Anybody know about First Day Covers?

[wolf63]

I work a couple of afternoons per week in a charity shop. Some nice person has donated a couple of folders of first day covers (stamped envelope things) going back to about 1970.

I am going to see if I can find somebody in one of our other shops who can value them for me, but should this fail I will have to try to do it myself. EBay will be my 'little helper'.

Are there any guidelines or rules that reflect on the potential value of the items?

I checked a couple out on EBay and they were selling at around £5 - but there are some in the folder that were not on EBay.

Any help appreciated.

[boxtops]

It depends how rare they are, wolf - I have sold some on eBay for double face value if they are unusual, but some are very common. I have a set going back to 1967, I used to collect them all - if they are less usual and quite old, it's worth checking with a stamp dealer. In the days when I used to collect them, there were only three or four special issues in a year - now, new ones seem to be issued very frequently.

[boxtops]

PS - have just read your post fully - sorry - have a look at a site like this one too http://www.stampsfors..._day_covers_index.asp or this one http://www.bfdc.co.uk/
If you have folders of covers and they are in date sequence, you might get more than by selling them separately (but on the other hand, you might not...)

[boxtops]

PS again (LOL) if you contact Royal Mail they will send you a list of all the FDCs they have issued during certain years - they did that for me so I could make sure I knew if I had any gaps in my collection. http://www.royalmail....0669&mediaId=61800709

[weas]

go to your local auction house ,they will give you a free guide value

[wolf63]

Thanks for your second post. Oxfam have decided that our shop is to start selling some items via their website and these seemed to be the ideal item to put on-line and easy to post too!

I am supposed to be typing up the boss-man's annual appraisal just now but it is so boring. I thought that the civil service was the only place that had such a stupid system - I feel like I am typing the same phrases over and over - about targets and donations.

Maybe I will go for a nap instead.

:-)

[wolf63]

In the time that it took me to dither over my last post I have two more answers!

Boxtops and weas - thanks. When my brain wakes up I will plot/plan my next move.