Valuation
How to Get Your Stamps Valued
The simplest way to get your stamps valued is to send clear photographs by email, and we will give you a free, honest valuation with no obligation. Photograph the album pages and the overall collection, then add closer pictures of anything that looks better or unusual. We usually reply within a few days, depending on the size of the collection, and for large or genuinely valuable collections we can arrange to value them in person or by post.
At a glance
The free photo valuation, step by step
Photograph the collection.
Take clear, well-lit pictures of the album pages and the overall scope, so we can see what is there.
Add close-ups of the better items.
Photograph anything that looks older, better, scarce or unusual more closely, including the back where it matters.
Email them to us.
Send the photographs to daniel@blackheathstamps.co.uk, with a note of anything you already know about the collection.
We assess them.
We will look through everything carefully and, usually within a few days, come back to you.
You receive an honest valuation.
We will tell you what we think it is worth, item by item where that helps, and the best way to sell it if you wish.
How to take good photographs
A few simple things help
Clear photos, in good light
The better your photographs, the more accurate a valuation we can give.
- Use good light, ideally natural daylight, and avoid flash glare.
- Keep the photographs in focus, and fill the frame with the stamps.
- Lay album pages flat and capture whole pages.
- Take closer pictures of the better stamps, showing the front, and the back where gum or faults matter.
- Include any catalogue numbers or notes you already have.
You do not need special equipment. A modern phone camera in good light is perfectly good enough.
What your valuation will tell you
What we give you depends on the collection. For a straightforward one, that may be a guide or ballpark figure for the whole. For one with better material, it will include an assessment of the individual items that matter.
Either way, you will get an honest view of realistic market value, not a catalogue total, as our guide to catalogue value versus market value explains, along with a clear sense of which items are worth something and which are not, and the best way to sell anything you wish to.
Larger or more valuable collections
A closer look where it is worth it
Photographs can only show so much, and for a large collection, or one that turns out to hold genuinely valuable material, a closer look is worth having.
In those cases, we can arrange to assess the collection more thoroughly, either in person or by post, so that it receives the careful, hands-on examination it deserves. If your photographs suggest it would be worthwhile, we will say so.
It is free, with no obligation
The valuation is free, and there is no obligation to sell. If you simply want to know what you have, that is entirely fine, and you will get the same honest answer.
We will make you an offer if you would like one, but we will not pressure you, and where an auction would serve you better, we will tell you so.
Free, no obligation
Email your photos for a free valuation
Send clear pictures of the album pages and the overall collection, plus close-ups of anything that looks better or unusual. We will give you an honest valuation and tell you the best way to sell anything you wish to.
Email daniel@blackheathstamps.co.uk. We usually reply within a few days, depending on the size of the collection.
If you decide to sell
If, having seen the valuation, you decide to sell, we will explain the options and the best route for what you have. We will buy at a fair price where that suits you, or help you take the collection to auction where it would do better. A dealer has to make a profit, while an auction lets dealers and collectors compete for your collection. The choice is always yours.
Frequently asked questions
Send clear photographs of the collection by email to daniel@blackheathstamps.co.uk, and we will give you a free, honest valuation, usually within a few days.
Yes. The valuation is free, with no obligation to sell.
Usually a few days, depending on the size of the collection. Larger collections naturally take a little longer.
Clear, well-lit pictures of the album pages and the overall collection, plus closer pictures of anything that looks better or unusual, including the back where it matters.
Yes. For large or genuinely valuable collections, we can arrange to value them in person or by post, for a closer examination than photographs allow.
No. There is no obligation. We will give you an honest valuation, make an offer only if you would like one, and point you to auction where it would serve you better.
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Founder and stamp dealerLast updated June 2026