Buying
How to Buy Stamps at Auction
To buy stamps at auction, first view the lots and judge their condition for yourself, then set a firm limit based on what each is worth to you. Remember that a buyer's premium is added to the hammer price, so factor that in. You can bid in the room, by telephone, online, or by leaving a written maximum bid. Discipline matters most: decide your limit in advance and do not exceed it.
At a glance
Before you bid, view the lots
The most important step happens before the sale: examining what you intend to buy. Auction stamps are sold as seen, so view the lots in person, or study the catalogue images and descriptions closely, and judge condition for yourself, since it drives value.
Our guides to condition and value and spotting a fake or repaired stamp explain what to look for. If a lot is valuable and you cannot view it, ask the auctioneer about condition, and look for any certificate.
Estimates, reserves and the buyer's premium
- The estimate
- The auctioneer's guide to a lot's likely price. It is a guide only; lots can sell below or well above it.
- The reserve
- A confidential minimum the seller will accept. If bidding does not reach it, the lot goes unsold.
- The buyer's premium
- A percentage added to the hammer price, and sometimes tax on top. It is the part buyers most often forget, so always factor it into your limit.
How to buy at auction, step by step
View and judge the lots
View in person or study the catalogue images closely, and assess condition for yourself, since it drives value.
Set a firm limit
Decide the most you will pay for each lot, including the buyer's premium, based on what it is worth to you.
Choose how to bid
Bid in the room, by telephone, online, or by leaving a written maximum bid in advance.
Bid with discipline
Bid calmly up to your limit and no further. There will always be another lot.
Pay and collect
If you win, pay the hammer price plus the buyer's premium and any tax, then arrange collection or postage, and check the lot against its description.
How to bid
- In the room. Bidding in person, by raising a hand or paddle, with the full feel of the sale.
- By telephone. Arranged in advance, a member of staff bids on your behalf as you listen.
- Online. Live online bidding, through the auctioneer's platform or a bidding portal, is now common and convenient.
- A written or commission bid. You leave your maximum bid in advance, and the auctioneer bids up to it on your behalf, no higher than needed. For a newcomer, a written maximum bid or online bidding is often the calmest way to start.
Setting and keeping a limit
The one discipline that matters
The single discipline that separates a good auction buyer from a regretful one is the limit. Before the sale, decide the most you will pay for each lot, including the buyer's premium, based on what it is worth to you, not on the excitement of the moment. Then keep to it. It is easy to be carried away in a contest of bids, but the stamp will be no better for having cost more than it should. There will always be another lot. Our guide to what affects a stamp's value helps you judge a sensible figure.
After the sale
If you win a lot, you pay the hammer price plus the buyer's premium and any tax, and arrange collection or postage. Check the lot on arrival against its description, and keep the invoice for your records, useful for cataloguing and any future sale, as our guide to cataloguing a collection suggests. Buy thoughtfully and within your limit, and auctions can be a rewarding way to acquire better stamps.
Frequently asked questions
View the lots and judge their condition, set a firm limit including the buyer's premium, and bid in the room, by telephone, online, or by leaving a written maximum bid. Keep to your limit.
A percentage the auction house adds to the hammer price, sometimes with tax on top. Always include it when working out the most you will pay for a lot.
The estimate is the auctioneer's guide to likely price; the reserve is a confidential minimum the seller will accept. A lot below its reserve goes unsold.
Yes. Most auctioneers now offer live online bidding through their own platform or a bidding portal, alongside room, telephone and written bids.
View, set a limit, mind the premium
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Founder and stamp dealerLast updated June 2026