Stamp Collecting Changes Over The Years

I went off topic in another thread, so I'll try to recreate it here. I'm sure many of you have discussed this to death, but I'm a relative newbie. I half seriously suggested that the USPS should turn back the clock to make stamp collecting more interesting. Well, only for some of us. Not sure how to quote in a new thread, but wt1 said:

"Remember, that back in the late 1800s and early 1900s the so-called "varieties" many of us search for were never considered "varieties" back in the day. In fact, some of the stamps from that era would never be considered varieties today. Remember, that the policies and procedures of the Scott Catalog listing changes dramatically through the years creating the varieties we cherish today. It took decades to identify them, which is part of the reason why some varieties became so valuable -- they were only identified long after the stamps went off-sale."

I agree 100 percent. My original thought was that with progress comes change, and in the first half of the 20th century progress changed stamp collecting. Over the years it's also become highly organized. Today the USPS would never intentionally make changes to a stamps design like they did in the good old days. Modern technology pushed varieties more toward tags, color omissions, imperf pairs or perf mistakes. First day covers, along with dealers and collectors creating their own first day covers, eliminated the uncertainty of "first known usage". This and many other things changed how we collect stamps, but has it discouraged new collectors? Or is it stagnant values from the 30s on? No stamps in the mail?

For the long time collectors, what got you interested in stamp collecting? Is there a way that we can recreate that for a new generation of stamp collectors? Would turning back the clock by intentionally creating error stamps like the new Jenny, "rare" stamps with tiny changes, or limited "pre" first day covers stir public interest and bring more collectors into the fold? Or would it drive away more collectors than it would gain?

I apologize this is so long and sometimes rambling. I'd like to know what others think.

when I picked up stamp collecting at the age of somewhere before ten years old, there was no television to speak of. There were no video games,
or any of the other "conveniences" that young people seem to enjoy nowadays.
I had an old, semi retired neighbor who also collected stamps since his childhood. He is the one that got me started. But I think that I was very serious about it already, before I saw his collections. Somehow I do not think we can re-create those simpler times.
I do not believe that printing errors, or for that matter $2.00 replicas of errors is going to stimulate much in today's children.

Peter

I was introduced to stamp collecting by Elroy Jefferson. Let's see if people can figure that one out.

As I child, I really loved to read. Still do, of course. But that's all I'll say about Elroy Jefferson for now. I think I got my start from stamp approval ads in magazines like "Boys Life".

When I was in the third grade. My teacher talked a few minuets about stamp collecting and then said if anyone thought they would like to collect stamps. She would go onto the hobby a little deeper after school. So after school she talked about stamp collecting as a hobby showed some of her collection and then offered anyone that thought they would like to try it a stamp book and a package of World Wide Stamps on a Glassine envelope. I think the book probably was furnished by a Big Time Stamp Company and probably the stamps too. The book probably had 50 pages in it with pictures and the package probably had 50 stamps in it. I took an album and a package of stamps and got hooked to the Hobby. Life got in the way at about 18 years old and a friend that collects stamps,and my wife, rekindled the Hobby on my 65th Birthday August 2010. My wife bought me at her recommendation the American Heirloom collection from Mystic Stamp Co. I collect U.S. only and I have very few stamps prior to Scott# 550....Oh That teacher ran a stamp club for kids one night a week after school for several years before retiring. Those I attended faithfully.

Hi

My aunt started me. She was the bookkeeper for a millinery goods supplier and had stamps from all over Europe. She took me to Minkus at Gimbel's department store and bought me a Minkus Worldwide album and a Israel number 9, which at that time was cheap compared to today. She then gave me a shopping bag or two of stamps on paper.

In school I belonged to a stamp club (grammar and junior high). In my hometown there was a stamp dealer that had kids from the school club come to his house on Saturdays. He taught us how to soak stamps, hinge stamps and how to use the Scott catalog to identify stamps. After the little "class" there would be a "buy" session where we could purchase stamps for a penny or two. The dealer helped me to soak and sort the shopping bag stamps.

I do not know of any dealer today that would do that. Not everybody continued collecting stamps but quite a few did because of the kindness of that dealer.

I have been collecting ever since. Went from Worldwide to US to France and now mainly Colombia. Good grief. I just realized that I have been collecting for 60 years!!

Jerry B

Systems to deliver information to people have existed for over a thousand years and will continue to survive as we move forward in time. Postal systems were an advancement over messengers and fulfilled the need to send documents and written correspondence to one and another. Over time many technologies were embraced by postal systems to facilitate quicker, more accurate delivery of information. This included stamps (a solution to an accounting problem), 'horseless carriages', airmail, sorting technologies, etc.

