All major credit cards accepted at NO fee or surcharge to you -

Full time stamp dealer for 30 years - deal with complete confidence -  I am one of the best known stamp dealers in the English speaking world!  I always have a pile of other interesting stamp lots up on my website, from all over the world at similar low wholesale prices.  My website is the most visited stamp dealer website in the Southern Hemisphere - and has been for over a decade. I have about 300 DIFFERENT pages on the site. 


EVERY price is in often weak Australian dollars.  There are no EXTRAS or taxes to add to any price.  And no 'Buyer Commission or other such nonsense that every Auction house gouges you 15-20% for these days.  What you see is what you pay.  

 I am a Life Member of ASDA (New York). Also PTS (London) ANDA (Australia) APS (USA) etc.  These are the best known and most highly respected stamp dealer bodies.

Re PAYMENT ... I will accept virtually ANYTHING you want to offer!

1.  All major CREDIT CARDS are cheerfully accepted.  Yes you can use REAL Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Bankcard and Diners Club cards at NO fee WHATEVER to you.  If your invoice is $A1000 and Registered Air Post overseas is $A12 for small lots - I charge $A1012 to your credit card.  No tricks, no traps, no hidden extras, no surcharges.  You know EXACTLY where you stand.  Unlike some methods like PayPal which can often incur you (and I!) hefty fees in real life – but I do accept PayPal – see point 2.  Earn Frequent Flyer miles whilst buying nice material from me!  There is NO surcharge from me for using a credit card - in fact, I FAR prefer clients to use credit cards direct with me or option 4 as it makes all transactions quick and convenient and transparent for both parties involved.  If you wish you can use this website link to pay me quickly and easily for lots via your credit card - www.glenstephens.com/order.html

2.  PayPal ..  I do not really fully understand how it works, or exactly what it costs us, (but I am told on small value purchases the % rate is quite horrific)  but yes I do accept it if you must use it!  Use my PayPal email address - glen@glenstephens.com to remit.  If you have existing funds in PayPal the transferring to me seems to incur me minimal fees, and I will live with that. HOWEVER, if you use PayPal to pay me through debiting YOUR credit card via PayPal, the fees to me are terrifying as PayPal slug me not only the 3.75% plus the flat fee, and use outrageously bad exchange rates (they slug 2.5% for that!) and add another 1% so as I am a "Foreign" customer.  I just got whacked by PayPal over $US10 fees on a $US250 sale.  So I will add these extra fees to your invoice if you do not use option #1/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10 – unless you send funds as ‘Gift’ option, where there appear to be near zero fees to either of us!     

3.  Bank cheque in $Australian, or Australia Post Money Order allows shipping the day I receive it - if I get around to it that is. 

4.  Bank transfer.  My bank account detail is Westpac Banking Corporation, Northbridge NSW branch, Glen Stephens - BSB - 032199 Account – 824096 ..   You MUST be specific on order form about your name and Lot - i.e. 'James Jones, 5/- Mint Bridge $300' or better still ' Jones, 5/- Roo, Stock 692WQ' - and not just 'Stamps - $300' or I'll have no idea who paid me!  Transfer from anywhere on earth the EXACT sum (nett to me) in $A owed for lot(s) plus shipping, and we are good to go – remember YOUR bank will charge a flat $25 or whatever.  If you transfer funds to me in a currency OTHER than in $A, my bank uses terrible rates several % worse than what you see in newspapers, to convert them to $A, so be fore-warned. (See point 6.)

5.  $A personal cheques are fine.  Unless you are known to me these will be banked, and WHEN and only when they are cleared, will I get around to mailing goods.  My address to mail them to is Glen Stephens Stamps -  PO Box 4007, Castlecrag. NSW. 2068. Australia.

6.  Foreign (Non Australian) CASH or Traveller Cheques.  ONLY if mailed in a totally secure fashion (at your risk) will I accept this. i.e  Registered or Insured mail to me - PO Box 4007, Castlecrag. NSW. 2068. Australia.  Currency banknotes only - NO coins accepted.  $A currency cash is simple to deal with of course.  If you want to mail me current banknotes of Euros, Sterling, $US, Laotian Kip, Cuban Pesos, or Mongolian Splats etc - go right ahead.   HOWEVER - what I receive from my bank is what your account credit will be.  Goods will NOT be mailed until after I have received and banked this form of payment.  Banks screw us all on currency exchange - each and every day, and this fact of life is your problem if mailing me Cuban Pesos - i.e. NOT my problem, if they give me around half the newspaper exchange rate!  $US, Sterling and Euros the bank does not play games with too much and “only” part us with 3 or 4%, (and of course they never pay for currency notes anything like newspaper figures) but as for those Cuban Pesos ....   

