do it!

Please vote in the poll, and add your comments as to WHY below!

What is fair market price for these 2 stamps today?

$2,000 ebay buy it now for single MUH stamp
$357 SG catalogue value
take average
x 2 for 2 stamps
+ 20% premium for se-tenant pair
- 25% for defecting (not sure where to)
round off

= $2,100

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A man might as well marry ... if he finds a good wife he will be happy ... if not, he will become a philosopher.
Collecting Greater New Guinea & Macropods (Kangaroos & Wallabies).

I marked $100.00 as I bought the album in a Box lot for $200.00. These were in a ETA School boy Album down the bottom of the carton,

Having already onsold much of what was in the box to members of the GOMC,and made at least 200% already, with still a quarter to go,I will be more than happy to get another $100.00.as some cream on the top.

They virtually cost me nothing, so $100.00 to me is good profit.

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Nunawading Stamp Fair
Last Sunday of Every Month - Jaycees Hall Silver Grove - Nunawading.

Muruk .. when stamps are issued in strips of 5 across a sheet there is NO premium for 2 stamps of a strip.

If you look at any China stamps with ebay idiot "Buy It Now" prices (which mean absolutely nothing) the spead of asking prices is a factor of 10 fold. Depending on how big a dreamer you click upon.

We have 2000 posts on such cuckooland dream chasers right here -

http://www.stampboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=379

And if you are happy to sell things from the 60s that are hinged, toned, and creased, and think 25% off perfect grade is fair, dont expect a long career ...................

Personally, I wouldn't pay $50 for the two creased & toned stamps.

However, I know China is red hot, so I guessed $100.

Bill

Yep ... I figured I had the right bait.

Hot damn this is a fun website.

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A man might as well marry ... if he finds a good wife he will be happy ... if not, he will become a philosopher.
Collecting Greater New Guinea & Macropods (Kangaroos & Wallabies).

Crappy condition, and a broken strip. If the strip is split 3-2 or 4-1 its still OK, though it cuts the price down some. If this pair is from the middle, so you end up with 1-3-1, well that's getting poor.

If it were used, a collector might be OK with putting together 5 singles in a row; after all they would have been used commercially 1 at a time (8f domestic letter rate). If you see a full strip on cover, its philatelic use 99% of the time, often with "China Philatelic Company" as the corner card return address. Doesn't hurt the auction price it seems. When it comes to used, Chinese collectors actually prefer CTO. They think the crisp corner cancels are nice and tidy.

For mint, condition of gum matters. Being hinged is a so-so matter it seems--hinged M/S of the 70s make almost as much as UM. But visible toning on the front is a big strike; "gum bends" (as the auction catalogues like to say) detract; this pair has a big crease visible on the front. The thick red often cracks, a typical problem but it hurts the value again, as prices in the catalogue are for uncracked.

All-in-all I went with the $50 figure. Given the condition and the broken strip status. Of course a goodly number of eBay sellers would add a nought to the end of that.

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Collecting Mongolia; Thailand; Indo-China; Mourning Covers; OHMS.
My online 'store': http://stampsfromaethelwulf.blogspot.com/

I chose number 4 based on strictly the outrageous prices for China that I've been seeing and also the fact that the price was enough to start a poll.

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"Life is a tough Teacher, it gives you the test first and the lesson later"
Anonymous

I have thrown the bones,consulted the witchdoctor and gazed into the bottom of a teacup

And came up with $100

However they can't stand you in much and holding them in your inventory for a while is not going to break you

Also if you have a client who has more money than sense ( clearly not a Stampboarder ) you are not going to point that out to him are you

At the moment China is not a clearly defined market such a Oz or GB so no one is going to put you down as a "dreamer" if you ask a bit too much

Mark it up at $500 ( obviously pointing out the faults ) on your website - not in here of course -and good luck to you

If you want to offer the pair here then probably $100 is about right

But I have voted $500

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When a man comes to me for advice, I find out the kind of advice he wants, and I give it to him

Because of condition I say $100.00. But, with the China market going up who knows.

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I buy too much, can't sell enough - but the information here is priceless.

I'd guess 250. China is insane right now in prices. Not what I'd pay but what the market might bare.

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Wanted Worldwide Perfins, always looking for more!

Is it me, or is there just a picture of the back of the stamps?

I'd like to see the front, because that is the side I look at!

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-------kriszick
"Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana."

Kris .. Bill told you all - DON'T INHALE!

Well, I must have smoked the REALLY good stuff, because I erased all my cookies (or ate them all ) and I still only see one picture of the back of the stamps.

Hmmm...

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-------kriszick
"Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana."

This is the rare missing all colours variety with reversed offset on the back (hard to tell it's reversed, because the writing is in Chinese).

Why else did you think Glen's poll options went up to a million dollars?

... or maybe the pictures just defected.

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A man might as well marry ... if he finds a good wife he will be happy ... if not, he will become a philosopher.
Collecting Greater New Guinea & Macropods (Kangaroos & Wallabies).

