LATEST UPDATE: 04 January 2004

Philatelic collections often are the most misunderstood and underrated (and sometimes overrated) tangible personal properties included in one’s estate. In many cases well known to the philatelic community, an important philatelic estate has been sold far below its actual market value due to the collection’s inappropriate sales venue appointment, and/or as a result of the inefficient philatelic marketing methods employed for the collection’s sale.

These types of lost opportunities occur not so much because parties have taken advantage of a situation, but quite often because philatelically uninformed heirs are not aware of the collection’s value, nor how to market the material. At times, heirs unknowingly appoint potential buyers or auctioneers for the estate who are not qualified to market the collection in a manner conducive to a professional philatelic atmosphere.

We work with you, your attorney, and your heirs, to assure that your collection is marketed in the proper manner, once such a disposal decision is made. All of the mechanics required to properly document your collection take place on your premises, or at a facility designated by you, your heirs, or your attorney. We never take physical possession of your collection. Numerous personal, commercial and attorney references are available upon request.

We will document and inventory your collection, preferably in your presence, or together with your designated representative(s). We will maintain the detailed inventory records and evaluations, with copies for yourself, your designated heirs, and your attorney. Whenever deemed appropriate by you or your heirs, we will manage the marketing and sale of your collection either by public auction, or through private treaty transactions, the former choice normally proving to be the most popular and profitable of the two disposal methods.

A large number of philatelic estates have been successfully marketed, managed, and sold through our offices in the past twenty years, recent examples being:

An old-time "Hoosier’s" Collection of the Postage Stamps and Postal History of the Netherlands Antilles, Suriname, and the Dutch East Indies (1997)

The in-depth Boris B. Joffe Collection of Worldwide Aerophilately (1998)

The incomparable Robert W. Dickgiesser Collection of Bermuda (1999)

The Rev. John G. Pannek Specialized Canada Collection (2000)

The Harry A. Eisenstein Specialized Collections of Argentina, Brazil, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Venezuela (2001)

The comprehensive Robert W. Gesell Collection of the United States, including Specialized "Blackjacks" (2002)

The award-winning Donald P. Bianchi Specialized Collection of the United States 1909 Hudson-Fulton Celebration Commemorative Issue (2003)

The Wallace R. Rechel Collections of the United States, German States and Germany, and Western Europe (2003)

The Donald P. Bianchi Specialized Collection of the United States 1938 "Eagle" Air Post Issue (2003)

The Jacob M. Bard Specialized Collections of Mexico's 1884-1885 "Medallion’" and 1886-1894 "Numerals’"Issues (2004)

Feel free to request further information, additional details, and the standard terms for engaging our Estate Planning services by contacting us.