Expert: Mark Leon - 11/7/2009

Question
My grandfather left this for me and it had enough emotional value at the time, I didn't even think about financial value. Even when I did years later I said to myself; one, it's a 22k gold REPLICA, which I took to mean not original and probably plated. Now that desperate times cal for desperate measures, I'm seriously considering doing something. Of course I'm not that destitute but, well, you know. It's still sealed in it's original envelop it came in with the gold rep stamp on left. 1918 Air Mail Issue over the hollow envelop with the replica on blue velvet. Beneath that Blu Velv is the words "22k gold replica & 24c Inverted Jenny". An enlarged reproduction of the original stamp in the top right with those exact words under them. Then a little down right center are the words "First Day of Issue of the Original Stamp: 1918. Then there's some blue cardboard commemrative writtings behind the envelop in the casing it came in. I'm pretty sure that the sent value will be more to me than a (22k replica with an enlarged reproduction of the original stamp on an unopened envelop. I just don't know how the stamp market works in the least bit. If you could give me a guestimate or better on the monetary value of this antique(I made that up I don't see any othe dates than those i mentioned. Everything gives it that feel and my grandfather kept thing in pristine condition so I personally no way of even knowing that) So really I would greatly appreciate any information you might have on this item no matter how mundane or invaluable money wise it is. I doubt it but if you would like pictures I can do that in a matter of seconds. Thank you so much and take care of yourself.   
                   Sincerely,
                              Neal Stetson  

Answer
Neal,

Gold replicas of stamps were not issued by the post office, but rather by private companies seeking to profit from the hobby of stamp collecting.  They are not catalogued and their value is speculative in nature.  Inverted Jenny gold replicas typically sell in the range of $1 to $5 on ebay.com.

-Mark Leon

I deal in United States Stamps
http://www.forwardedge.com/usmints.html
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and Halloween Costumes!
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