There are plenty of stamp sites around, why bother numista with that? The site name is NOT “philista”.
There has been a thread asking people what they had for dinner, I don't seem to remember you asking them to take it to a culinary website, did you? Was it called 'Cookista' then?
There have been a number of irrelevant threads on Free Discussion, perhaps it's called Free Discussion for a reason.
There are plenty of stamp sites around, why bother numista with that? The site name is NOT “philista”.
There has been a thread asking people what they had for dinner, I don't seem to remember you asking them to take it to a culinary website, did you? Was it called 'Cookista' then?
There have been a number of irrelevant threads on Free Discussion, perhaps it's called Free Discussion for a reason.
In the “Free Discussion” section, you can do whatever you like! I thought you wanted to make a stamps' database etc…..
There are plenty of stamp sites around, why bother numista with that? The site name is NOT “philista”.
There has been a thread asking people what they had for dinner, I don't seem to remember you asking them to take it to a culinary website, did you? Was it called 'Cookista' then?
There have been a number of irrelevant threads on Free Discussion, perhaps it's called Free Discussion for a reason.
In the “Free Discussion” section, you can do whatever you like! I thought you wanted to make a stamps' database etc…..
Just wanted to discuss as to who else is into philately and how large is their collection. We could possibly swap unofficially as well but surely not initiating another corp on this website.
Even though I've experienced 30+ years of hoarding, collecting and nerding ~ it still happens that new, unknown and unseen things are found and uncovered.
Even though I've experienced 30+ years of hoarding, collecting and nerding ~ it still happens that new, unknown and unseen things are found and uncovered.
How do you find the fact that the hobby is dying a slow painful death?
Even though I've experienced 30+ years of hoarding, collecting and nerding ~ it still happens that new, unknown and unseen things are found and uncovered.
How do you find the fact that the hobby is dying a slow painful death?
Even though I've experienced 30+ years of hoarding, collecting and nerding ~ it still happens that new, unknown and unseen things are found and uncovered.
How do you find the fact that the hobby is dying a slow painful death?
Is it?
I'm surprised that you're not aware of it. With the onset of private courier companies (that are constantly growing) and the usage of WhatsApp, the conventional postal services are tapering off. Even the official national Posts have replaced the customary ticket stamps with the ink rubber stamp. At least it has been been in my country, they don't stick the ticket any longer. Since the usage of stamps is decreasing so the production will also dip. And at one stage, it will come to a complete halt (perhaps they will continue to issue commemorative ones in a very little quantity to keep the collectors going). So I don't think it's gonna go too far.
How do you find the fact that the hobby is dying a slow painful death?
Is it?
I'm surprised that you're not aware of it. With the onset of private courier companies (that are constantly growing) and the usage of WhatsApp, the conventional postal services are tapering off. Even the official national Posts have replaced the customary ticket stamps with the ink rubber stamp. At least it has been been in my country, they don't stick the ticket any longer. Since the usage of stamps is decreasing so the production will also dip. And at one stage, it will come to a complete halt (perhaps they will continue to issue commemorative ones in a very little quantity to keep the collectors going). So I don't think it's gonna go too far.
I wasn't aware that “the hobby is dying a slow painful death”, I can't even imagine how that looks like and how to measure “painful”.
The usual assumption is that postal services are the hobby, which they are not. It is perfectly possible to collect postage stamps without having a subscription to newly issued postage stamps. I quit subscriptions 20 years ago and have a very nice philatelic collection of modern postal history.
On a related note, something similar was said about vinyl records in the 1990s. I am glad that I kept mine and supplemented them for a wee money whilst everybody else were skipping their collections in bulk.
The usual assumption is that postal services are the hobby, which they are not.
I must agree with Hapertas here. People assume “this or that” b/c of some social media fallacy based on some “expert's” faulty perception. It's easy to jump to conclusions (but when you do, you should sometimes check your logic). None of these new S-M “experts” back their claims b/c hey! they don't have to! Thus, fake news & lots of baseless fallacies bouncing around out there.
