Look beyond your nose

When searching it is somethmes useful not only to be critical, but also to look beyond your nose. In many cases the same item is offered several times, and often with a different price, cheaper or of better quality.

The first purchase criterion is that the item must fit in your collection. If you follow the FIP guidelines for exhibitions the item in the case below does not belong in the collection. It concerns an image in which the philatelic aspects (stamps, postmarks, postal information and postage, etc.) on both the front and back are not related to our theme or are completely absent. Thus not interesting for an exhibition collection, but at home you can (of course) collect whatever you want and if you find the advertising on the letter interesting, there is no one to stop you from buying it.
In that case it is certainly worthwhile to look further to find a better or cheaper copy.

Example: letter envelope advertising a Humber motorcycle.

Humber motorcycle 1910

The first copy I found on eBay:

1910 Mexico #210, #213-4, #316 on Motorcycle ad Reg Cover to Germany; wax seal

This copy is offered for 82 euros or "Best offer". The latter already indicates that the submitter is not convinced that the item is worth the asking price. In that case he would have chosen the option "Buy".
It concerns a registered letter from Mexico to Hanover, Germany, postage 25 centavos (1st class). The catalog value of the stamps, canceled, is 1.60 euro (Michel 242, 245, 246 and 248).
What is my surprise when searching further: another copy of the same letter. Apparently they are not really rare, which would justify a high price.

Copy number two:

1910 Mexico #318 on motorcycle ad Reg Cover to Germany; wax seal, top value

This copy was offered for 60 euros or "Best offer". This again indicates that the submitter is not sure about the price.
This is also a registered letter from Mexico to Hanover, Germany, but the postage is now 50 centavos (2nd class). The catalog value of the stamp, canceled, is again 1.60 euros. (Michel 250).
Knowing this, you could make a good offer on the first copy of 60 euros. But because a best bid is also possible on the second one, you can also try a lower bid of, for example, 30-40 euros on both at the same time.

And then immediately below follows a third copy:

1910 Mexico #320 on motorcycle ad Reg Cover to Germany; wax seal, top

Offered for… 245 euros (!). Again, the opportunity to make a best offer.
Another registered letter from Mexico to Hanover, Germany, but now with postage of no less than 5 pesos? It may have been paid for an extra service, or the letter was extremely heavy, but in any case the postage differs significantly from the first two offers. The catalog value of the stamp here is 7.50 euros (Michel 252).

I myself would not buy such a letter because I cannot use it philatelically, and because they are expensive or even far too expensive. But I can imagine that someone else would like to include dealers etc. in his collection. In America, such advert covers are passionately collected. If you decide to buy one, I would start by offering a nice amount. They wouldn't be worth more than 10-15 euros to me. But I am also very frugal. Or stingy as some people would describe it.

In the end, the only thing that matters is to pay close attention when purchasing over the internet, especially in terms of price and quality.

Nico Helling

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