How to Look Up Stamp Values

Use a collectible search engine like Mavin.io to find comparables and generate a price estimate. Remember, the value of something is what it actually sold for… not what somebody is asking!

1

Start with a Few Details

Start by entering a few specific details about your stamp. For example, I might start our search with something simple like “Franklin 5 dollars stamp”. Then, I’ll scan the results for ones that are exactly like mine. Take note of the title and stamp details, in particular, the Scott Number. For example, I see my stamp is actually “Scott #524”.

2Find the Scott Number

The Scott Catalog Number is a widely used reference book by stamp collectors that gives each stamp a unique identification number. This unique number helps collectors to identify and communicate about a specific stamp. In my example, I searched Mavin and found the Scott Catalog Number for my “United States 1918 5 Dollars Benjamin Franklin” stamp is “Scott #524.”

3Use the Scott Number to Search

Search again using the Scott Number. For example, searching for “Scott 524” returns many recently sold stamps just like mine.

Further refine the search results by adding negative keywords to filter out results NOT like yours. For example, adding “-used -cancel” will remove results with those keywords.

Try it out → Scott #524 -used -cancel