I remember 20 years ago a lot of collector friends talking about how few coin/paper collectors there were because of the poor attendance at coin shows. “The hobby was doomed!” some claimed. I even saw a video (somewhere) about this phenomenon in the US but at least they (correctly) observed that a lot of collectors were using this new tech called the Internet (joining this new craze called "collector forums" & purchasing their collections on eBay). Less people were interested in paying an admission to go see coins in cabinets then ever before.
This was when I was an active member on a Canadian forum. Participation dwindled over time on it too & many friends of mine told me that “cash was going to be a thing of the past.” Once again, it would be easy to assume that “the hobby was dying.” Then we saw Youtbue videos about discovering a million dollar penny & lots of young folks were turning to their change again. People started tuning into coin/paper channels/subs on Reddit, FB, IG, Youtube & then Tik Tok on their phones. Humans were abandoning their computer forums for faster/more flashy sound bits on their phones. So, yeah, forum participation has taken a hit but we know the collectors are still out there.
The usual assumption is that postal services are the hobby, which they are not.
Don't know how you got this idea that postal service are a hobby, they aren't but they DO help you with the hobby. I, personally, have peeled off so many stamps from the letters that came to me and it really was helpful in piling up my collection at no cost but now you hardly get any letter and even if you do, it would have an ink stamp.
Another sign that it's dying is that there're thousands of active members on this website and hardly any responded to this post, in fact not many people viewed the post.
You said that it's still possible to swap stamps even after the new ones stop coming out, true but there's hardly any incentive for the upcoming generation to take up this hobby. I was fascinated by it as a child when I saw all the letters coming in with different stamps. This will not transpire for the kids today so this clearly shows how this hobby IS dying and knowing that there's no chance of it being revived DOES make it painful.
The usual assumption is that postal services are the hobby, which they are not.
I must agree with Hapertas here. People assume “this or that” b/c of some social media fallacy based on some “expert's” faulty perception. It's easy to jump to conclusions (but when you do, you should sometimes check your logic). None of these new S-M “experts” back their claims b/c hey! they don't have to! Thus, fake news & lots of baseless fallacies bouncing around out there.
I remember 20 years ago a lot of collector friends talking about how few coin/paper collectors there were because of the poor attendance at coin shows. “The hobby was doomed!” some claimed. I even saw a video (somewhere) about this phenomenon in the US but at least they (correctly) observed that a lot of collectors were using this new tech called the Internet (joining this new craze called "collector forums" & purchasing their collections on eBay). Less people were interested in paying an admission to go see coins in cabinets then ever before.
This was when I was an active member on a Canadian forum. Participation dwindled over time on it too & many friends of mine told me that “cash was going to be a thing of the past.” Once again, it would be easy to assume that “the hobby was dying.” Then we saw Youtbue videos about discovering a million dollar penny & lots of young folks were turning to their change again. People started tuning into coin/paper channels/subs on Reddit, FB, IG, Youtube & then Tik Tok on their phones. Humans were abandoning their computer forums for faster/more flashy sound bits on their phones. So, yeah, forum participation has taken a hit but we know the collectors are still out there.
Your post makes perfect sense. In fact there has been a surge in people collecting stamps & coins. There have been more sales of collectibles since the pandemic started. Unfortunately this has pushed the price up due to the high demand & hoarding by newbies. Overall these hobbies have got a much needed boost and will carry on for a very long time.
As long as it is possible to affix postage stamps to a letter and send it, the hobby is not dying. The hobby is downscaling, no argument about that, but in my opinion it is not dying. Some people even collect what is refered to as ink stamps; they are catalogued as postal stationeries.
I do buy contemporary mint postage stamps for use as postage. Since I do not collect postage stamps from my own country, there are some postage stamps that I do not buy. I always use postage stamps for postage and I always send either postcards or letters when abroad. Most of the physical mail that I receive are from fellow collectors and franked with something collectable, mostly postage stamps.
