Collecting Just For Fun !

If I had to catorgorize myself I am a worldwide stamp and cover collector...i have seriously pursued the covers and stamps of Guatemala and the Netherlands...Lately I am just having fun with Argentina...if a good one comes along I will grab it..otherwise I win a lot of 2 dollar stockcards of Argentina on the net....now comes the purification of the species...any of the stamps I would not put in my own collection...missing perfs,dirty cancel, crease etc; perish between my thumb and forefinger..a good gardener pulls weeds and I feel a stamp collector can do no less..this is my fun at this point...to each his own !!

Then please stop!

Even if you are absolutely certain that you are not destroying some hitherto unknown variety, and you are equally sure that the postmark is not one that would be of interest to a postmark specialist, then consider giving them to a young person who just might start collecting, a teacher who just might start using them to illustrate a teaching point, or a charity which can always use any but the most seriously damaged specimens to make up kiloware.

The more stamps, however grotty, that you destroy, the more you lessen the chance of another collector making a discovery.

This is a small compartment in my computer for CDs. I stuff my weeds in there for crafting purposes. Should a crafting purpose ever occur to me.

Bamra1 sorry we do not agree...i am not going to pass on junk to cheapen another persons stamp collection ..

"any of the stamps I would not put in my own collection...missing perfs,dirty cancel, crease etc; perish between my thumb and forefinger..a good gardener pulls weeds and I feel a stamp collector can do no less"

philb, congratulations, you're a real asset to the hobby.

I suppose it depends on which stamp is being destroyed. If it is a relative modern common stamp, then yes. However, if it is a 19th century, or even early 20th century, classic, then no. I don't care what condition it is in, I would not destroy it. Suppose 100 years from now it is the only condition a collector can afford?

I have a few stamps which are in less than optimal condition and am really glad that I have them. It would never occur to me to casually destroy a classic stamp.

I have to agree with ton this one. Tears, thins, all go to the trash bin. If I wouldn't want them them, I won't pass them on knowingly. This is especially true with mint or unused which I have no use for anyway.