# Stamp value?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stamp-value/528006>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 7, 2010, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stamp-value/528006 "2010-02-07T05:42:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stamp-value/528006/1 "2010-02-07T05:42:14Z")

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Somewhere I have a sheet of triangular 32¢ US postage stamps. I think they look like [these](http://alphabetilately.com/Fisfor/firsts-US-tri-pane.jpg), but it’s been a while since I’ve seen them. I don’t remember the red; and if anyone had asked before I found the image, I would have said they had airplanes on them. I bought them because I thought they were neat, but then I didn’t want to use them. (I think I did use one sheet.)

Not that I want to get rid of them, but I’m curious if they’re worth more than 32¢ each.

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**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\
**Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stamp-value/528006/2 "2010-02-07T07:26:23Z")

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The image you posted is what you have.

> [@](#):
>
> **Postal Service Issues First Triangle Stamps**
> 
> March 14, 1997|\o7 Associated Press\f7  
> WASHINGTON — For the first time in its 150-year history, the U.S. Postal Service is straying from the traditional square/rectangular stamp format to introduce a line of 32-cent triangular stamps, officials announced Thursday.  
> The stamps, named Pacific 97 after a major international stamp show scheduled for May in San Francisco, feature a mid-19th century clipper ship against a blue background in one version and a U.S. mail stagecoach against red in another. They go on sale throughout the nation today.

> **[Postal Service Issues First Triangle Stamps](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-03-14-mn-38171-story.html)**
>
> For the first time in its 150-year history, the U.S.

Try a search under “pacific '97 triangular stamps value”

[This eBay link has them for sale for $8.00](http://cgi.ebay.com/%233130,31-Pacific-97-Triangle-Stamps-MNH-Sheet_W0QQitemZ220550969620QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20100205?IMSfp=TL100205053004r24147).

[And this sheet on eBay goes for 99 cents](http://cgi.ebay.com/Scott-3130-31-Pacific-97-Full-Sheet-MNH_W0QQitemZ140381319778QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item20af60f262)!

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**Author:** ![cckerberos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@cckerberos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cckerberos)\
**Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stamp-value/528006/3 "2010-02-07T09:53:01Z")

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Generally speaking, post-1930 US stamps only cost slightly more than face value when buying. When it comes to selling, you’re lucky to get face value.

The catalog value for those stamps is .65 each, but that’s insanely overpriced.