How do you value bags of cancelled stamps.

I have seen bags of stamps sell for fairly good money if labeled "unsearched" but as always I am afraid to do that and miss that million dollar stamp! Does anyone have a quick way to evaluate stamps and separate the wheat from the chaff? Thanks so much in advance.

Earlier this year I bought a huge stamp collection at a yard sale for $25.00. I know zero about stamps and have even less interest, but I figured for that price I had to take a chance. It was in Brattleboro, Vermont after all and there is that one, valuable Brattleboro stamp. So, with visions of finding the overturned plane stamp (the "Inverted Jenny" I later learned), I poured the mess out onto the dining room table. I picked through the pile for weeks and every time I thought I had something interesting I'd run to ebay and check it. Invariably there were dozens of the same stamp on there, selling for nothing. The lot included a couple of stamp collecting books and I couldn't make heads or tails of those. Finally, I gave up and the stamps are now sitting in a trunk. At this point, if there's anything there I don't care because I HATE THEM!

found out it was worth 50 cents or less. I have mine buried somewhere in the house. Just thought I would cast a line and perhaps someone would know what to do.\
Another difficult thing for me is patterns, I know there is money in them but damn, I hate to count all the little pieces so I can tell the buyer the pattern is complete.

George Washington stamps are there, anyway. I have a big bag I bought years ago for a few dollars, started to research and never found anything worth more than half a dollar. A few hours of that research is enough to drive you nuts. I don't think I ever finished the job and that bag is around here somewhere.

It was worth about $500.00 if I remember right. Everyone was sure disappointed, I remember that much! :rofl:

It is kind of like the joke about the barn full of crap, keep digging there must be a pony in there somewhere!

these are international stamps. many from germany, where there was family. but also russia, greece (pretty ones there) and around the world. they stop at about wwII, i think, with lots of hitler heads, and ones with new values stamped over with black ink.
probably not much in there, but an interesting bit of family history. probably the most valuable is an old air mail envelope with a hand written note that the letter was delayed because the plane had crashed. little singe on it and everything.
too bad brother in law ended up with the coin collection. it was supposed to go to us, but.... lots and lots of silver in there.

from wwII are worth some money.

ne said most of them were common, and few people wanted them. he kinda chuckled about all the hitler heads he sees. so, which ones would be worth anything? mostly what i know about stamps is the people was the pretty ones.

them as a lot on ebay. As I was researching the sales, I noticed that some people selling stamps are not the sharpest tacks in the box. One person sold some unused stamps with a face value of $38 for $30. I guess they don't know you can still use them on your mail.