Valuation
Are My Old Stamps Worth Anything?
Some old stamps are valuable, but most are not, and age alone is not what decides it. Value comes from genuine scarcity, condition and demand, so a common old stamp can be worth pennies while a scarce one can be worth a great deal. The honest truth is that you cannot tell without looking, and the better items are easy to miss, so it is well worth having old stamps checked. You are welcome to send us clear photographs for a free, honest valuation.
At a glance
The honest short answer
Some old stamps are worth real money. Most are common and worth little. Which is which depends on scarcity, condition and demand, not on how old a stamp is, as our guide to what affects a stamp's value explains.
That might sound discouraging, but there is good news in it. It costs nothing to find out what you have, and because the few good items in a collection can be worth far more than all the rest put together, it is genuinely worth checking before you do anything else.
Why most old stamps are not valuable
It helps to understand why. Stamps were printed in enormous numbers, and a great many survive, so most old stamps are simply common. Ordinary Victorian and early twentieth-century stamps, used definitives, mixed packet material and most first day covers are inexpensive, however venerable they look.
This is not really bad news. It is what lets people collect old stamps affordably, and it means the search for value can focus on the few stamps that truly matter.
But value is easy to miss
The other half of the truth
Hidden value in an unpromising album
Among the common stamps there can be scarce ones, valuable varieties, good postal history, or early classics in fine condition, and value can hide in an unpromising-looking album or a single old envelope.
An untrained eye passes over these things easily. That is precisely why it is worth having a collection checked rather than assuming, in either direction, what it is worth.
What to look for
- Early stamps, especially Victorian issues and the first British stamps, the Penny Black and Penny Red.
- Mint stamps with original gum, and complete sets rather than odd singles.
- Stamps on old envelopes or covers, which can be worth more than the stamp alone.
- Anything unusual, such as odd colours, errors, or unusual perforations and watermarks.
- Good condition, meaning sound, fresh and well-centred stamps.
These are signposts, not a substitute for an expert eye, which will see things you might not. Our guide to how to spot a potentially valuable stamp goes through them in more detail.
What not to do
Protect what you have
Before anything else, a few simple don'ts can save real value.
- Do not soak stamps off paper, as this can destroy value, especially on covers.
- Do not pull stamps out of albums.
- Do not try to clean, repair or "improve" anything.
- Do not throw anything away until it has been checked.
In short, leave the collection exactly as it is until someone has looked at it.
The simplest way to find out
The easiest thing to do is send us clear photographs by email. Show the album pages and the overall scope, then add closer pictures of anything that looks older, better or unusual. We will give you a free, honest valuation, with no obligation to sell.
We will tell you plainly what is worth something and what is not, and the best way for you to sell anything that is.
No obligation
Send us photos of your old stamps
Photograph the album pages or the whole lot, and add closer pictures of anything older, better or unusual. We will tell you honestly what it is worth, and the best way to sell anything that is.
Email daniel@blackheathstamps.co.uk. As valuations are free, we reply as soon as we are able.
Frequently asked questions
Some are, but most are not. Value comes from genuine scarcity, condition and demand, not age, so a common old stamp may be worth pennies while a scarce one is worth much more.
Look for early issues, mint stamps with original gum, complete sets, stamps on cover, and anything unusual or in fine condition. But the surest way is to have them checked.
Many are common and inexpensive, because so many survive, while some are genuinely valuable. The Penny Black, for example, is common but still sought-after. Condition matters greatly.
No. Cleaning can destroy value. Leave stamps exactly as they are, and do not soak them off paper or remove them from albums.
Send clear photographs by email and we will give you a free, honest valuation with no obligation.
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Founder and stamp dealerLast updated June 2026