I called today to ask about selling my collection. The man who answered asked me how many stamps I have and when I told him about 120 he very rudely said "that doesn't sound very interesting". I then tried to give a description of what I have and he interrupted and said he wasn't interested? I have about 2k into the collection and according to the book that's what it would price out at. I NEVER expected to get anywhere near that as I understand the store needs to make a profit. But why so rude? And if they only want to buy high dollar stuff and very large collections, then say so on your website so I don't waste my time our theirs. So like pretty much everyone else hear that has tried to selll them something, what a waste of time. Rude and unprofessional. read more

First, reading the reviews you will notice the negative reviews come from folks trying to sell stamps or collections they've inherited. Some people think stamps are more valuable simply because they are old and assume valuation based on a quick internet search without regard to understanding mint vs. used, centering, condition, and other factors. So, take the negative reviews with a fist-full of salt! I have been doing business with Art for several years. Art is extremely knowledgeable and understands the hobby and his customers. I was looking for a rare stamp and after looking through a few complete albums we found what I was looking for and he was willing to separate it from the complete album to help me complete my collection. He is always helpful and willing to talk stamps! If you are a serious collector, or if you want to start your philatelic journey visit Art. read more

I feel I need to speak up in defense of this shop. Art and his little stamp shop are the best place to go for all your collecting needs. These types of shops are hard to find now as most dealers have turned to online listings and auctions. I feel sad when I see people leave bad reviews because they didn't get their way. All the time people come into the shop and expect Art to drop everything he's doing to do a complete evaluation of their inherited stamp collection they wish to sell (which is generous of dealers to do). When Art gives a complimentary short evaluation, people complain and leave one star review. They wanted him to look at each individual item. Art gets at least 10+ people each Saturday wanting him to look at their collections. When their collection only has common items that he isn't interested in purchasing, people complain, says he's rude, and leave one star review. Anywhere you go for full philatelic collection evaluation services, they are not free and charge by the hour. I feel like people don't understand that. People look up their stamp value on eBay and see someone selling their common 2¢ red for hundred of dollars, then come to Art and try to argue with him over their stamp value. Art has been a collector for a long time. He knows which items are rare and which are worth pennies. Even if there is a stamp worth hundreds of dollars, Art (and anybody in the collecting community) isn't going to pay full catalogue value. All dealers sell and buy their items at a reduced catalog value because the overall demand is decreased than what it used to be. Our local stamp collecting community loves Art and all the work he does keeping his little shop up and running for us. He will always have my business and I love going there even for just hanging out and working on my philatelic exhibits. read more

Completely Rude! Look at every negative post..... whoever is in charge simply does not care about this business. I was basically told to get lost before he had any idea what I had to offer. I know the worth, they lost money on just one phone call. Stay Away. read more

Rude !!! I called first to inquire when was a good time to bring my stamps in and was told not to bring too many... I show up on Saturday the only day; apparently, they have time to look at customers' stamps to possibly purchase. And the guy was so rude to me that he wouldn't even look at them and said he would only consider stamps with combined $1000 face value . That's a lot of stamps.. Then he said, "You need to call first. When I told him I had he was even more of a dick told me bring more cause he can't be bothered with the 200 stamps I did bring "It's not worth his time" His shop is always a ghost town always. Hardly anybody there... because he is rude. I went to another place and they were great apparently I had 3 really valuable ones. They bought them on the spot for 3000 dollars and said they were worth 3x that .. I was happy to get that much and happy to let them make a good profit... $6000 is what it just cost that a hole to dismiss me.. hahaha read more

These days, actual street level stamp shops for collectors are a rarity-- most stamp dealers have gone to a "web only" format or have died slow deaths as fewer people are interested in stamp collecting. Aurora Stamps is one of the few exceptions, and it actually seems to be thriving. I've been in the store multiple times over the past 5 years, and I'm genuinely impressed... as a stamp collector for over 40 years. High points: This is a STAMP shop... not a small "stamp department" hidden in the back of a general hobby shop that mostly sells model trains and comic books. The store has a large and varied stock and an active clientel... which means the stamps offered for sale turn over quickly, so there's always something new to see. That's a large part of the reason I check in there, several times a year. The store owner-- who's there most of the time, it seems-- is friendly, helpful and very knowledegable. He does seem to make time for people, regardless of whether they are experts or newcomers to the hobby. So what can you find here? Well, the store carries the basics, like stamp packets for beginners, stock books and various stamp supplies; I also get the impression a large range of more serious stamp albums and album pages can be special ordered. The stamp stock itself is loosely divided into three parts: The really rare and spendy items are kept behind the main counter and have to be requested to look at. The mid-range (price wise) stamps are in card boxes in the front of the store where visitors can spend all the time they want looking selecting stamps for their collections. Finally-- my favorite part-- the "U-pick" area which has dozens of old stamp albums where you can just browse and pick anything on the pages that catches your eye... I have spent quite a few hours doing that, and found more than a few "treasures" in the process. It's a nice store, and it reminds me of stamp shops when I was a kid... and there were still many of them. The opening hours can be a little "funky" so it's smart to call ahead and double check, if you're planning a special trip there. read more

Aurora Stamps - Front of Aurora Stamps-- sorry, it was raining heavily, taken through the car window! - Hobby Shops Near Me - Edmonds, Washington

