A dying Hobby

[mmarotta]

There are overlaps between coins and stamps, so there is that.

 

Clifford Mishler said that as our hobby becomes more and more specialized, we run a risk of falling to factionalism. "How can you collect that junk?" Mishler says that collecting "is a gene you do not inherit." People who collect one thing usually collect something else. If this or that does or does not appeal to you, that is all you can say, but to denigrate another area of collecting misses a basic point.

 

Writing in the Minkus Stamp Journal in 1971, Ayn Rand said:

"Those bright little pieces of paper will carry your words across oceans, over mountains, over deserts, and still more difficult: over savage frontiers (the most savage of which are not on the underdeveloped continents). ... It is the voices of individual men that stamps carry around the globe; it is individual men that need a postal service; kings, dictators and other rulers do not work by mail. In this sense, stamps are the world's ambassadors of good will."

(See http://ellensplace.net/ar_stamp.html)

 

You do not have to collect everything. You cannot. Claiming that all the commemoratives "ruined" philately takes the wrong view. I collect the ones I like according to my standards.

 

I use those many commemoratives for business and personal correspondence. I buy old commems in bulk for 90% of face from my local coin store. (You can buy them from classifieds in the coin newspapers, also.) I just invited the Mayor of Dearborn to cut the ribbon at the CSNS/MSNS convention in August and I put the NUMISMATICS stamp on the envelope along with BANKING AND COMMERCE stamp which has more coins on itl.

 

When I send a letter to Europe, I always make sure that it has some very positive, very American theme expressed in the stamps.

 

In the past, I have sold plate blocks at Libertarian Party conventions. My favorites are the Bill of Rights commems, the Fifth Amendment commem that shows a hand inside a door held up in the Stop! position to another hand offering a warrant. Show me a coin that carries that message.

 

As a writer, as a teacher, I celebrate literacy, learning, the right to read and freedom of the press, to say nothing of science, chemistry, dinosaurs, rocks, folk art, folk music, and famous capitalists.

 

... but that's just me. You don't have to like stamps.

[Ætheling]

I sometimes wonder if i should take the hobby back up but i never seem to ever do. I think if i did then i'd concentrate exclusively on either Victorian Line Engraved Issues. (I.e Penny Blacks, Penny Reds and Twopenny Blues) from 1840-1879.

 

Or it'd be the regular royal cypher/crown issues of George V (but there's far, far too many minor types and varities and colour variants and stuff). To say nothing of Victorian plate and watermark varities. As well as corner lettering types, two letters, four letters.

 

And whether to collect as VF used (i.e in EF condition with light overstamp) or as Mint unused is a question to ponder on.

 

There's just too much choice!

[whohah]

I, too, started with stamps 'way back in 1956. By late-1958, I'd discovered that I couldn't keep up with the output of US stamps, much less world stamps. I still like US colonial issues, emergency issues, revenues, tax stamps, etc.

 

I buy commems to use on my postage and I insist on using stamps instead of the meter prints the Post Office has when I send a certified letter.

 

I prefer using engraved stamps; however, those seem to be few and far between now.

 

I'm still sitting on a sheet of 150 of the tiny Indian Head Cent stamp [13 cents each] from the mid-1970's [150 to the sheet].

[16d]

"I'm still sitting on a sheet of 150 of the tiny Indian Head Cent stamp [13 cents each] from the mid-1970's [150 to the sheet]"

 

I know of a least 1 member here who is currently using them.

BTW, thanks, Bill!

[Mediccoin]

I have a stamp collection that belonged to my mother-in-law that is in a book with the minuteman on the front of it. In the words of Austin Powers,"not my bag, man."

[ccg]

Those 1877 IHC 13c stamps are pretty interesting, being issued in 1978 before the rate change to 15c, and while the USPS was investigating and trying out tiny stamps in an effort to save money by getting more stamps printed on less paper...

 

I have a bunch that I use myself the rare times I use the USPS.

[tommyd]

I love stamps...

 

[Sir Sisu]

I too started with coins and stamps as a child. Stamps were easy as it did not cost me anything, and we constantly received mail from different countries- while with coins, it was predominantly just my home country. I eventually gave up on stamps as there were just too many to keep in any proper organized fashion, plus I just preferred the shiny round coins and the clear date of issue. (I never could get those stamps removed without tearing them.)

 

I still have a book of old stamps that I had collected as a child. Not sure what I will ever do with it.

I do like stamps, especially the older ones. Like Blackhawk said, they are like minature paintings. And occasionally I get some really nice ones in the mail (Banivechi recently sent some that really appealed to me) that almost tempt me to start collecting again! I only have 3 stamps that I have purchased new and saved: 2 are numismatics (1 US and the other Finland) and the other is a multiple stamp that makes up the Kalevala theme tryptich painted by Gallen-Kallela.

[Ætheling]

(I never could get those stamps removed without tearing them.)

 

 

Well generally you cut the envelope to get it down to a managable size around the stamp. Then submerge it in water for a minute or two.

 

With a bit of care the stamp should come right off, then leave it on the side to dry.

[tommyd]

After it separates from the paper, place it between two tissues and then press it (in the tissue) for a few hours under a book to prevent it from curling up!

[Ætheling]

Yep forgot about that bit!

 

Yeah i used to place it between two books, or under something heavy. Not just curling, you don't want it looking crinkle cut...

[Trantor_3]

my experience with that is that the stamp glues to the tissue.......

[Ætheling]

That's why i never used tissue. I think you'll find a cloth is better or a tea towel.

[SilverDollarMan]

Some currency is beautiful....but honestly...No

I luv the coin!

[Twentycent]

mmarotta, that was very nicely written. Thank you,

 

 

 

Jerry

[Rotten Rodney]

How many coin collectors can honestly put their hand up and say when they started out collecting they focused on just coins?

I can Actually say I've collected a few stamps too. . . So when anyone sends anything to me use some interesting stamps. . .

[tommyd]

They're starting to come out of the collector closet!!

[Tiffibunny]

I did save one I got from a package from Canada a while back it was a huge stamp with a big moose on it.

[Twentycent]

If anyone is interested, there is a stamp discussion forum over at PCGS....Actually I should say Collector's Universe.

 

 

 

Jerry