It seems to me that much (not all) of this discussion is about whether stamp collecting is a thriving or dying hobby. But is this not the “black or white fallacy”?
The value of stamps has, overall, dipped sharply since the 1980s or 1990s. If you look at stamps catalogue such as the Scott, prices have been stable for something like the past 30 years. These prices are rather meaningless now. I occasionally buy lots of early stamps which go for a fraction of the catalogue values.
Early Canadian stamps have kept their value better than e.g. the stamps of the Italian or German states or early European stamps in general. Still, if I look at the 1940s, I can think of a $1 stamp which in the 1970s in VF MLH would go for about $40. Well, now, it's worth about $15, which means that it has lost 90% of its value.
What seems to be happening, IMHO, is that there was, indeed, a strong decline, but there is no death in sight. The market has stabilized to match the offer/demand; catalogues continue to be printed; some serious sellers have survived, though most seem to do it part-time on eBay.
Here are a few examples of lots that I got for only a few dollars. If you have a Scott catalogue (or check stamp sites online), you'll see how much some of those stamps used to go for.
… And I still believe that stamps are more interesting numismatically than all the NCLTs in the world.
Can someone suggest where should I start in possibly collecting stamps? I have a few, but I am completely clueless. It seems to me that they have almost no value. I order US stamps below face value for shipping and sometimes they send me 3 cent stamps from 1930s even, and a lot of others from 11950-1970s. Are they worth more than the face value?
Do people collect used stamps too?
It seems that there are endless varieties also. Anyways, if someone can share a few useful links maybe, I would appreciate. I am not sure even what to ask specifically.
Can someone suggest where should I start in possibly collecting stamps? I have a few, but I am completely clueless. It seems to me that they have almost no value. I order US stamps below face value for shipping and sometimes they send me 3 cent stamps from 1930s even, and a lot of others from 11950-1970s. Are they worth more than the face value?
Do people collect used stamps too?
It seems that there are endless varieties also. Anyways, if someone can share a few useful links maybe, I would appreciate. I am not sure even what to ask specifically.
So glad my post added another collector to the hobby ☺️
Adding a collector, maybe strong words. I just have some unused US stamps that I buy in bulk for postage. And my father-in-law gave me a few hundred of foreign stamps that he got on the envelopes in 1980s-1990s. And that box is just sitting there with pieces of envelopes, and I don't know what to do with it, or should I even do anything with that. I read now a few articles. It seems that people soak the stamps and remove the used ones, even put them in albums. So, maybe my stamps do have some interest.
There is at least one thing about philately that numismatics does not have, if I am not mistaken.
In philately there is mint never hinged (MNH) quality (post office fresh), which pretty much equals the uncirculated quality in numismatics. Then there is used (postmarked) quality in philately, which resembles collecting circulated as a numismatic. Then we have postal history, which documents the expedition of a shipment in the form of a postally used cover. When it comes to the latter, I am not aware of anything similar within numismatics.
Finding postal history objects can often be difficult, since other stamp collectors, with interest only in postage stamps, have soaked off the postage stamps and ruined the cover. Since most postage stamps have been issued with a specific postage rate in mind, some philatelists are looking for covers that are franked according to postage rates, which means with only one postage stamp. Hand struck postmarks are better to have than covers cancelled by machine… and all kinds of postal peculiarities.
I've been collecting stamps for longer than I've collected coins and now have a truly enormous stamp collection, but I have to agree that stamp collecting is starting to die out. When I was a child (of the 60s), a number of my friends had stamps and there was an active stamp club at school that would regularly meet or swap stamps with other schools' clubs. I've worked in various schools on or off now for a number of years, I've been a School Governor at two schools, I've been a member of a PTA and my wife was an administrator at a large school in the town where we live.
None of them had/have stamp clubs !!!
