An appraisal may be sought at any time for personal reasons. Stamp appraisals require detailed examination combined with a high level of technical philatelic knowledge and market savvy. Detailed appraisals demand extensive examination of each individual item, and not all stamp dealers are qualified to offer this sort of service. Before taking a collection to a dealer for an appraisal, please phone to make sure that he is able to do the appraisal for you. Appraisals can be expensive.
Some firms charge a flat hourly or daily fee, plus expenses if travel is required.
Before commissioning an appraisal, make sure you and the dealer have agreed on the fee to be charged. A buyer may purchase the material outright. This method generally results in the fastest settlement and produces immediate cash. On the negative side, it generally results in the lowest return for the material. If the collection is an accumulation of packets and boxes which contains little material of value, then offering the material for outright purchase may be the only choice for disposal.