How to Determine the Value or China Stamp Price?

Many factors come into play when determining a China stamp price, and of course, if you are just starting to collect China stamps and thinking about purchasing stamps online, it is important to know what to look for. Working with a reputable provider is certainly important when developing your stamp hobby, but it is also important to be educated about valuation procedures and keep in mind how a price is conceived.

The Three Main Determinants of Value

Stamp values are a function of their rarity, age, and condition. Further components of the stamp’s price can involve its relative artistic appearance, quality of its manufacturing, whether it has been postmarked and any idiosyncratic elements of its history.

Stamps are not just more valuable because they are old, but often due to other conditions that make them different or rarer, both of which are significant to philatelic enthusiasts. An oddity such as a more recently misprinted issue, one that was inadvertently released before distribution could be halted, may be far more valuable than even much older issues.

Thematic stamps and stamps that may appeal to the public due to their content can also drive the price of collecting them. For a collector seeking a complete set of all Chinese ‘Year of the Monkey’ stamps issued by the Chinese postal service, getting that final piece of his compilation will prove pricier than he might otherwise expect, but if he is serious about his hobby it will be well worth the expense.

Even Overprints Contribute to a China Stamp Price

Chinese stamps, stretching back to the beginning of the 20^th century, have valuations affected by having been overprinted or surcharged. Overprints occur when a governmental change results in a need to generate completely new stocks of official stamps.

In order to continue postal service while new issues are designed and manufactured, a new regime would print over older stamps in order to recharge them for a new use. A surcharge occurs whenever it is necessary to recast stamp values in order to avoid dumping existing inventory, such as in inflationary economic periods. Both of these processes affect the underlying value of the original stamps when collecting.

New or Used?

A major determinant of stamp value whether it is new or used. New stamps that are unblemished are distinctive from stamps that have been postmarked and cancelled. In some cases the actual postmark itself can increase the value of the stamp, especially if there is an interesting historical element involved.

Preservation Preserves Value

Most important in determining a stamp’s value is how its condition is relative to other identical stamps. Has its paper stock held up? Have its colors retained its original luster? Is the centering of the stamp authentic? Are the perforated edges in good condition or have they been re-perforated? When evaluating stamps originally sold as a set, there is a premium place if they are still in their virgin form.

What it really comes down to is preservation and care for collected stamps is critical to holding or increasing their value over time. Consult reference books, online resources and reputable dealers to help ascertain the best possible advice of a stamp’s potential valuation.

When it comes to thinking about China stamp price, we know how important it is to have a supplier you can trust, and we have carved out our market in the Chinese stamp collecting world by building relationships built on trust. Welcome to BuyChinaStamp.com! We look forward to doing business with you.