Texts, Facebook, WhatsApp and emails (etc.) are now the new letters and post cards - no need for antiquated systems like stamps. The only place they are likely to be found by children now is in a dusty loft when someone in the family dies, a specialist collecting outlet (market/online), or an older friend or relative's collection. Where else are they likely to get exposed to the wonderful world of stamps, because they certainly won't see them coming through their letter box any more, not to any great extent. This is like collecting brass - nobody under the age of 30 wants it anymore. Sad, but true.
Also, a word of warning - unless you've got something really special in your collection, the value of your stamps will undoubtedly fall. I've just had a friend offer me two whole wardrobes full of stamps after her father died. The auction estimate was £200-250. All he collected was normal FDC, British and foreign stamps - nothing special. She was told by the Auction House that everybody collected those, so there are now so many about that the price has fallen to next to nothing. He clearly spent thousands of pounds on his collection.
I no longer buy stamps for my collection and haven't done so for 10 years + due to their rising cost and work not being as stable as it once was. I now thank my lucky stars that I didn't continue with the annual sets, the First Day Covers, the trips to the post office every time I went abroad, etc. etc. I love my stamps, but I no longer have any confidence that they will give me anything like the return I'd need to cover the cost of collecting them.
Let's all hope that isn't the same for coins. As I said before, ‘Sad, but true’…
I would argue that there are some similarities between the markets for coins and for stamps.
The quality “real” coins and stamps —those struck and printed for regular use (circulation and franking) — have maintained at least some of their value, though more so with coins. True, many early one cent and one penny stamps, or 10 centime stamps are practically worthless since so many were printed and so many were saved, but less common values (e.g. for packages) can still be valuable.
The collectors' items —NCLTs, FDCs, full sheets, etc.— have lost their value or at least have not significantly gained any value. When NCLTs have gained value, it's often because the price of gold and silver have gone up. The non-circulating Canadian Olympic gold $100 coins were reselling at a lower price in the early 1980s than they had been paid for at the Mint in 1976. But now of course, their bullion value has so much increased that they sell for many times their original price.
Meanwhile, authentic letters and postcards from significant periods in History (Paris siege of 1870, WW1, WW2, etc.) are still sought after, though I suspect prices would be higher if the market was as strong as in the 1960s and 1970s.
With stamps, we see a lot of commemorative issues that can be used but were and are still meant primarily for the collectors' market ("MNH"). Some countries produce over 50 or even 100 new stamps per year… The “Eastern Block” in the 1960s and 1970s were already flooding the market with their CTOs which have never gained in value (such as the ugly Hungarian issues). A small country like Liechtenstein, too, printed a lot more stamps than for local needs. In fact, in the 1970s and 1980s, if not later as well, stamps were the third most important export of the country. I suspect this isn't the case any longer.
I have a big 2019 Unitrade catalogue for Canadian stamps of which I barely use 10% of the content. That covers the provincial issues plus Canada to about 1970. The past 50 years take about 85-90% of the content…
Absolutely huge stamp collector here. I collected them hard core from 2005 to 2020, but went off them a bit when coins took over and Covid shut down the stamp clubs, however a massive international show and a big return to clubs and some insane purchases have put stamps back in there for me.
My main interests are mostly Commonwealth, especially NZ, Aus and most Pacific nations (If I collect the coins of a place, I will likely collect their stamps too! - the only country it does'nt apply is Canada as their stamps are a bit naff).
Mostly I collect pre 1970 material, but have some modern issues and Australian and NZ go to 1990. Most of my Pacific nations like Samoa, Tonga and Niue go to the present.
I also collect seriously some non Commonwealth nations like Denmark, Greece, Angola and for some weird reason - East Germany. I have also started Turkey and early Persia.
Very rare South African 10/- and £1 from 1913/24 set
Some of South West African niceties, the first page of German stamps, missing ones are insanely rare.
The 1931 airmails are also very collectible, here a mint and used set of pairs. All early South and South West African stamps are bilingual joined pairs and this how they should be collected, loose singles are worth much less.
I love small island states and territories, here are St. Helena and 2 Tristan Da Cunha sets. The high values are very collectible and scarce.
I love coins. Especially silver, gold and anything really old.
