handsDo you have a rare map you would like to sell? Geographicus is always interested in acquiring new inventory and would be happy to look at your map. We follow a simple buying procedure, outlined below, that makes these transactions fast and easy.

Initial Contact


Please contact us or fill out the our PRE-ACQUISITION SUBMISSION FORM. It will ask for basic information and allow you to upload images. When taking photos:
  1. Images need to be clear and crisp. This is best accomplished by taking the photos in good light - even if it means taking the map outside in the sun.
  2. Include images of the full map, front and back. If the map is in a frame, remove if at all possible.
  3. Include a close up of the title text and of any damaged areas.

Examination and Offer


Once we have had the opportunity to examine your images we will respond by telephone or email. If we are interested in purchasing, we will ask for your price. If you have an idea in mind, it is best to be straight forward. But, often people do not know the value of their map and expect us to put forth a price. We will happily do so, but this should not be misunderstood to be an appraisal. Any offer reflects the map's value to us and to our clientele, not historic market value. If you are interested in knowing the historic market value of your map, you may want to consider our fee-based APPRAISAL SERVICES.

Shipping us the Map


If we can come to a mutually agreeable price, I will ask you to ship the map to Geographicus. Geographicus is happy to pick up the expense of shipping and will provide shipping instructions as well as our FedEx account number. For those who live in or are visiting the New York City area, you can also schedule an appointment to bring the map in person.

Some clients request payment in advance before shipping. Unfortunately, this is not possible for the following reasons:

  1. All offers are tentative until the map has been examined in person.
  2. It is very difficult to determine if a map is authentic from photos. We must see it in person to be certain it is what we expect.
  3. A map may have many condition issues that are not apparent from photographs.
  4. A map may be unintentionally or intentionally misrepresented.
  5. We are contacted multiple times each day by individuals interested in selling their maps or map collections. While most people are honest, there are sadly more than a few scoundrels who are attempting to initiate a fraudulent transaction. As a business we must make every attempt to protect ourselves from these criminals.
  6. If you would like to know more about Geographicus, please check out our ABOUT US page and Trade Affiliations. We are long-standing members of the ABAA and ILAB, both of which hold their members to strict ethical standards.

Final Examination and Payment


Once we receive the map it takes about 2 business days to fully examine. As soon as we have determined that it is as anticipated, we immediately render payment via check or PayPal, as you prefer. For certain international deals we can also pay via direct bank to bank wire transfers. To avoid fraud we do not use Cash, Western Union, Venmo or other cash sending services.

If the map fails the final Examination


Occasionally, we will receive a map that is not as anticipated or represented. It may have condition issues, be a forgery, or simply not what we expected. In this case we will return the map to you at our own expense. From time to time, if the issue is related to condition, we will explain the problem and may agree to a lower price that will leave room for professional restoration. If this happens and we cannot come to an agreement, we will return the map, as above, with our regrets.