99 - New Jersey Postal History Society

collector is foolishto bid blind on acollection thatmight include fakesand repairs. A collectorcan be fooledby a lot "salted"with stamps orcovers that appearto be worth morethan they are.RETAIL BUY-INGRetail prices arealso difficult to figure.At times adealer will price anitem much belowwhat an interested collector willpay and at other times a dealerwill pay too much and his retailprice will be above the currentmarket: You have to make adecision on what you will pay fora particular cover. Different collectorswill place different valueson individual pieces. This doesnot mean that one person knowsthe correct value.The secret for judging the valueof a cover is to ask yourself thesequestions; "Does the cover belongin my collection?" "Is thecover a need, or a want?" "Will Iever see it again?" After answer-.ame(xrx.ce.t.,5)ing these questions then considerthe price.Many collectors look at the pricefirst without considering the itema need or a want, and disregard thefactor of the elusiveness of theitem. Price is always a factor.Even wealthy collectors shouldnot overpay for an item and certainlyevery collector has a limitto what funds he has available forhis collection.How do you value the covershown below, an Australia to ArizonTerritory, 1911 usage, the 60Washington used as a Postage Dueto Tucson? Is this a cover for theAustralian collector? Ths U.S.dues collector? The Washington-Franklin collector? Do you needthis cover for your exhibit, orwould you just like to have it inyour collection? Will you eversee this cover again?Examining A CoverIt is absolutely necessary to lookat every aspect of a cover. WhenNJ PHSeptember 1992 121a collector is looking through agroup of covers it is a must thatboth sides of a cover be viewed.If you are going through a groupof covers at a show and thosecovers are in a box, it is advisableto remove a group ata time. here'sa quick way to inspect covers:With twenty or thirty covers thatyou have taken out of a box, keepthem on the table in full view ofthe dealer. Put the stack a foot infront of you and view the face ofthe cover. As you do this, turn thecover toward you, face down. Youare now looking at the reverse ofthe cover upside down. If thereare markings on the reverse youare now able to see them. If themarking looks unusual to you,pick up the cover and turn it rightside up.If you are looking for auxiliarymarkings, machine cancels, andforeign markings, many of theseall appear on the reverse of covers.Small town receiving marksand fancy cancels also appear onthe reverse.