How Long Have You Been Stamp Collecting?

Want some more FDC for price of mailing? (U.S. 70-80's) Direct eMail hargol@sbcglobal.net

 

I have met young collectors during my over 50 years of collecting that pursued philately professionally.
A few are still friends in their own philatelic sphere and a few qualities stand out.
The willingness to learn, having some communcation skill, the drive and knack to make a purse out of a pigs ear to mutual benefit.
I hasten to say that not all should become dealers but good study of philatelic literature at libraries is best to your advantage.
Non dealers but collectors are advantaged to find those items dealers easily discard as common or lack the knowledge - one does not know everything.
Young collectors I have seen become knowledgeable on their own acord, some were doomed to failure. I even new one who got murdered and another with whom I only had email contact hijacked a plane and got himself iincarcerated so it takes all kinds.

Bottom line is the fun side of collecting, collecting wealth comes after accumulation of experience, not before.

Erich

 

I have been collecting for about 30 years. My uncle gave me a 1/4 filled world book and a garbage bag full of stamps of every country in the world. It took me months to sort through each stamp to seperate by country then by year. Especially those in foreign language. I still have about a few hundred still in my cigar box. Too many stamps, not enough time. I especially like the stamps post marked with the city or town stamped on them.

 

Hi Mike,
There seems to be an up-swing on the demand for clear postmarks showing origin and date. Of course this was the case for postal history.
Very important today as to whether one should remove the stamp or keep as entire my vote would be for th entire of the best, the common are bad cancels is abused postage.
Modern Common used singles with killer cancels should be dumped - my opinion, as why keep bad examples when they come around again anyhow.

And hey, hey - welcome to the site !

Erich

 

I first started collecting around 1962 with a cigar box of used stamps someone gave me and it just snowballed from there. i have around a million stamps mostly new that I am trying to get rid of and still have no qualified organization to them.

 

I started end of 1956 when I could communicate (in English) having arrived in South Africa from Germany - the animal set of that time attracted me, should have stayed with the Posthorn Satz though, LOL.

 

This is so true Scott's catalog is only a guide to price stamps. If you pay to have a stamp graded this service is not free. Try to sell a graded stamp to a dealer and you are lucky to get 25% Scott. So good luck if want to grade stamps.

 

Hi Albert,

>>Here is priceless information on grading your stamps and a bit about how to properly utilize your Scott's guide.

 

Nope, perfectly legal usage here. It's in context and I didn't publish/profit from it and I included the source as well as the copyright and insignia- so no illegal use here.

 

Hi Jay,

Thank you for your interpretation.
You state that with some authority with which I was never comportable with - I mean the copyright.
Let me add, that I like your understanding and would like to align myself with the mentioned criteria as well.

Would you also say that listing an exchange list to Scott #s is acceptable ?

Erich

 

There are so many variable in a stamp. As a novice how can i distingush all of this. One book says my stamp is worth a million dollars and another says 25 cents. I am in the buffalo area does anyone know where I can find a reliable stamp dealer. I have no one to hand my collection down too but I was thinking of selling it. But my collection is like an old friend and I dont want to get rid of it. Is there a stamp psychriatrist that can help me?

 

Hi Albert,

Not too sure what you mean by the type of gradiing you refer to.
The Grading in the catalogue is to the benefit of all all collectors to gauge the quality of a stamp comparing with their stamps.
The the expertization ( with a certificate of authenticity ) of a stamp or encapsulation costs may attreact a little premium than those without, depends on demand.
Had you an inverted Jenny stamp it would fetch you much less than one with certification..

A dealer also buys according to his customers and available stock. A car salesman would offer next to nothing for a 1976 Mustang if he already has 4 to sell.

Erich

 

Hi Mike,

You may be the best stamp psychiatristy to decide about selliing your stamps.
If you do not want to bother about value (which in essence you really want to know the value) take the collection to three different deals if possible and take the best offer.
Alternatively if it is a room full of collection an auction house could sell for you.
In either event if you want to get more out of your collection your effort you you put into it may be rewarded in contrast to selling to a dealer.
You could also show the members here a few of your best items for an opinion. Scan a few pages to .jpg and upload that file.


Erich

 

Erich that is good idea. I will scan some and upload. But after reading all your posts in here now I feel like keeping them.

 

Then I am glad some posts here helped a collector.

 

This a couple of stamps. Am I a millionare?

 

Maybe if you have filled all the spaces with mint !

 

How about this one? View attachment 1165