Member of the Royal Numismatic Society of New Zealand and the Auckland Numismatic Society
These are all packet stamps, mostly modern (1930s to 1980s) and all used and they are in a cheap Chinese stockbook - the collection looks like a Kiddies accumulation. This stuff was sold heavily to children in cheap packets in the 1970s and 1980s. Its how most of us got started. But these stamps collectively are worth practically nothing ( a few cents for the lot).
Many 3rd world countries like Pakistan and “Sand Dunes” - Ajman, Sharjah etc - dangerous semi illegal stamps from the 1960s and 1970s aimed at kiddie kollectors.
You will notice my pages are written up and contain mint or fine used examples of classic stamps. Yours are shoved together on some cheap stockbook page. You are best off giving them to a child or giving away to the Sallies or Vinnies.
I love coins. Especially silver, gold and anything really old.
Member of the Royal Numismatic Society of New Zealand and the Auckland Numismatic Society
I agreed that collecting stamps is a slow dying hobby. You see, this is how I see this hobby.
Despite there still many active stamp collectors, these are mostly seasoned collectors and have been collecting for many years. I do not believe this hobby is dying because of people sending less letters like during Christmas, Birthday etc. To have continuity for this wonderful hobby, you need newcomers to the hobby and this is not happening. Young kids nowadays are only interested in computer games, mobile phones and tablets, Internet etc.
We have a small monthly Sunday show here, and out of 8 tables, only one is selling banknotes/coins, and the rest are stamp dealers. However, the only stamp collectors/buyers sitting in front of those tables are usually elderly people, or experienced collectors and hardly a single young kid. Back in the 90s when I attended a Stamp Expo here, there was a kid pointing to any stamps that he would like to have, and his father sitting next to him just nodded his head to the dealer that he would take them. I do not see that anymore every time I attend a show.
I too started as a stamp collector back in my good old days. In those years as a kid, I couldn't wait for the postman to turn up at my door steps to see if I had any mail from overseas. Later, I also established standing orders from Australia Post, from Canada, NZ, Taiwan and Malaysia for my mint stamps collection. At that time, I was already a banknotes collector and occasionally a few loose coins too. Today, it's all about banknotes. All my stamp collections are now sitting on the shelf just gathering dust.
This is the best buy that I am aware of. Only paid for the release price back in 1990 from NZ Post during the NZ 1990 Expo in Auckland, and shortly after that, the price just went up to more than US$100+ each. I later learnt that someone at the show bought almost the entire stock, and as such the price went up. Now, the price has come down a lot but I think it's still expensive to get one when the face value is around $2+ worth.
Old timers used to stick their stamps in their albums. From what I understand, that’s an absolute no no for more recent stamp collectors. I wonder then what is in demand these days. It goes to logic that the ones with the deeper pockets dictate the market, so which one is it.. the old timers or the modern collectors ?
Old timers used to stick their stamps in their albums. From what I understand, that’s an absolute no no for more recent stamp collectors. I wonder then what is in demand these days. It goes to logic that the ones with the deeper pockets dictate the market, so which one is it.. the old timers or the modern collectors ?
As in any aspect of life there is also snobism and there are show-off's within stamp collecting. Actually, most of those call themselves for philatelists. Besides this fact, it is possible to collect postage stamps any way you like - whatever makes your boat float. For some it's about the investment, for others it's about completeness, and then we have people who collect a certain theme or postal history to meet a certain narrative.
... I later learnt that someone at the show bought almost the entire stock, and as such the price went up.
A common practice within the hobby is that the entire stock of a stamp issue is financed by a third party ( a dealer), which leads to only a fraction of the stock actually being sold at the event the issue is commemorating.
I have some collection left, can anyone tell if there's something special in it?
I have to agree with Moneytane that, unfortunately, there is very little of real value in your collection, if this is all that there is. But if you are pleased with it and proud to own it then that is all that really matters. I know I was quite negative about the future of stamp collecting, but this is the here and now - enjoy your stamps and try to get others interested in this wonderful hobby whenever you can.
