Complete Collections

what is considered a complete collection?

I suppose complete is in the eye of the beholder. If you are using a catalog, such as Scotts, then one stamp of each number might be considered complete. It is probably unreasonable to try to complete a stamp collection. There is always "one more".

With the number of stamps issued now, completeness is probably impossible--unless you have very deep pockets. You might select a particular issue and go for that, or collect topically--stamps with a theme, such as cats, roses, skyscrapers, etc.

Oh, and by the way, I saw your collection in the photos in another thread---very nice.

Thank you my grandfather put alot of time and money into this hugh collection .I remember all those times I saw him working so hard on his stamps I wish id have paid more attention

If, by complete, you mean 100% of the stamps from a country or in a topic, then it is almost impossible to have a complete collection. Some issues are just impossible to buy as they are locked up in the queen's collection or others like it.

However, if you're collecting U.S. only from 1930 to 1980 then yes, its relatively easy to form a complete collection.

Tina....

You could have complete sets, years, decades, possibly a even a century but except for a number of the so-called "dead countries" there are extremely few collectors that claim that they have or are trying to collect a "complete" collection.

Most of us just keep finding things we'd like to have and we're all confined/controlled by our budgets.

Besides....complete implies there's nothing else.......I don't ever want to feel that there's nothing left to hunt for.

i have no clue what I have I can tell you that befor I took the usa book apart so I could do it my way and it seems to me that as they are in the mystic catalog in the same order is how they were in the album. does that mean anything ,in another album seems to go from oldest to newest

The Mystic catalog of US stamps lists the stamps in order of Scott number. Scott is a catalogue which most collectors consider the one to have. Many albums arrange the stamps from oldest to newest, so the order of the stamps in the album would correspond to the Scott order.

If you are looking to buy stamps, you should look at a variety of sources. I hesitate to criticize any company, but you will find that Mystic's prices are on the high side. On a positive note, Mystic gives you exactly what you order and their quality is usually quite good. And their service is fast.

Thanks for the info I had ordered one of there catalogs so I could get an approx value on just a small portion of what I have just the usa ones I have alot of other countries

Hi Tina,

Do you mean that you ordered the "Free" Mystic catalog? I used to get them every few years to use as a checklist. Be advised that they will send you some stamps on approval, meaning they will send you some stamps with the catalog. If you don't want the stamps you have to send the stamps back. If you do not send the stamps back, they will charge/bill you for them. I'd get the catalog, then send the stamps back and put "Cancel" on the paperwork I sent back to them. But, now Mystic has an online catalog. (www.mysticstamp.com) It is very easy to use and very helpful to find the scott #s for your USA stamps.

Regards,

Dave N.
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Tina, you have to watch Mystics sell prices..when you get 50 posts..keep going you are doing good..you will be able to get stamps from folks here at quite a bit less than what catalogs state !!

A complete collection can be whatever you define it to be, no?
For example, all the U.S. Express Mail stamps issued in 1988.
There was one, Scott 2394, so if you had it and that's what
you called it, it would be a complete collection!

Here come the approvals. Get ready Tina.

what approvals are you talking about im a lost person on this stamp collecting thing give me some time

Hi Tina, you are doing good on the posts towards 50...approvals are stamps that the mail order stamp companies send you to look at and hopefully buy...the pain is that you have to send them back if you do not buy them...do not feel that you have to buy ANYTHING that they send you if you do not want the item !

rohumpy yea mystic sent me those stamps your refering to and I did what you said I just wanted the catalog I ordered it way back when I first opened my stamp collection to see what grandpa had left me and have been hooked on learning ever since but thanks for the heads up

thanks phil I never do anything I dont want to the stamps they did send I already had so I sent them back not interested in there stamps just yet want to figure out what I have already of my own and that could take me years lol and that im not joking about lots to go thru