Blocks of Four

john o'neil

Two weeks ago or so, I posted six very nice (IMO) mint blocks of four. They ranged in price from $3 to $40. Since then, not even one view.

Fifty years ago, mint blocks were sought after. I still have most of the blocks from my dads collection. I had read that this was no longer the case....guess my foray into selling them supports this.

Fortunately, I can break them up as some very fine (IMO) marketable singles. Just having a hard time doing that.

Just an observation.

Scott Payton

I wouldn't pass judgement too quickly on that.
Popularity is fleeting. What is in today, is likely to not be in tomorrow and vice versa. It's probably better to be patient, and if you have a lot of material, focus on that for a while instead. Cycles come and go. A few years ago I couldn't give postal stationary away, and lately we've sold quite a few.
A number of factors can make things in and out of vogue.
In the long term, multiples are frequently higher value than singles. Once you break them up, you can't put them back.

john o'neil

That's my hesitation. There's only one stamp shop anywhere near me. They buy albums and small collection, and, with one exception, I've had good buys there. Last time I was in, they had two albums with nothing but blocks and plate blocks. I didn't even look. Maybe I will next time I'm up. Back in the 60s and early 70's, my parents took several vacation in the Caribbean. My dad always stopped at a post office and brought a home a block or two.

Scott Payton

Some items will have far more sentimental value than they ever will monetary value.
In those cases, just keep them.
The hard part making that leap from collector to dealer is learning not to be "emotional" about an item that you don't need to be. It's tempting to always keep all the great stuff in a collection, but if you do, then you can't recover the cost of the collection. It's a balance.

Bob Woodbury

I’m actually looking at this right now. I would like to buy a US 362. Currently one for sale here for $2400. Also for sale a plate block of four for $3600. So I could buy it. Break it up. And sell three for $1200 each and keep one for free.

But I can’t. I just can’t. And I would remember just how I got that stamp for the rest of my time. No thanks.

Don Leischner

The devil's imp just said, that isnt a block of 4, it's 4 attached singles waiting for you to pick one.

Phil Merrill_

There are times and then there are times, and sometimes breaking up a multiple, even when it ain't rare, is like cutting up the Declaration of Independence just for the autographs.

Bill O'Malley

You would not get $1200 each for the singles. If you could the owner would split the block up.

Bob Woodbury

Bill. So where can I buy one for $1200?

Bill O'Malley

At auction some where.

Bill O'Malley

Those that are listed all have certificates but the centering is awful. That is why I was saying that if you broke them up you would maybe get 1200 for the NH copy but there is only one and there is no image of the backside to see what they look like.