7.   Mint "postage".  Mint full gum post 1966 Australia and AAT stamps (i.e. all Decimal currency issues)  I can always use for sending out parcels etc.  I accept them at 50% of FACE value if in usable condition. i.e. if you owe me $A50 for a lot I will accept $A100 face of full gum stamps in payment.  Toned, or scrappy or messy or 'bitsy' junk I will allow only 40% face.  ONLY if mailed in a totally secure fashion at your cost will I accept these. i.e  Registered or Insured mail to me at PO Box 4007, Castlecrag. NSW. 2068. Australia.  Overseas buyers and dealers seem to love using this system. You MUST attach a list or tape print out of the face value of stamps you send me, so I can quickly double check your counting and mathematical skills!  And you MUST contact me first for face value sendings over $1000, so I can advise on correct wording for customs form etc.  Failure for YOU to do so may mean I get charged tax on them, and that shall be at your expense.  Sorry, no gum unused Australian stamps are usually NEVER accepted as payment.  However, I may consider them, at about 10% face value - please enquire on the current buying rate.

8.  Foreign Cheques - Please note - I do not accept foreign (non Australian) cheques or money orders of ANY kind as 'collection' fees are terrifying and take months to clear.   Sorry. 

9.  Western Union money transfers are fine As LONG as I receive the NETT amount owed to me - i.e. any fees for using this method are to be paid in advance at YOUR end.

10.  Layaway or 'Lay-By'.  No problem on purchases over $A300 as LONG as we agree on this in writing up front. If you buy a lot that converts to $A400 and want me to debit your credit card $A100 a month for 4 months - no problem to me if this balances your books better than one large debit, or keeps you out of the divorce courts!  There is no charge or surcharge whatever from me to use this system if you complete payment in the time agreed.  Goods will be sent only after final debit or payment is made.  Any default in completing this, and any and all previous payments are forfeited as I'll need to re-offer item(s).  OR, if you are having payment problems, and if I agree, interest will added at 10% compound p.a. on unpaid balance.  I often sell goods on commission and pay the vendor fast, so your defaulting costs me money.  Any Lay-By NOT completed 12 months after the agreed time, shall have the payments forfeited and you lose all claim and title on the goods. By requesting Layaway, you accept and agree to these conditions. 

Postage and Insurance and Shipping Costs:

I do not charge silly prices for 'packing and handling' - just a small nominal cost, if anything, and add that mainly on larger non standard size articles.  Sometimes I can spend 20 minutes securely packing a large carton, finding the exact correct size sturdy box, adding packing/chocking inside to stop books moving around, and using lots of expensive fibreglass filament strapping tape etc for safety from bursting in transit.  In such cases I add $5 or so for my time and messing about!  Just completing all the customs and insurance forms for overseas insured or Registered parcels takes 5 minutes minimum.

You pay for postage (at the current Australia Post rate) and for the Registered Post fee, and insurance of the goods.  Insurance for goods up to $A5,000 per single shipment is only $A2.00 per $A100.00 coverage to most countries in the world, or part thereof to most major countries (some "high risk" countries like India/Pakistan/Columbia/Indonesia/Mexico etc are clearly excluded. Sending insured there is a GUARANTEE the items will be stolen or tampered with, pretty much.)  

This insurance is added to ALL invoices over $100 unless you specifically advise in writing that you do NOT require this, and that you of course assume total risk for loss or damage in that event.  i.e., a $A500 domestic order will only cost you $A8 Insurance charge in addition to postage and Registered fee.  (Registered mail compensation coverage is only VERY minimal, but being Registered ensures a signature upon arrival.)  Remember, mail travels by trucks, and is delivered on motor bikes, and trucks and bikes and mailbags get wet when it rains.  So does mail in your letterbox when it rains quite often.  

I have had countless sendings over the decades arrive either still wet, or with mint stamp stuck together inside as they were once wet in transit somewhere.  Totally ruined and worthless in many cases.  The PO does NOT compensate you in this event as they correctly say the mail was safely and quickly delivered!  A Mastercard bill or junk mail getting wet in your letterbox is no big issue, but a set of $800 mint stamps IS!  A few $$ to cover transit insurance is very inexpensive peace of mind.

The good news is that I ALWAYS  use attractive Australian postage stamps, NOT frank or meter labels for the postage and Registered fee component of your order, and have them lightly cancelled at my local post office.  Not only do you get the stamp lots you ordered, you get fine used frankings as well - if they are not damaged in transit! 