Interestingly postal systems were not particularly impacted by technologies such as radio, movies, and television. While these technologies certainly had the ability to deliver information faster we still had a need to send documents and written correspondence to one and another on a personal level. The advent of telephone did have an impact but only to first class mail, postal systems made it up with large increases in commercial mail volume.

When the fax machine was invented it became the harbinger of things to come; suddenly it was possible to exchange 'hard copies' of documents and written correspondence. Businesses quickly embraced this solution and lines began forming at fax machines around the world. But this was not on a personal level, few people installed fax machines in their homes. But then the internet came along and has completed this paradigm shift. Its impact on our hobby, and postal systems, has been obvious; some might even say painful.

But we are not alone; this information paradigm shift is rocking our lives and hobbies in many other ways. As more people move to electronic payment methods the use of currency and coins will continue to decline. While some of us will always embrace going to the five and dime, buying a pack of baseball cards, and chomping on the stale gum the truth is that this is not a very good way to get the latest info or stats on your favorite ball player. And while I have a library full of books that I dearly love, I own a tablet that can do far more than just read a book (draw with a stylus, handwriting recognition, draft in Autocad, run Office apps, read and post on this forum, develop software, access the latest news, read blogs, etc.). Consider the sweeping changes to 'dealers' in our hobby. Back in the 1960s and 1970s we would sit on 'extra' stamps and covers for months at a time, only occasionally exchanging/selling them at a local bourse or club meeting. Now virtually all of us are 'dealers' and buy/sell online.

In my opinion our hobby will survive but faces some unique challenges. One of the biggest is our hobby's close historical relationship to 'information = money' concept; those who know the most are those who are most likely to profit. Obviously this flies in the face of the internet supplying quick and free access to mountains of information; this forum is a great example. We lament the loss of the local brick and mortar stamp store using one of the very reasons they have died off; it is far faster, easier, cheaper, and more convenient to post questions in here than to turn to a dealer for support.

If we want to capture the hearts and minds of new generations of philatelists we will have to figure out how to transition our hobby to a world where a large percentage the of information is freely and instantly available.
don

My father was a collector. The year I was born, he tried to get my brother interested in collecting, and he loved it and still does. By the time I was three I was looking over his shoulder. So by the time I was reading about Elroy Jefferson and Hurd Applegate I had already been collecting for several years.

Well written Don. Well written.

Yes Don, that was very eloquent. If you don't write for a living, you should.

It's also enjoyable to hear how you all got your start. I have a 4 year old girl and she loves to help me with my stamps. I found a "Postman Pat" album from a UK seller with 200 stamps and hinges, so now she collects with me. But she wants to do it just like her daddy, so hinges weren't good enough. I had to scrounge up some old mounts. Now instead of reward stickers, she wants cartoon stamps. Time will tell if we've got a future collector on our hands.

Hi Don

Beautifully written.

I do not know if you are an APS member or not but it would be nice to send a copy to the APS journal editor:

APS
100 Match Factory Place
Bellefonte, PA 16823
Attention: Bonnie Farmer

There is a campaign to find ways to recruit new members. If you are not a member you can send the article and use me as a reference:

Jerrold Bodoff
APS 124477

Tom Swift

This the guy?

Terry

That's the guy. Well, the fictional representation of the guy. First time I had ever heard about stamp collecting was reading Hardy Boys.

I think that the stamp community needs to be more friendly towards others. I have meet some great people that are involved in stamps. But way too many know it all types. That because they spent 5 hours a week for 10 years they know everything about stamps. When I speak to people that do the certs for me. For NH 1-65 they are humble and great. Too many grumpy old men at the stamp meets are what I find to be killing the industry. I am 35 and almost 30 years younger in a stamp club of 200 people. Who is going to buy their collection if they act like this. I donated about $300 of face 1950-1990 stamps to kids camp and used it to mail letters. They collected them by Topical. Planes were popular with boys and Butterflies with the girls. I wish more people did this. I have applied to volunteer at Oxfam to collect used stamps for charity. I find about 50+% of the population think that modern used stamps are just garbage. And that the older ones are very valuable. When in fact I have sold many stamps pre 1930 for less then a good used block today. Anyhow time to give away some of your extra plate blocks. Because that kid might buy your collection. And if there are fewer collector then pre 1900 will be used as postage.

Joe