Most Challenging US Area To Collect?

What area of US Stamp Collecting do you believe is the most challenging to collect?

Define challenging. Seriously collecting Classics and Washington-Franklin's require deep pockets, but most of the material is readily found. Depending on the exact area, deep back of the book can sometimes require somewhat less money but the material is much harder to come by. Knowledge is need for all areas, of course.

Hard to choose one and I think revcollector covered most of the bases but if I had to guess I might be inclined to say modern issues only because there is just so darn much of it.

My vote is for the modern issues. There is just so much of it, and so many different varieties are deliberately fabricated that it makes it difficult to pick and choose. In addition, there are so many copies produced, that it also makes it inconceivable to ever get your money back (if that was your goal). It is also getting more and more difficult to find postally used examples since everyone is using Forever Stamps, or just bypassing the US Post Office altogether.

I'm sticking with pre-1970's.

I voted classics over Washington/Franklin's. The deep pockets is a big issue because I'm poor, been married 29 years and I still haven't been in charge of the $$ yet.

I think that the vast majority of the Classics are easy enough to figure out. I'd choose the 1¢ Franklins and the 10¢ Washington 1855 - 1857.

I do collect precancels. While 99% of them are inexpensive the fun is in the chase especially when finding them from small post offices. In that respect I consider it very challenging.

Try to identify all of the 54 different known shades of the 3c Washington 1861-69, especially when you're red-green color blind! :)

Ray

And the classics don't have to be expensive. Thousands of #65 and 26 can be purchased less than $1.00 each. You can try to ID the shades of #64/64a/64b/65/88/94, or the shades and plate #26.

I agree wholeheartedly with Stallzer that the 1c 1851-57 is one of the greatest challenges. #24 is not expensive, but can be plated, and you can make some great finds and bargains....

Hope this helps, Ray

I voted for the Washington Franklin's. I spent ten years collecting them and the hardest thing I ever did were the W-F coils. I came across more fake ones then real ones, However, I did get a good education in how to detect counterfeit perfs.

Washington-Franklin Coils, both perforated and imperforated are challenging since there are as many or more fakes as there are genuine examples in the market place.

W/F's. Sometimes I add a letter in the middle after I have spent hours with a magnifying glass, books, charts, etc. Hey I am not the only one. I have found a pretty good percentage of the W/F's I buy as misidentified. I think I can get through all the W/F's I currently have if I can live another 200 years.

uouo77, check out the perfs. on this E-Bay item: #261279627299

LOL, That is one fine example. Think I'll stay away from it, far away.