Generally, this light cancelled franking has a retail value around (and sometimes more!) than what you are charged for postage costs.  The only exception to using nice stamps on mailings is for small lots sent overseas by Registered Mail. 

REGISTERED INTERNATIONAL - Australia Post now insists that a pre-paid "Registered" envelope must be used for this, for all goods under 500 grams (about 1 pound - i.e. 99% of my overseas sendings!), and insists that stamps CANNOT be used to pre-pay it.  Their rules, not mine.   A small size (130 x 240mm)  pre-paid envelope that covers most stamp sendings is $A12 and the far larger one (353 x 250 mm) is $A21.  So the cost is very nominal really.  500 grams allows me to enclose a small collection on leaves or Hagners etc, and the regular cost to mail such a lot from Europe or USA is a LOT higher than $US13 in my experience!  However a new Registered overseas system allows me to use stamps on parcels over 500g up to 2kg, which is only $12 or so over post cost.

Any overseas sending heavier than 2 kilos MUST be sent by Insured Post which costs $A10 over actual postage costs for the initial $A100 covered.  I use nice stamps for this postage cost and the $8 fee, which offers a nominal cover to $A100.  The $A2/$100 insurance is additional to this, based on value of the shipment, this being a separate cover to the PO cost.  I have found that mailing goods marked like:  "value $1,000"  on the outside often causes the recipients hassles, delays and costs upon entry re GST/VAT/import duties and taxes etc.  Not to mention it can make the article a prime target for theft or tampering en-route as it looks "tempting" to some postal staff.  

If I mark parcel "Book, printed matter" (which of course all stamp albums truly and honestly ARE!) and insure it for a nominal $A100, my long experience shows that the packet arrives quickly, without incident, and in 99% of cases no duties/taxes/VAT/GST/HST/MOMS etc are added or collected.  If you wish I will enclose no invoice in with the goods - it makes no difference to me.  So on a $A600 parcel if I send PO insured for $A100, you still need to sign for it at your end, hence it is quite safe, and usually a low value packet like that passes without comment via foreign Customs Bureaux etc. 

If I choose to cover the other $A500 by private insurance, you can sleep easily knowing you are covered for loss or theft, and the extra insurance cost is only $A10.  Countries like United Kingdom with a 20% VAT will charge you $A120 VAT TAX if I were to mark parcel as $A600 value, and they probably add a hefty collection/processing fee as well.  (I know Canada certainly does.)  And if Australian customs are any guide, they will hold up your parcel for a week in the bureaucratic process!

I can mail things of low value - but which weigh over 500 grams - like Gibbons catalogues etc and of only nominal value via un-insured post if asked specifically, and assuming that you of course assume 100% to all risk for loss or damage in that event.  To countries like USA, Canada, NZ, GB and most of Western Europe etc, these are generally delivered without incident, and have been for 30 years.

All of my material is priced in $Aust and of course that exact $A figure is debited to your credit card.  Buy a lot off me for $A100 from the USA - and $A100 plus $A13 Registered post will go on your credit card.  If our lovely friends the banks screw you overseas a percent or three in the exchange rate shuffle - well that's life, and a trade-off for convenience.  All  I  get is $A110!   I do NOT charge you my 4% merchant fees etc on American Express or 5% on Diners Card - these are 100% absorbed by me, and you are charged your purchase price only, plus shipping.  On a $500 purchase this saves you a LOT of money.

I do NOT ship quickly as a general rule as I am a classic one-man business, and have NO staff or helpers to add to the cost of YOUR stamps.  I also travel the world an awful lot as you can see on my website under www.glenstephens.com/travel.html -   I travel way over 100,000 miles each year on vacation.   When I am away the office door is closed tight!  And when I am here,  I am real busy.   So - goods may OFTEN - in general USUALLY - take a week or 2 after your order to be shipped from here.  And WHEN I ship to Canada or many parts of the USA, my mail takes 2 weeks to arrive airmail from date of posting - not my doing, but the respective Post Offices.

****   All buyers ACCEPT AND ACKNOWLEDGE this when buying from me and agree they will not harass me for expecting your stamp order "yesterday"!   ****   

If you want same-day shipping please go elsewhere - it is not, and has NEVER been the way I do business.  Sorry.  Hey - you may get lucky .. and I may ship in a day or so after you order, but do NOT expect or assume this.  NEVER!  My clients and I have a business friendship - they like me, they like my prices and my material, and they tolerate my shipping eccentricity.  This is a symbiotic relationship. AND trust me -  it will NEVER change.   

