Bourg-en-Bresse. The auction house offers valuations of stamps and postcards

This Tuesday, March 19, the auction house and Bénédicte Girard-Claudon, its auctioneer, welcome Louis-Édouard Behr, a world-renowned expert in philately and descendant of a long line of professionals in the sector. Throughout the day, the public is invited to come and have their collections appraised, without an appointment. “Inheritances sometimes leave on the arms sets of stamps , postcards and letters that we don’t know what to do with, the auctioneer postulates. These items sometimes require encyclopedic knowledge so that their value is understood. Hence the interest in bringing in an expert. »

Prizes that can range from 50 to 50,000 euros

Since 1920, the Behr family has cultivated a knowledge and an eye for philately. Merchants from father to son, their shop has seen a number of treasures pass through four generations. “My father sold the most expensive copy in France, a block of four Cérès vermilion stamps from 1849, one of which was head-to-tail (printed upside down, Editor’s note) and estimated at more than 900,000 euros,” recalls Louis-Édouard Behr.

Coming especially from Paris this March 19 for the expertise day, the specialist does not expect to find such a rare bird. “Prizes can range from 50 euros to 30, 40 or 50,000 euros. Rarity may depend on the era, a low print run or a printing error. »

In addition to the estimates, he also has the mission of ensuring the promotion of the auction which will follow among his network of customers, collectors and dealers. For a commission, 7.2% of the hammer sale price, they will be able to treat themselves to “a piece of history”.