Obtaining a valuation

We at Stanley Gibbons and Baldwins see dozens of collections of either stamps, coins or medals every day from collectors, collectors’ families or representatives, and people who have inherited collections. Not all stamp or coin collections are valuable; the vast majority that we see on a daily basis are of little commercial value. When looking to get a valuation it is always best to ask for professional guidance as there is a great deal of misinformation on stamps and coins online.

Our Process

The first step is to get in contact with us whether that be in person, over the phone, by email or by letter. When emailing us please give us a small overview of the collection, who was the collector, how was it collected, its size, scope, countries, period, etc... accompanied by some sample photographs.

Once the valuation is complete and you have agreed to sell by auction, we then begin to ‘lot up’ the collection, either breaking it down into separate lots or offering the collection ‘whole’. The consigned collection will be offered in the next suitable sale, accurately described by one of our specialists.

An auction catalogue is then compiled and sent off to the printers, from where it will land on the doorsteps of our global customer base. The sales are also advertised online, our own publication Gibbons Stamp Monthly, social media and to the philatelic trade.

At Auction

On the day of the auction, you will be able to watch the sale online or in the room. Our sales often see fierce competition for lots from bidders in the room, auction agents, bidders on the telephone and online.

After the sale and the results are finalised, the lots realisations will be communicated and published online. Should there be any unsold lots we will advise you and if we receive any after sale offers on them these will be communicated to you for approval. Should there be no after auction sales, any unsold lots can be offered in a future sale with reduced estimates.  

Lastly, payment is made to all vendors within 35 days from date of sale minus relevant auction fees.

Watch Senior Auction Describer Oscar Young explain about how we value a stamp collection or watch Baldwin’s MD Neil Paisley & Ancient Coin Specialist Dominic Chroney talk about valuing coins.

• Stamp collecting for beginners: How we value a collection
• How Much Are Your Rare Coins Worth? | Baldwins Coins