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I learn that many collectors view a block of four stamps to be quite valuable. I don't collect blocks, so I have no idea.
If I were to hypothetically trade a used block of four stamps, how many individual stamps should I receive for it be a fair trade? I'd be interested in hearing the thoughts of other collectors.

Perhaps, someone with a catalog would be able to help.
If an individual stamp is valued at $0.10 and a block of the same stamp is valued at $1, then I'd say a block is equal to 10 stamps.

The JB Catalogue of Malta Stamps and Postal History says this about Maltese blocks of 4:



So if a stamp issued after 1937 is catalogued at 10c, a block would simply be worth 40c, or if a plate block it would be 50c.

I guess other Commonwealth countries have similar prices.

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My wantlist for Malta Revenues

How long is a piece of string?
Mint or used?
Which country out of the many hundreds of stamp issuing territories that have existed?
Which stamp out of the millions that have been issued?

A mint block of 4 1p Red GB Machins is worth the same as 4 singles - 4p

Find a block of 4 mint Z grills and you're looking at something worth rather more than 4 x the price of a single.

I don't wish to seem odd, but exactly what kind of answer were you expecting?

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Always on the lookout for Australian pre decimal First Day Covers.

Honestly, most modern stamps (after 1950) are worth diddlely squat. Most blocks of 4 are worth diddlely squat X 4. There are a few exceptions, very few.

Thanks to all respondents. I got the answer to my question. Breaking up a block is not something I need to worry about.. that is all I wanted to know.

If the block had selvedge remaining with a sheet or plate/control number it may value add, but with a 10c. catalogued single stamp it's a non-event.

Blocks of four generally 4 times the single value, some countries (Switzerland) earlier then 1950 4 to 5 times the value of a single stamp.
Catalogues: ZUMSTEIN and SBK

When it comes to P.R.China, from (roughly) the early 1960s onwards there was a printer's imprint in the margin, just a single line of a few characters...it appears 2 or 4 times a sheet (I think twice) and a margin single or block that contains that is worth far more than a normal single or block.

I've seen auctions where a "regular" example of, say the 1980 Monkey, sell for $9,000HKD, but a single with margin imprint go for $14,000.

Of course China is an exception. PBs from the USA or Canada of the past 50 years, or gutter pairs from the UK, are just postage fodder.

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Collecting Mongolia; Thailand; Indo-China; Mourning Covers; OHMS.
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Used blocks from Italy, generally until the 1950s, carry a substantial premium; see the Sassone Catalog.

Well NO.

For many Swiss USED blocks 4 the Cat value can be 100s times of 4 singles as we know.

That is why this thread was totally absurd as no example was given.

Yes Glen, but there are very few which carry such huge premiums like 1914 - 1931 Mountain Portraits and some of the William Tell, same period.
I would not claim more then maybe 10% of all issues before 1950

Peter

It's impossible to give a simple answer to this question, but there are good elements of answer in this thread.

Anything relatively common (up to a few dozen dollars) will very rarely have a premium in blocks of 4, regardless of era.

Exceptions to this are stamps with special usage so that used, they would very rarely show up as blocks of 4. For example, stamps used to send printed matter, typically found as singles, or stamps that have limited usage due to their face values, and would not normally show up as used multiples, except perhaps on philatelic covers. The exception to that are high face value stamps that were used on large parcels.

Very valuable early stamps, like the hypothetical example of the mint Z grill block of 4 cited above, would have very large premiums as multiples. But in this case, national catalogs typically will attempt to give prices for this, so you would have a rough idea of the premium.

Finally, in modern stamps, plate numbers are popular in may countries, and blocks of four can carry a premium, but almost never very substantial.

Thanks once again. All of you have been very informative.

Hello Ram

Thank you for asking this question. As you can see there are many mathematical variations. There are even quadrouple catalogues, more specialized Italian catalogues quote prices for quartinas (earlier that 1900 ) but someone basically said that a modern quadrouple should be 5 x single stamps. I would support that point of view.

The comments from Russ should not discourage you, even though I agree with him and even would like to exchange didley stamps with him.

But for vintage stamps, be carefull. The math for eg GB Victorias is:

A pair = 3 x a single
A quadrople = 2 x 2 pairs
meaning the price of a good quality quadrople is equal to 12 singles

At least that is what I have seen paid.

I should have qualified my response a little. The monetary value of most modern (non-error) stamps is normally relatively low. The collectable value is what they mean to you. The fact is that most stamps in most collections are of little monetary value but as a collection they are of much greater collectable value.

U.S. plate blocks of 4 from about 1960 on normally sell as discount postage at 75-95% of face value.

Netherlands NVPH #1 unplated - cat €45
Netherlands NVPH #1 in a block of 4 unplated cat €4,000

...........so I'll happily swap 10 singles for a decent block

The fact that the catalogue stops listing blocks after NVPH 100 pretty much tells the story after that although I'd rather they put back in the prices for roltanding blokken.