There are plenty of people around who are very happy to help you to understand more, and even one or two that may have a vested interest in encouraging younger people to build their own collections by offering up swaps.
Well done for adding this to the ‘Free discussion’ page.
I was a bit abrupt, but its better I do it, than being sugary and lying about it and then that person takes the collection to a stamp dealer and is annoyed that the dealer shows little enthusiasm in it.
The people who were blowing smoke up their a$$, will then get an ear bashing.
I prefer to be truthful rather than sugar coat everything and tell people what they want to hear.
As Natalie Cole “You want me to be as simple as a flower, then you need to pay me by the hour”
He wanted to know if there was anything “special”, unfortunately there was not.
I love coins. Especially silver, gold and anything really old.
Member of the Royal Numismatic Society of New Zealand and the Auckland Numismatic Society
I don't have a penny black but would love to get one. Those cancelled with the red Maltese cross look more attractive than with the black MC.
But I came here to say that something you often see on eBay is that sellers sell entire albums without even bothering to remove the stamps. Well, actually, you often see a few empty spots with traces of hinges and know that these were the stamps that were worth the trouble to remove and sell individually.
If you watch carefully, you may find that one or more rarities is left in an album or pages of an album sold as a single lot. Sometimes I see two similar lots, but one goes for a few dollars while the other triggers a bidding war. Usually I know too little about those stamps to know exactly which stamp(s) is/are sought after.
Some time ago I bought a cheap lot with a Ceylon stamp that seems quite rare:
Fifth row, third stamp. Admittedly, it is in poor condition, but if the stain on Vicky's head could be removed, it would already look much better. As for value in this condition, I don't know.
I have one, my copy is decent with a Maltese cross cancel, but is only one full margin.
I love coins. Especially silver, gold and anything really old.
Member of the Royal Numismatic Society of New Zealand and the Auckland Numismatic Society
About 5-8 years ago, I kept getting amazing stamped packages from several US banknote sellers. They would plaster Elvis Presley & US cultural icon (+ older stamps) all over the package. So I really began to appreciate the designs of stamps.
When I started snooping around eBay, I noticed how cheap they were in UNC unhinged sets. Collectors I knew already had commented many times that stamps had tanked in the world market so I picked up this block of 4:
The above 1920 block is listed as Scott #148 & I believe were issued after the “Confederation Canada” series which celebrated 60 years of confederation. The “Confederation Canada” had an image of parliament (3 Cents), Laurier (5 Cents) & a map of Canada (12 Cents). The other designs for the “Canada Historical” version (that go with Baldwin & LaFontaine 20 Cents) were Louis Riel (5 Cents) & Laurier/McDonald (12 Cents). I have been contemplating getting the other examples but the prices have nearly tripled.
Yes ─ Coin and note sellers often liquidate their investments in stamps by just using them. Here is a picture of many such stamps used by eBay sellers:
Whatever modern stamps I get in this way, I save and will soon organize on stockbook sheets. I don't mind at all that they are used stamps. Yet many were not cancelled, but I would classify them as “used not cancelled” rather than “mint no gum”. Anyway, I wouldn't spend much money on modern stamps, so I'm happy with these.
Sometimes, though, you get something quite surprising. This is from about a year and a half ago (some of you may remember seeing it):
It's quite unfortunate that this cover was not cancelled, but I kept it as is anyway. Newfoundland stamps remain, to this day, valid for Canadian postage, just as the currency is still legal tender. That was part of the deal that led to the inclusion of Newfoundland into Canada in 1949.
Now the oldest stamps I got on an envelope were two 1928 US 3¢ stamps. They are poorly centered ("VG"), but still…
It's quite unfortunate that this cover was not cancelled, but I kept it as is anyway. Newfoundland stamps remain, to this day, valid for Canadian postage, just as the currency is still legal tender.
Wow! Those are very nice stamps from Newfoundland. Great package (& wise to leave them alone). Unfortunately, I cut most of my packages up and sent many of my stamps to a US collector or gave them to my nephew (but he didn't look to enthused about them).