I have been a large dealer for 30 years, and getting raised blood pressure rushing to the PO after a sale is just not usually on my radar screen.  I do not need that kind of business.  Of course I do accept at times you do need something REAL fast for whatever reason, (stamp show, Gift, going on vacation etc) and if you are genuine let me know, and certainly I'll try to oblige 100%.      

Thank you very much ....  Glen Stephens                       

Deal ONLY with the OWNER!

I have no shop,  no staff,  no kids,  no wife.  I work from home.  I do NO shows ... even my website is REALLY done on the cheap!  Therefore my overheads are low and my prices are low ... so low in fact that hundreds of other dealers buy from me!   When you contact Glen Stephens,  you deal only with me, not an employee.   So whether by E-mail, Phone, or Post you deal only with the owner of the business - to personally answer all questions about ANY lot for sale.  I like stamps, and I like the people who collect them, and I do it for fun, as much as any profit motive.

Sydney is Australia's largest city, with about 5,000,000 people but has virtually NO other serious stamp dealers.  (Thank Goodness!!)  I am the biggest stamp buyer in Sydney,  and I am constantly buying large Deceased Estates, "distress" lots,  and dealer stocks etc, etc, at very low prices,  as frankly almost no-one else here is interested in buying large lots for cash without "cherry picking".   I buy it ALL,  and after 30 years, collectors, solicitors, other dealers, Public Trustee etc generally know this and often phone me FIRST.   www.glenstephens.com/buying.html

I don't have a shop, and the ensuing very high rents, but simply price up and lot this material "as received" at often a 10% mark-up from my cost.  Because of this,  you are generally paying well below wholesale and auction prices for my material.  Because of this I can OFTEN offer the same stamp for way LESS than a small collector who bought it off a dealer or Auction and paid near "retail".  I do not charge any nasty 18% "Buyer's Commission" type rip-off imposition (PLUS GST!) on my material - which all Auction buyers incur.  If I buy a Kangaroo for $200 from an estate that often costs $400 at auction or large dealer, clearly you save money if I sell that stamps at 10-15% more than my cost price.  A fast $30 profit is always VERY sweet music to me.   

Buy off me and you KNOW what you are getting.  I am obliged via my trade association ethics to offer high professional standards.   Many smaller stamp sellers do not have such constraints or obligations.  If I say something is unhinged mint original gum it IS MUH!  Buy off some cowboy newcomer "stamp expert" and he often has no clue about it, or re-gumming or repairing.  Take your pick.  I will be here next week.  Been at this address for over 20 years.  And that is comforting to know if spending good money on stamps.  Buy off the army of con-man who use ebay to knowingly sell re-gums, and forged overprints and perfins etc, and you have ZERO recourse when they are closed down. Read about them here – an army of them - www.stampboards.com/viewforum.php?f=21

My policy is not unlike like K-Mart - quick turnover on a small profit margin,  so stock does not linger about long.  Works for me.    

Returns Policy:

Customer satisfaction is my #1 aim. I want your long term repeat business, and I want you to be totally delighted with each and every order from my own stock, both in price and quality. Hundreds of my clients have been dealing with me continuously for over a decade.  A very few have dealt with me for the full 30+ years I have been in business!  Good word of mouth is my most successful advertising medium.

***   My business is mail order, and in all my lists I describe my lots in great detail to give you a very clear "pen picture" of the items involved.  I offer longer descriptions than almost any dealer – to assist YOU.

***   Collections, accumulations, mixed lots, kiloware, or heavy lots etc, are obviously not returnable for any reason, as is common with all auctions and most other stamp sellers.

***   Lots and material sold on behalf of clients or Third Parties will always be noted/advised thus, and are described as accurately as I can.  Very few lots are in this category. They are exempt from this return policy below, which only covers my own goods.  I often have numerous client scans to show you of such lots.  And you can ask for more, so you can be in a strong position to accurately judge the goods visually, and make your own enquiries prior to a firm sale concluding.     

***   Single items or sets of less than 10 stamps are, in my opinion, accurately described.

***   Illustrated lots are not returnable for anything that can be readily discerned from the illustration.  Postmark, perforations, centering, inclusions, colour, etc, etc.

If you are not happy with the goods, and they are not excluded by the exceptions above, (only a minor % is) please ship them back to me well packed by Registered or fully Insured Mail in the exact condition they were received in, within 72 hours of receipt.  To Glen Stephens  -  PO Box 4007, Castlecrag. NSW. 2068. Australia. 

Please include a clear explanation of the apparent problem, and if they comply, I will fully refund your purchase price of those goods, or exchange the goods, or leave a credit balance on your account - whichever you prefer.

