RussianPhilately.com is a U.S.-based specialist buyer of Russian stamps, collections and postal history.
We purchase material from collectors, families, estates and stamp dealers throughout the United States and internationally.
Our specialties include Imperial Russia, Zemstvo, the Russian Civil War, RSFSR, the Soviet Union / USSR and modern Russia.
You do not need to identify or catalog your stamps before contacting us. A few representative photographs are usually enough for an initial review.
What Russian Stamps Do We Buy?
We consider individual stamps, complete collections, specialized collections, postal history, dealer stocks and estates.
Our principal areas include
Imperial Russian stamps,
Zemstvo stamps,
Civil War and RSFSR material,
early Soviet and USSR stamps,
later Soviet collections, revenues, postal stationery, covers and specialized varieties.
We do not require a collection to contain famous rarities. We maintain a large working inventory and can purchase collectible material across a wide range of values when it fits our market and inventory.
We Also Buy Philatelic Books and Libraries
We also consider reference books, specialized catalogs and postal history literature covering Russian Imperial, Soviet and Zemstvo stamps, either with a stamp collection or as a separate library. If books are included in the estate, send a few photos of the shelves with the titles visible so we can review them along with the stamps.
Why Sell to a Russian Stamp Specialist?
Russian philately can be difficult to evaluate from a basic worldwide catalog. Apparently similar stamps may differ because of printing, perforation, paper, overprints, cancellations, condition, authenticity or specialized catalog varieties.
RussianPhilately.com focuses specifically on Russian philately. Our inventory contains thousands of Russian stamps, varieties, covers and other items, including extensive holdings of Imperial Russia, Zemstvo and Soviet material.
This specialization allows us to evaluate Russian collections as working philatelic material rather than simply as old stamps or general antiques.
How to Sell Your Russian Stamp Collection
1. Send Several Photos
You do not need to photograph every stamp. Send a few clear photographs showing the collection as a whole and several representative pages.
If possible, include pages with Imperial Russia, Zemstvo, early Soviet stamps, postal history, certificates, old auction cards or anything the collector considered important.
2. We Review the Collection
We will let you know whether the material fits what we currently purchase. For larger or more specialized collections, we may ask for additional photographs or information.
3. Purchase and Payment
If the collection is of interest, we can make a direct purchase offer. A final offer may require physical examination of the stamps.
If we agree on a purchase, we will arrange shipping, delivery and payment.
About Stamp Values
Age and catalog value alone do not determine what stamps can be sold for. Market value depends on collector demand, condition, scarcity, authenticity and how readily the material can be resold.
Many Russian and Soviet stamps were produced in large quantities and remain readily available. Collections made primarily from common material may therefore have modest resale value even when they are old or show substantial catalog totals.
Our purchase offers are based on the current collector and dealer market rather than full retail or catalog prices.
Direct Sale or Auction?
A specialist auction can be appropriate for important individual items or major specialized collections. Auctions also involve commissions, preparation and lotting, a future sale date and uncertainty about the final realization.
A direct sale is simpler. If the collection fits our inventory, we can make an offer without waiting for an auction or paying a seller’s commission.
We can also purchase collectible material that may not be economical to offer as individual auction lots.
Send Your Russian Stamps for Review
Send several representative photographs and a short description of what you have. There is no need to prepare a catalog or photograph the entire collection.
Upload up to 10 clear photos. Original phone photos are fine.
If you have any problem using the form, email us directly at info@russianphilately.com.
More About the Russian Philatelic Material We Purchase
Imperial Russian Stamps and Postal History
We purchase collections and individual items from the Russian Empire, including classic postage stamps, early issues, postal history, prephilatelic material, Russian Offices in China, Russian Offices in the Turkish Empire, cancellations, varieties, proofs, essays and certified material.
We are also interested in collections that combine ordinary Imperial issues with postal stationery, covers, revenues or other specialized material.
Zemstvo Stamps
Zemstvo philately is one of our principal specialties. We buy individual Zemstvo stamps, district collections, varieties, errors, proofs, essays, multiples, postal stationery and Zemstvo postal history.
