What Do The Serious Collectors Buy/Collect ?

We often discuss the future of stamp collecting..and I wonder how much of a future is there for collecting post 1950 stamps ???? With the exception of Canada postally used I do not really try to keep up date with modern issues ! Lets get the thread going !

1950 is just about my cut-off year. I just can't take modern stamps seriously. Too pretty by half.

Like many, I have no interest in the modern stamps, at all. In my opinion, they are better described as labels than stamps though they do serve the same purpose. Consequently, I stopped collecting any new issues on 1/1/2000, the start of the new millennium. Specifically, the last new issue I collected was the 2000 Baby New year I have focused my attention and resources into those stamps that I skipped due to cost and have filled many holes in addition to upgrading any space fillers and inexpensive used stamps.

I have started other collecting interest such as U.S. Exposition tickets starting with the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia ending with the 1939 in Los Angles.

Art

Modern stamps?

Liberia issued 771 stamps in 2000. This flood comprised 677 stamps and 94 souvenir sheets. Gambia tried really hard as well with 632 stamps and miniature sheets.

According to the World Association for the Development of Philately (WADP), the following numbers of stamps were released worldwide by its members for the respective year:

6311 in 2007
5861 in 2008
5753 in 2009

Things picked up a bit better in 2010 when a paltry 4694 stamps were issued. An encouraging trend downwards you could conclude.

But, please note that these figures do not include miniature sheets, imperforate sheets, booklets, and every other permutation of postage stamp you could contemplate. Also, not every stamp issuing body is a member of WADP

The WADP's Philately development plan for the 2009–2012 cycle states




NOTE: I used to collect Canada, Australia, Great Britain and Ireland new issues until I ran out of steam. Today I generally collect British Commonwealth up until 1970.

I only collect pre 1940 - Australia & US.

Balf

I do collect US modern issues. Eventually, some of the stamps of the past 60 years will be considered hard to find. Especially, used on cover with proper usage and timeframe. I started collecting in the mid 1980's and recall many stamps of that era that remind me of the spark of interest that got me collecting to begin with. I don't collect for investment, but I do consider myself a serious collector regardless of budget size. That is the beauty of stamp collecting- so many countries, time frames, topics, and areas available to pursue. No single collection is exactly alike.

World wide classic pre- 1940
US pre-1964 with a few exceptions later.

Jim

I collect US postage:
Pre-1930 in whatever condition I can get them in my budget.
Post-1930 I won't even consider used.
I like FDCs, first flights, ect... and collect them.
I collect cover voraciously. Of course the new stuff I get for nothing.
Cover from the 1800s I will spend money on.
BOB stuff, I collect anything US in whatever condition fits my budget.
I even have tax stamps, state revenues, federal and state ducks/trouts.
Also have bear tags, car tax tabs, and WW2 ration stamps.

Things I have by accident, but don't care for and won't buy...
World postage
Used modern
Perfins and perfin specific albums
Coil plate stamps/albums.

Things I have by accident, intend to keep, but won't buy:
Plate block stamps and albums.

My albums end around 2004 or so.
My modern pages are full from 1930 to roughly 2000.
After 2000, pages are spotty, and I don't spend any energy adding to them.
New stuff I get from family as gifts or I swipe from the wife's postage stash.

So, summary: Anything US from 1847 to WW2 is my favorite 'zone'.

Wait... they still issue stamps? j/k

While Civil War-era U.S. revenue stamps are my primary focus, I also have collections of France (up through about 1980), Germany (through 1945), Austria (through the early 1970s), Hungary (through 1950 or so), and Persia/Iran (through 1980).

The only interest I have in modern material is that I've occasionally toyed with doing a topical collection of coins on stamps, but I've never started...

History and beauty. These are my interests. My collecting habits revolve around these.

My "cut off date" is 1979. I have absolutely NO interest in being raped by the USPS anymore. JMO

I collect Mint and used U.S. and I have to say that when stamps went to self adhesive, I lost interest. Stamps after that do not have the same quality as the older ones do. The artwork just isn't the same. Even the postmarks have gone down hill. My albums are pretty much full in both mint and used from 1930-2000 but after 2000 it is hit and miss. Pre-1930 my used album is pretty full and the mint is a little more empty.

Depending on the country, I'll only go up to the 90's. Like sharksfan said, when they went to the adhesive style stamp, that pretty much lost me on the modern items. They are just to hard to deal with keeping mint plus I like my stamps free from paper.

Chris_J,



Would love to see what you collect, how about filling out your bio with a little more info? Glad to have you and hope to see you post often. One thing about this forum,

I'll get some pics up soon. Sad thing is, most of my collection isnt in albums yet, but I'll show of some of the goodies if I can get some good shots of them since I dont have a scanner.

Define "serious collector"? Is it the one that spent a boatload of money on his/her collection? Or the ones that spend 90% of their waking time searching and organizing? Or the one that look at the collection mostly from the standpoint of Return-on-investment?