NOTE:  No lot is returnable, if, subsequent to receipt by purchaser, it has been immersed in water or other fluid, or marked by an Expert or an Expert Committee, has had hinges removed, stamps removed from cover or piece etc, or has been treated or damaged by any process whatever,  unless my written permission has been previously obtained in advance for same. These terms are simple common sense, and are industry wide pretty much.

If you wish to have any item expertised by a recognised, independent Expert Committee you are most welcome to do so,  BUT you need to advise me of this by registered mail advice postmarked within 72 hours of lot receipt,  and/or via Fax, or via email, and receive my written agreement prior to proceeding.   This policy is in line with most other dealers and auction houses.  I often sell goods on consignment, and pay the vendor out in full 14 days from date of shipping, so this policy MUST be enforced strictly, for obvious reasons. Vendors may sometimes prefer not to have sale delayed and not agree to the several months of delay expertising often takes. The onus of proof lies with the purchaser, as do ALL associated costs of postage, Insurance, expert or legal opinion, or Certificates, etc.  

The inability of a recognized Expert Committee to express a definite and conclusive opinion is no grounds for a refund or return on any lot.  All expertising must be completed within 3 months from date of sale and the subject stamp(s) returned securely to my PO Box within that time frame in the same condition they left me.

The only Expert Certificates accepted by me in respect to the above are from well established independent multi-member Committees such as RPS and BPA (London), APEX or Philatelic Foundation (USA), etc. I do NOT regard the personal opinions of undoubtedly well-meaning individuals, or anyone working in-house for dealers or auction houses, as "Expert Committee Certificates" for the purposes of return of any lot.

NOTE:  No lot (other than those agreed might be expertised)  may be returned for any reason, at any time, when more than 14 days from date of receipt have elapsed.

Ordering stamps from me assumes total agreeance by the purchaser to these and all my other Conditions of Sale – All internet orders when submitted agree to these - www.glenstephens.com/order.html

Responsibility

I am NOT responsible for:

1.  Unavailability of goods between list publication and ordering.  In some cases different lists may show higher prices for items that are volatile in price.  In such cases the price in the most latest list posted, or the higher of the prices for the same item shall be the current price.

2.  Goods opened or damaged or removed, or otherwise dealt with by customs or postal authorities in the country of receipt or in transit.

3.  Any taxes or charges levied by foreign governments or authorities, such as GST, VAT, fines, levies, penalties, demurrage, etc.

4.  Exchange rates or fees calculated by credit card companies. These are universal, and what the website currency converter shows as costing you $US104.28 or £56.74 on any given day may vary a few % on your card account, due to card company surcharge policy, or fluctuating exchange rates.  I sympathise, but this is not my fault, and is near universal these days!

5.  Non delivery of any goods posted to me, or from me, for whatever reason.  My liability shall be strictly limited to whatever sum may be paid or owed to the recipient or sender by the postal authorities.  Notwithstanding this, pricier goods posted by me (unless specified in writing by the client) are sent by P.O. Insured or Registered Mail both domestically and overseas.  During 30 years in business virtually NOTHING has been lost or damaged via these secure methods. If you really want to pay Registered fees on a $40 item, (PO does not allow stamps to be used to pay the Reg’d fee) please specify that in writing, as it will go normal mail usually etc.

6.  All claims in respect to any loss or damage or non-delivery shall be the responsibility of the purchaser, whether paperwork needs to be lodged in your own country, or via Australia Post, or both.  It is further understood that lodging any such claims within the statutory time limit applied by the postal authorities shall also be the responsibility of the purchaser.

General Overview

7.  All orders placed with me shall be deemed as accepting and agreeing to these, and all and any other Terms and Conditions Of Sale found on this page and my website, and available on request by email.  All my advertisements both in print or electronic, state that all goods are sold subject to these ‘Conditions Of Sale’ and have done so for 30 years. All internet orders when submitted agree to these terms - www.glenstephens.com/order.html - if you do not agree to abide by these terms please do not order.

8. Any legal hearings or legal matters relating to orders, payment, loss, description, damage, shipping, delivery, or quality etc, shall be pre-agreed by both parties to be heard and resolved by the legal system of New South Wales, Australia and the laws and regulations of that state, that I reside in.  Anyone not agreeing with this please do not order, or you waive your right to resolution via the court system.

Payment via 'real' credit cards possible!  

Every credit card shown is accepted WITHOUT fee from me.  Earn Frequent Flier points
while buying at bargain prices.  I charge NO nasty, nasty "Buyer's Commission" on stamps
like nearly every "Auction" does.