As a kid I actually started collecting stamps before I got into numismatics. Like many US kids in the 70’s I had an album and stamp packets to fill it. To this day I still have those original stamps and albums and to me are the very first items in my “collection.” Numismatics soon took over as my primary interest, but I never got rid of the stamps. For years as a kid I saved all stamps from incoming mail and through my grandmothers business had access to hundreds of stamped incoming letters. All were modern US in the early 80’s but I still have those as well.
Afterwards I never really actively collected stamps but did receive several accumulations through the years from people getting rid of them and thinking because I collected coins and notes then surely stamps were part of that. I always took them to keep from the dump. Much to my wife’s dismay I also clipped and saved all stamps from the mail for the last 20 years or so. I always planned on cataloging them as a retirement project years from now, but during COVID and the associated shutdowns I needed a project to keep busy and took the opportunity to start cataloging these stamps. I have made it though probably 65% of this 40 years of accumulated material and have mixed stamp pages in with my currency catalogs. Best of all I have had hours of enjoyment on very little expenditure. With over 11,000 stamps cataloged it is now a nice complementary collection to my coins, notes, medals and tokens.
Serial_Number_8 ─ I almost always cut the stamps up from the envelopes as well.
There is one package I regret not having kept whole: I received a box of books from France around 2013 with all the stamps from the pre-Euro era, so all in French francs. I checked online to find out that the Postes françaises had argued that the old stamps were no longer current, but this was challenged in the courts and they lost. Old stamps are still current at a fixed rate. So, in some ways, the French franc is on life support, but it is not actually dead…
worth ─ As a graduate student I could easily check the recycling bins on each floor of the building where my department was and look for stamps. I have, therefore, a good accumulation from the 90s, but also from when I started to buy coins on eBay in late 2015. Many sellers have accumulations of blocks and even full sheets they know they'll never sell, so they use them. In the US Frank Robinson, who sells coins as a leisure (mostly ancient), a couple of years back put up for sale bags of mint US stamps slightly below face value. He just wanted to get rid of them with the idea that someone else could use them for postage. He did keep a lot for his own packages since I always receive old stamps from him, many from the late 60s-early 70s.
It is easier to be creative in organizing one's stamps than coins or even banknotes. Only one side needs to be shown, and each page normally contains up to about 20 stamps of a range of colors. A nicely presented sheet of early “definitives”, with either typed or nicely handwritten legends can be really attractive, whatever the value of the stamps on the page. I find it sad that some people treat their albums like notebooks, with all kinds of messy scribbling, stamps poorly aligned, etc.
For those who want to get started, too, there are many videos on YouTube to help you. Interestingly, some of those YT collectors are quite young, so there is still some interest out there for stamps. I remember seeing a video on “covers” and how the quality of the cancellation may determine whether it is worth keeping them integral. A clear cancellation is what you look for; pen cancellations are undesirable.
Here's a smapp voew of my stamp box. I too have saved stamps from swaps and buys from all over the world. Since I don't collect stamps, and no one seems to be really interested in them, I'm not quite sure what to do with them. It feels wrong to just throw them away. 😅
So glad that the hibernated stamps fan inside each of us has come out and we discussed our hearts out about how we all cherished this flickering hobby of ours.
Camerinvs-I'm sure you found a good number of stamps and rescued them from the trash heap. I love collecting used stamps directly from original sources like this as there is no cost and the issues and varieties are endless. I also have received some really nice older stuff on shipments from coins and currency I have bought. Many coin dealers also have some stamps or vice versa, so they usually will have acquired unused postage at below cost and use it to save on actual shipping costs. I'm fine with that as actual stamps on the package are like a bonus gift with purchase.
ngdawa- save them and one day when you feel like something new organize them on stock pages. Create an account on Colnect (or similar site) and catalog them and at the end you can add new additions as they come. The cost is minimal and the end result is a nice album full opf memories of where and whom you have traded with.