The wacky tobacky does give one the munchies (so I've heard).

Both front and back display for me. Do you see the word "Image" where a pic should be? I get that sometimes on here, even refreshing the page.

The pic of the front should be displayed below Mao's backside.

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Collecting Mongolia; Thailand; Indo-China; Mourning Covers; OHMS.
My online 'store': http://stampsfromaethelwulf.blogspot.com/

Half cat. would be standard for a dealer to sell "worldwide" mint.

Then half again as creased/damaged, so that equates to $125. Nearest option on the poll is $100 so that's what I voted.

My choice was around $50.

Cheers!

Well, I fixed my computer the "good old-fashioned" way and turned the darned thing off and back on!

I now see both stamp images, and "NO!" I didn't go take a nap and "sleep it off".

I am still trying to figure out why Glen posted that awful picture of Hillary Clinton . . . .

Back to the stamps: I guessed $750. It seems that the high c.v. items in perfect condition go for OUTRAGEOUS sums of money. People are willing to go to any lengths to get them. But it also seems that just getting the hot items is important, no matter what the condition.

No hard facts or anything, just a gut feeling from my general impression of the China market.

I will be surprised if the answer is anything below c.v.

Kristine

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-------kriszick
"Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana."

Well, part of the equation would be how much I had into the pair to begin with...

However, excluding that, if I were selling them... if the normal cat was $500 for the pair, cutting in half for the faults, but counterbalanced by the current state of the Chinese market, I'd put them at $250 OBO for the pair and see where they went.

So I chose option #3.

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www.revenue-collector.com - Member APS, ARA
Click here to see my U.S. revenue wantlist.

Here's an opening for an entrepeneur.

Produce a catalogue of all the world's stamps with a figure showing how much above or below catalogue value they actually sell for.

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A man might as well marry ... if he finds a good wife he will be happy ... if not, he will become a philosopher.
Collecting Greater New Guinea & Macropods (Kangaroos & Wallabies).

They are "worth" whatever someone is willing to pay for them.

In real estate they say there is a price for every time and a time for every price, meaning if you wait long enough the buyer will come to pay your price.

Personally, I think they are ugly and wouldn't pay $5 for them so that is what they are worth to me.

As that was not an option, I've clicked a million dollars but at that price, the buyer probably isn't born yet.

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I'm John. I collect Italian, particularly the Mussolini years.

I voted $100.00, but would not pay that for them. The bubble may burst (as did Hong Kongs after the handover) and they could be back to $1 - $5 in a couple of years.

Norm

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Geelong, VFA Premiers 1878, 1879, 1800, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1886, AFL Premiers 1925, 1931, 1937, 1951, 1952, 1963, 2007, 2009, 2011, .

As with all things China at the moment. Think of a figure, double it and then put a nought on the end.

My guess is, if this sold at auction someone would have been silly enough to have paid $2,500 for the pair.

P.S. It has been 2 days since the poll started, so you can add another 15% to the sale price.

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We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm.

$150 for the pair.

Damaged, toned, hinged and only a torn 2 out of a strip of 5.

If I was a serious China collector - I would want the whole set as an undamaged strip of 5.

The opening challenge was to set a price today, to sell them now. Nothing about vague auctions or what they might sell to the bunnies for - just move them on.

Now to go check my childhood albums for a nice strip!

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Greg - Looking for Goulburn Australia Cancels and Grangemouth Scotland Cancels and Covers
Member of the S.T.A.M.P Club for Slightly Twisted And Mad Philatelists - Motto: "Bring back the lick!"

Allanswood - In order to be a "serious" China collector your would need VERY deep pockets.

That's why I only dabble.

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Mike
Why do we need perforations? Scissors are cheap!

36 votes cast so far.

When we get to 50 votes I'll reveal the answer.

So far 63% of votes are for $500 or less - excluding the intellectual genius who wanted to vote $5, but said as there was no $5 option, he voted $1 million instead.

Glen

I went for around $750 as it has to be a silly figure for Glen to ask the question.

Queenslander

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Collector of Australia and UK plus too many other bits and pieces. Look for me on Delcampe and Ebay also as Queenslander for my Stamp offers

Not much difference between not having $5 and not having $1 million.

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A man might as well marry ... if he finds a good wife he will be happy ... if not, he will become a philosopher.
Collecting Greater New Guinea & Macropods (Kangaroos & Wallabies).

I am always in a quandary when looking at damaged stamps. I remember once looking at a grubby damaged stamp from British Guiana (yes, it was the 1c magenta in the flesh). For some reason no-one seems to think about condition for it. Its like the Venus de Milo who lacks a pair of arms.

Yes, people have a hangup about condition but somethings are just not that common, unlike the population of China.

Considering all the above opinions I would probably suggest a more mid-range path - here's $250.00 from the sidelines (otherwise a non-China collector but suffering from being a specialist in early India which is beginning to go the same way as China - not good for the acquisition of desirable items).

