Stamp Center
 The The Leon Myers Stamp Center welcomes donations of stamps, coins, paper money, and picture post cards. Proceeds from the sale of donated items are used to support Boys Town’s mission to provide help, healing and hope to severely at-risk, abused, abandoned and neglected children.
Located in the Boys Town Visitors Center, the Leon Myers Stamp Center welcomes donations of stamps, coins, paper money and picture post cards. The stamp center receives donations, organizes them for sale, and markets them at area stamp shows, in our on-site retail shop, and leading public auction houses.
The stamp center also showcases an array of interesting stamps and the World’s Largest Stamp Ball, as featured in “Ripley’s Believe it or Not.”
DONATING STAMPS TO Boys Town (top)
 Boys Town is eligible to receive tax deductible donations of property, including stamps, coins, paper money, and other philatelic and numismatic materials. Donors may deduct the fair market value of their gift as a charitable contribution on their income tax return. For tax purposes, fair market value is defined as “the price a collector would pay if buying the material for his or her own collection”—not the price a dealer might offer if buying the material for resale. Donors must consult their own tax advisor for the specific rules for charitable contributions.
WHAT WE NEED (top)
We need collections and individual items knowledgeable collectors want to add to their collections. Some examples:
- Desirable collections of U.S. and foreign stamps, coins, paper money and postcards formed by the donor
- Better sets and single stamps, U.S. and foreign
- Mint U.S. postage in sheets and blocks
- Good, 19th and 20th century postally-used covers, especially with advertising
- Rare coins and paper money, U.S. and foreign
WHAT WE DO NOT NEED (top)
We do not need material we cannot sell—items of little or no interest to collectors. A few examples:
- Heavily duplicated common stamps and bundled stock
- Damaged stamps
- Sheets of cancelled-to-order stamps
- Stamps that are readily available in quantity at a tiny fraction of catalog value
- Recent (1950 to date) first day covers, especially addressed covers and those with gold foil reproductions
We cannot accept donations that, when sold, will realize only a tiny fraction of the amount claimed for tax purposes.
HOW DONATING STAMPS HELPS KIDS (top)
 Donations of stamps and coins benefit both Boys Town and the individual donor. When sold, these donations produce funds used to support the important youth care programs at Boys Town. Contributions can result in tax savings, as well as financial planning and estate planning benefits to donors. It is strongly suggested that donors consult with their tax and/or financial planning professionals on all technical questions pertaining to donations.
PAPERWORK (top)
 Philatelic and numismatic donations are reported on IRS Form 8283, Noncash Charitable Contributions and on Schedule A, Itemized Deductions. A qualified appraisal must be obtained for donations valued at $5,000 or more, and Form 8283 must be signed by the appraiser. An authorized representative of Boys Town also must sign this form. A numbered and dated receipt will be provided to the donor by Boys Town.
Donations of less than $5,000 do not require an appraisal. However, donors are still required to support their deduction with a description of the items donated and the date the gift was made. Boys Town provides a numbered and dated receipt to document your donation.
HOW TO SHIP (top)
Donated materials should be securely packed in durable containers. An inventory listing the items donated and the name and address of the donor should be included. The inventory does not need to be exhaustive. For example, a large collection can be listed as “One volume collection of 20th Century mint U. S. stamps.” If the donation is valued at $5,000 or more, the appraisal and IRS Form 8283 must be included.
All packages shipped should be addressed as follows:
Leon Myers Stamp Center
13628 Flanagan Blvd.
Boys Town, NE 68010
VALUING COLLECTIBLES (top)
Determining the fair market value of a donation is the responsibility of the individual donor. The best all-around resource in valuing stamps is the current edition of Scott’s Standard Postage Stamp Catalog. For numismatic donations, the current edition of World Coins, World Paper Money, and Coin Prices is suggested. It is highly recommended that the donor consult IRS Publication No. 561, Determining the Value of Donated Property. Boys Town cannot determine the fair market value of a donation.
It should be noted that Scott’s Standard Postage Stamp Catalog values are for stamps in very fine condition. The value of donated stamps in lesser condition should be discounted accordingly. Individual catalog values are not appropriate for stamps in packets, mixtures and bundled stock, as the actual market value of stamps in these formats is much lower than the sum of their individual catalog values. For example, a 1-pound mixture containing about 5,000 stamps cataloging the minimum amount of $.20 each can be purchased for about $30.00, far less than its total catalog value of $1,000.
QUESTIONS (top)
 If you have any questions, or need additional information, please call (402) 498-1143 or toll-free (888) 556-5123, or email us at stampcenter@boystown.org. You may also visit us at www.visitboystown.org. The Leon Myers Stamp Center is listed under attractions.
We sincerely appreciate your interest in the Leon Myers Stamp Center and Boys Town. Together, we really can make a difference in the way America cares for its children and families!
LEON MYERS (top)
The Leon Myers Stamp Center at Boys Town was made possible by a generous gift from Leon Myers of Beverly Hills, California. Mr. Myers is an avid stamp collector and former president and chief operating officer of PennCorp Financial, Inc.
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