PARKER, Colo. -- A Colorado womans says a stamp that may be worth thousands of dollars was stolen while she was getting it appraised.
Jennifer Hall said the George Washington 2-cent stamp was handed down to her as part of a family heirloom collection.
She said she learned the stamp was more than 80 years old and that similar stamps were valued at more than $65,000 online.
"I got really excited," Hall said.
Not knowing much about stamp collecting, Hall decided to take the item to a respected stamp library, the Rocky Mountain Philatelic Library in southeast Denver. At the library, Hall said a man named John informed her the stamp collection wasn’t worth anything.
She said the man then picked up the stamp and left.
"He said, 'I'll just throw this one away because it's not worth anything.' And I said, 'No, it's my stamp.' He left and walked away from the table before I could get up and follow him," Hall said.
KDVR asked the staff at the library about the incident. The management explained the man has been terminated and they are cooperating with police, who are currently searching for him.
Hall said without the actual stamp, its value or liability can’t be determined.
Collection experts say whether you have stamps or coins, it’s important to have them evaluated at a certified appraiser or a dealer, not a collection library. Always put your stamps or coins in a book and photograph them before ever taking them to be appraised. It is also a good idea to create a recording of the appraisal.