I called to inquire about whether this company buys stamps and if they give estimates on what stamps are worth. The gentleman who answered was quite short and rude and said he is only interested in large collections. I asked if he knew of any places in the area who did buy stamps (smaller collections) and he very curtly told me to "look online because that is the way the world works now". Do not waste your time here. read more

I have been buying material from this store for well over a decade. It was my favorite store when there were a number of other stamp stores in the area and it remains my favorite store when there are not that many stamp stores around any more. Art, the owner is the ONLY dedicated stamp store owner who runs it like a business and works with clients to help them find what they are looking for. It is a delight to go to the store even when I don't find something in my areas of interests. read more

Just randomly called and talked to the guy that opens the store on Wednesdays. Looking around for shops that buy Pokemon this guy impressed me and without even stopping by the shop I'm interested and will probably stop by when I go to another shop to sell said Pokemon. My aunt inherited me a lot of stamps when I was young and just have been sitting in a drawer I hope to stop by there and just take in what they do sell and see if any of the ones that I have are being sold then maybe talk to Art about the art of stamps and just enjoy a throwback to normalcy and dedication. I was born in a hospital in Everett about 25 minutes away, i and the shop that's been there my whole life must find out about each other, never know in a world that values shiny cardboard that hasn't traveled anywhere, whereas stamps travel worldwide in many different artworks and artist designs from all over the world and you can't pick up in a chain store for 10 bucks, might actually be something to really give an open mind and a Keen eye read more

After calling I drove an hour to get there even with low expectations about an inherited stamp collection. He looked through a couple of binders in my box for literally 25 seconds not bothering with looking at much of what was in my box. He said it wasn't worth anything and gave me the feeling I was interrupting since he pushed it back at me so fast. I had thought I wanted to look around the shop (or ask more questions) but it smelled so horribly of pot that I wanted to run out. Just left me with a very sad feeling about the shop and stamp collecting in generaI. I would have been interested in buying more for this hobby but I'll never go there again. It was just gross and frankly a little creepy. read more

I cannot believe how horrible our experience was here. The minute we walked in..we felt as if we were bothering them. He told me that he heard my story a million times and that the stamp I was wondering about had somehow been switched and this one was worth nothing. I could send it on a postcard today. Very rude. Very unprofessional. I would not recommend this place to anyone ever. read more

Art is a true rarity today: A knowledgeable, well-rounded dealer that spends hours in a brick-and-mortar shop dedicated to stamps, not "stamps - and - " (coins, comic books, etc.), who is not afraid to share his knowledge. Lovers of old-school philately will find a real treasure here. You can spend hours in his shop, and never see everything - But it is highly-organized and neat, so Art can generally lay his hands on anything you ask for fairly quickly. The one-star reviews here seem to come from people who bring their deceased relative's collections in, assuming that ANY stamp over a hundred years old MUST be worth a fortune. When Art gives them the unfortunate truth and turns them away, they muddy the waters with a review based on their concept of what should be "fair." Since Art has the courage to still run a brick-and-mortar shop, he becomes a target for these disappointed fortune-seekers. I've dealt with Art for years, and I have never hesitated to sell my stamps to him. He will give you a fair deal, and true knowledge about the material. The reason he can stay in business, and have a physical location, is that he is picky about what he will buy. No, people, not every 100-year-old stamp is worth a fortune; the vast majority are worth practically nothing. If Art tells you "I've seen a million of those" or "I literally can't sell those" or "use it to send a postcard," he is telling you the truth, not being a "snob." I would never use the word "snob" in reference to Art - more like expert, dealer, friend. Unfortunately, I guess most people who have stamps these days don't want to hear the truth, so they translate the bad news into a personal attack, calling him "rude," or his shop "not a business." Nothing is further from the truth. Art is a highly-competent professional who deeply loves stamps. I've never seen him treat a customer rudely - but he WILL let you know the true value of your stamps, and in the process discount your sentimental attachment. For those who understand the stamp market, Art is an irreplaceable local treasure. His support of local stamp groups, and his wealth of knowledge are really appreciated. I highly recommend his venue as a stopover for those looking for a solid resource. read more

My experience was absolutely awful in that they were very unwelcoming and in fact I felt as though I was intruding. If you have the desire to work with someone who is snobbish about stamps, then this is your place. I didn't have an issue learning that the extensive stamp collection that my grandfather devoted so much time to was worth very little and to go ahead and just use the stamps on letters (stamps from 1905? I don't think so...) but it was in his presentation, his arrogance around his hobby (I wouldn't refer to it as a business as he in no way has any appreciation or respect for his customers). He didn't take time to look at the collection but rudely fanned through the pages of very old books--which just because in his eyes they weren't valuable, they were to me as they were my grandfathers. I was offended and yes, he was very unprofessional and my experience was nothing short of awful. read more

Aurora Stamps is a true collector's outlet. The owner is polite and knowledgeable. He is patient and polite. I've observed him answer the phone and address walk-ins in a professional way - never talking down to a person who doesn't know anything about philately. Aurora has something for every collector - the prices are as good as they get - I've shopped the other dealers and I know. Patronize Aurora with confidence..you won't be dissapointed. read more