Collections organized using Schmidt, Chuchin or other specialized catalogs are welcome. If the material has not been identified, leave it in its original albums, stockbooks or mounts. Old annotations, auction cards and dealer information may help identify the collection.
Soviet and USSR Stamps
We purchase Soviet and USSR stamp collections, particularly material from the 1920s through the 1950s, complete sets, souvenir sheets, varieties, full sheets, postal stationery and postal history.
Later Soviet collections from the 1960s–1991 may also be of interest when they are substantial, complete, organized, contain full sheets or include specialized material. Large quantities of common CTO or inexpensive duplicate stamps generally have limited resale demand.
Russian Civil War, RSFSR and Other Areas
We also consider Russian Civil War and regional issues, White Army material, RSFSR, revenues and fiscal stamps, charity stamps, poster stamps, seals, postal stationery, postcards, specialized literature, exhibition material and dealer inventories.
Inherited a Russian Stamp Collection?
Many people who contact us have inherited a Russian or Soviet stamp collection and know little about philately. You do not need to become a stamp collector or identify every catalog number before asking us to look at it.
Do not reorganize the collection, remove stamps from album pages, soak stamps from old envelopes or covers, or throw away certificates, auction cards, dealer envelopes, invoices or the collector’s notes.
These can contain useful information about how the collection was assembled and may help identify specialized material.
Start by photographing several representative pages. If the collection contains many albums or boxes, one or two photographs showing its overall size are also useful.
Material We Usually Do Not Purchase
Most postage stamps are common, even when they are several decades old. We generally do not purchase basic childhood worldwide collections, common packet stamps, heavily damaged common material or large accumulations of inexpensive Soviet duplicates.
We are also usually not interested in large quantities of common used or CTO Soviet stamps from the 1960s–1991 unless they form part of a substantial organized collection or include sheets, varieties or other specialized material.
If you are unsure what you have, send representative photographs rather than spending time trying to determine the value yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions About Selling Russian Stamps
Where can I sell a Russian stamp collection?
RussianPhilately.com purchases Russian stamp collections directly from collectors, estates, families and stamp dealers. Send photographs first so we can determine whether the collection fits what we currently buy.
Do you buy Soviet and USSR stamps?
Yes. We purchase Soviet and USSR collections, individual stamps, complete sets, varieties, souvenir sheets, full sheets, postal stationery and postal history.
Do you buy Imperial Russian stamps?
Yes. Imperial Russia is one of our principal specialties, including postage stamps, postal history, Offices Abroad, varieties and related material.
Do you buy Zemstvo stamps?
Yes. Zemstvo is one of our main specialties. We purchase individual stamps as well as district collections and advanced specialized holdings.
Do I need to identify an inherited stamp collection before contacting you?
No. Several photographs of representative pages are sufficient for the first review. If we need particular areas photographed more closely, we will ask for them.
Does an old Russian stamp collection have to be valuable?
No. Age alone does not determine value. Some old stamps are common, while particular issues, varieties, postal history or specialized material may have considerably stronger collector demand.
Is catalog value the same as the selling price?
No. Catalog values are reference values and are not the same as current retail prices, auction realizations or dealer purchase prices. Actual market value depends on the particular item and current demand.
Is it better to sell Russian stamps to a dealer or at auction?
It depends on the collection. Auction may be appropriate for major specialized collections or important individual items. A direct dealer sale can be faster and simpler and can work particularly well for collections containing material across several price levels.
Do you provide stamp appraisals?
We provide a free preliminary purchase review to determine whether material is something we may buy. This service is not a formal insurance, probate or tax appraisal.
Can I sell only one Russian stamp or cover?
Yes. We consider individual collectible stamps and postal history as well as complete collections.
Do you buy collections outside the United States?
Yes, depending on the material. Please contact us before shipping anything internationally.
Should I mail my stamps before contacting you?
No. Please send photographs and receive confirmation from us before mailing any stamps or collections.