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I'll think of something inspiring one day.

45 votes in - when we get to 50 I'll spill the beans!

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Click HERE to see superb, RARE and unusual stamps, at FIXED low nett prices, high rez photos, and NO buyer fees etc!

My guess is that collectors in China are becoming more cautious in their spending. I chose $100.00. Next year - perhaps $5.00 to $10.00?

I sometimes hear The Beatles "Revolution" in my mind when I see these stamps.

Best wishes,
AndrewG

I agree with everyone that the China market has gone nuts. Even more so the communist PRC issues. So I decided to play it safe and vote for $1000

I wouldn't pay any more than $25.00 for the pair. But if I was interested in collecting Chinese stamps, I would maybe go as high as $250.00. The market dictates at the moment.

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I am having fun collecting WW and Indian States.

There's 52 votes now Glen, time to spill the beans

Well the first clue is that 96% of members guessed WRONG.

I'm still in the running.



I have to sell some China stamps for the charity.

You can have them for whatever this pair made.

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We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm.

No ceegar tho for you.

OK the answer.

A friend of mine once managed Australia's largest stamp auction house, and fiddles around on ebay selling off bits and pieces.

We were chatting on the phone a couple days back, and he was chuckling about the China stamps he had listed - as above.

He had found these in stuff he bought for nothing decades back, and started them at $9.99 and assumed he might get $200 or so as China is "hot".

As you can see he was totally up front with the creasing, hinge and heavy toning -

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/CHINA-1968-8f-DIRECTIVES-PAIR-MH-/270819077063

When I spoke to him it was up to $600 and he was over the moon.

It still had a day or so to run.

As it happens he was on the phone a day or so later and I asked what it got and he said it was finishing in a few minutes and was in the $900s. And in his view that was where it would end.

I said "I bet you it gets way over $1,000 in the last seconds" and we stayed on line whilst it closed.

It got $A1,136.

For 2 totally stuffed letter rate stamps, that have a full SG new Cat of £450.

Bidder was Asian, so was going to be charged 100% insured fully trackable rate for protection, so total cost around $1200. Or option 7.

Our seller is a member here and he would have voted correctly for sure! so only 1 other member was correct.

More than 50% of those who voted felt that fair value was $500 or less. Indeed nearly a third of those voting decided "around $100" was market value.

Working out the value of China is TOUGH these days. ebay selling is not for me, but yesterday I found these 2 sets below in an old estate lot.

Both 1970s, and both sets HINGED. New updated SG is £110 - so I put $100 on it, listed it up here, and crossed my fingers.

Within hours it had sold to a Chinese dealer in China. So yes, all things China are HOT!



http://www.stampboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=31127

*sigh* Maybe it's time I sold all my China. After all, two years from now, I could probably buy them all back at 10% for what I sell them for today.

Norm

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Geelong, VFA Premiers 1878, 1879, 1800, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1886, AFL Premiers 1925, 1931, 1937, 1951, 1952, 1963, 2007, 2009, 2011, .

Unbelievable....time for me to get more PRC up on eBay.

Seems that someone with a bag of money decides one day they want to collect stamps, and they start throwing handfuls at everything in sight.

Of course it takes at least two to make an auction, so make that at least a pair of people with bags of money and not a lot of sense.

Examples in quality condition will always have a market...but damaged is damaged. Philately won't dry up, so there will always be collectors for China material, maybe just not at the stratospheric prices going on nowadays. But if the collector base does shrink, or speculators drop out of the buying, then genuine buyers will have 'pick of the litter' and will hold out for better looking copies than this.

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Collecting Mongolia; Thailand; Indo-China; Mourning Covers; OHMS.
My online 'store': http://stampsfromaethelwulf.blogspot.com/

I got a direct scan of the reverse of this pair today!

I'm with Norm on this

Seller tells me he has been paid, and the astute Thailand based buyer left positive feedback.

"Only on ebay".

No Glen, also on Delcampe.

I sold these 4 years ago for 480 Euro (if you click on the "camera" you can see the photo):
http://delcampe.it/page/item/id,0029432 ... age,I.html

As you can see they were CTO and glued (!!) on the sheet.

It's easy: probably this is the scarcest set of PRC.

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Collecting PR China, Israel & South Vietnam.

Buyers of China material seem to take anything. I set aside anything China that comes in an album/mixed lot and save it until I have a 'batch' of stuff, then put up eBay listings for "group of 8 diff 1950s mint" or "batch of PRC-era used commems" with 99ct start bids.

I wasn't expecting much from this group, the Junks low values are not scarce or anything,



and that Small Dragon on the left certainly isn't adding any value to the group. Meanwhile its neighbour has ink so pale you can barely see anything.

Not in the same 'league' as the Mao stamps at $1,100, but I was pretty happy with USD$32 for this little group.

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Collecting Mongolia; Thailand; Indo-China; Mourning Covers; OHMS.
My online 'store': http://stampsfromaethelwulf.blogspot.com/