How Much Is Too Much

what is all of your opinions on how many collections are too many for a newbie to try and start with?

the reason I ask is I am starting a farming/agriculture topical collection.and while thumbing through my book I noticed some Viking stamps and that got me thinking about them.

i have gotten alot of great advice on here.and would like an expert opinon if I may be biting off more than I can chew.the farming topic is going to be a big collection but I do look forward to the challenge

any advice would be appreciated.
T.J.

Being fairly new to collecting, I couldn't give you a definitive answer. I'd be surprised if there was one.
As a hobby, I think the best to do would be what you enjoy. Even if it means having several collections started, and none 'complete'.
I'm slowly branching out into other countries, but taking it slow. My main focus is still US.
The only downside I see to starting multiple collections at the same time is that it would take longer to get any one of them complete or nearly so.

It's a fun hobby. I've enjoyed it more the last several months than I ever have. Do what you like. Your collection(s) is(are) yours. There's no wrong or right way. Just be sure to enjoy it.

I am also not one to ask I started back into stamps about 6 months ago, and now own 12 Albums 10 albums are Scott International 1840-1976, and Scott National start to 1987, and a Philipines/Hawaii speciality which I've not even started adding to just collecting in envelopes for that one.

with all of this Albums, I can tell you I love jumping back and forth between them all. I find it breaks up the frustration I get from certain countries, and keeps it new and interesting with all the different years and countries. also when I find a great price on something I can grab it and keep working cheaply.

my only warning is it all takes time lots of time and a big table.I have 2 tables, 5 shelves, 4 large drawers now dedicated to the hobby.

plus my girlfriends says if she catches me on ebay stamps section again I have to buy her more shoes...

Hi T.J.

I've been collecting for many years, and I agree 100% with barstoll and edwin. If you enjoy it, go for it. Some of my collections started off with just a stock leaf of stamps that I liked: many have grown over time but some haven't.

Although I would warn against the dangers of going for completeness, unless you are sure that that is what you really want: (a) expensive (b) very conducive to obsessive behaviour (c) and when something is complete, there's not much more to do with it!

I see what you did there

It is quite easy when you start as A) you don't have anything and B) anything you do get you don't already have.

This might sound like stating the obvious but over time this will obviously change and finding additional material will become harder so I think it is a good idea to start of a few collections now to give yourself a few 'streams' of interest.
Along the way, depending on how you source material you may come across additional items to collect especially if you start down the kiloware route.

"enough" is limited to the space availablity of the individual,
thence to the flexibility and understanding
of your partner/ wife / boyfriend / husband / ..

In cooler climes, space can be rescued from non essential
furniture like fridges and glass cabinets.
Guests rooms can be taken over, with the excuse they are being
redecorated.
High pitched roof spaces can be utilised, but hot climates
will damage the stamps.
I have addressed the problem by purchasing half an acre
and as need arises, I can move in more sea containers.

T.J
Stick to one topic for a while. Farming is a huge one. You can always add a different topic later on. Have you try to find a stamp club in your area. You never know what kind of collector you can meet and what stamps they can supply you at cheap price. But again farming is a very large topic. Eventually you will specialize within farming but that's part of the process of collecting. Happy stamping T.J.

Its a tough question and there's no right or wrong answer. I have found that sometimes I can put pressure on myself so that instead of a pleasure and a hobby, things begin to look like a chore. That's when I know I need to put sections of my collection away for a bit and focus on a manageable section for a while. But I have very limited resources in terms of time. I suggest you explore a few things you are interested in, and you will find natural boundaries will form, for all the reasons stated above- time/money/family committments. Above all, follow what interests you, and you can't go wrong!

thanks for the advice everyone. I really appreciate it.the closest club I have found is 50 miles away so, I dont know if i'll be able to go there much.so far this site is my favorite club

i have learned alot here and I am very grateful I found this site.

thanks again,
T.J.

Well, the question you have to ask yourself is how deep are your pockets or what comes up first when you are fishing for change in your pockets.....pennies or lint?

Donna

T.J., This is the wrong place to ask that question as we are all obsessive collectors. Too much is a lot more than we have, at least for now.

I never collected topically but at times different countries or
even just a set or two of this country or that. Whatever appealed
to me as long as it was affordable.

In the early sixties I liked Italy and Spain so I got a new issue subscription for a couple of years.
Then I liked United Nations for awhile. By the early seventies after I saw some of the Swedish engraved ones
I knew I wanted them and took out a subscription with Swedish Post for well over a decade.

By the late seventies I really started liking Denmark, followed by Norway.
In between I found GB and Monaco interesting.

And of course I've been collecting Canada all along plus Austria and Germany and
bought US stamps every time I went to the states.

I obviously had no plan what so ever and never thought of any sort
of completion but I was thrilled every time I acquired
new stamps and still enjoy them.

I still prefer the lint in my belly button.

I'm probably the wrong person to answer to this post but here goes.

When I took up collecting again about 9 or so years ago. I just wanted all the stamps I could get my hands on so I ordered large and small lots from ebay and started sorting by country. I've slowed down in buying (a little) and am now organizing each country One or two at a time. This is the part about collecting I like the most.

So I guess what I'm trying to say in my own unorganized whay is to do what makes you happy. You'll probably end up buying some lots to add to your collection. I find stamps cheeper when you buy this way. You can set asside the stamps you don't need for now and and go back to them later to see if there is anything else that you fancy.

Dianne

In my case, sometimes YEARS later

I just found a bag of stamps my grandfather put aside for later in late 60's early 70's... and now I'm getting to them...