AboutJim Forte Expertise Postal history concerns the stamps, markings, rates and routings on covers. Covers is the generic term for any letter, postcard or package that passed through the mail. I am a professional philatelist who specialize in U.S. and Worldwide postal history. I have extensive knowledge of U.S. postmarks and post offices, extensive knowledge of U.S. military postal history, strong knowledge of U.S. rates and usages of the 20th Century. I can usually help with inquires about 19th Century postal history, and all range of countries throughout the world.
Experience I have been a full time professional philatelist since 1985. The focus of my business is my website, http://www.postalhistory.com. The site offers nearly 115,000 items for sale. The site contains an on-line copy of my book A Price Guide To U.S. A.P.O. Cancels of the Second World War. The site also contains a database of every U.S. post office, including the dates of operation for the many offices that have been discontinued.
I have a Belium German Occupation Stamp (Scott N14)from World War I which has a cancellation "Bastogne" This, of course, was a famous site during World War II with the German again in Belgium and the stamp provides interest military history. How can I get a value estimate?
Answer The cancel is not of significance. There are collectors who collect town cancels and there is a catalog of this area:
German Occupation Belgium 1914-1918 Postmarks by Willy Van Riet.
You will find that only small towns are premium. Bastogne is a relatively large place.
In addition, most cancel collectors prefer cancels on cover rather than on an individual stamp unless the cancel is quite rare.
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