Appraising Stamps and Coins Tips, Tricks, and Hints

This year, ISA honored our much-deserving 2021 award recipients at a virtual awards program on May 14. Please join us in congratulating the individuals below for their significant contributions and service to you and ISA.

To become a connoisseur, curiosity is required. One must dedicate time and energy to asking questions, train her/his eyes to observe detail, and learn to compare and contrast objects so as to build up the experience necessary to make decisions about quality.

Question: Help! I’m appraising artwork for estate tax purposes. The artist is not returning my calls. He is his own market. He has no past or current gallery representation, and he has no auction sale results. I know that I’m supposed to look for a parallel artist to determine fair market value when there are no comparables. Do you have any tips on finding parallel artists?

My favorite part of USPAP comes directly from the Competency Rule: Perfection is impossible to attain, and competence does not require perfection. However, an appraiser must not render appraisal services in a careless or negligent manner. This Rule requires an appraiser to use due diligence and due care. (USPAP 2020-2021, lines 301-303)