New Member To Site

I recently found this site, after having dusted off the cobwebs from my collection and gotten back to it after a lengthy absence.

I started collecting at 13 (I'm 48 now). One of my cousins gave me a shoebox full of worldwide stamps when I was very young, which I found tucked away in a closet several years later.

Dad got me started with a Minkus kit (the "My First Stamp Album" outfit) from the Hudson's department store in downtown Detroit when he went there on a business trip. I got to go on my first trip to a stamp department a few months later when we went downtown to Philadelphia to Gimbel's. I still have the New World Wide album I got that day, though I upgraded to a Comprehensive a couple of years after that, which is my main worldwide album now.

I also have a mint United States collection, in an All American album. My main U.S. interests are Bicentennial and earlier. My absolute favorite stamps are the 1901 Pan American issues in particular, and Victorian to WWI era in general (both U.S and worldwide). I doubt I'll ever complete the Pan American set, at least not for a long time, but I acquired real nice lightly cancelled versions of 294 and 295 when I was a teenager that I still have.

Just as a side question -- has anyone here ever purchased approvals from George Whitaker in Wilmington, DE? I started getting them from him in 1974, and have kept the service active since. I kept making selections even in times when I was not actively working in my albums -- I just accumulated them for future addition to the album.

I hope that I can make a positive contribution here.

Regards,

Chris

Welcome to the stamp community, Chris!



It's great to have you here. There are a few Pan Am covers in this thread:

Got any Pan American Expo covers or Pan Am Stamps on Cover?

Welcome to the site.

Enjoy

Happy Collecting!

Chris

Happy Stamping

Welcome Chris:

Sounds like you've been a successful collector for a long time. I tried to collect as a kid, but gave up and came back to the hobby as an adult.

You'll find friendly folks here of all skill levels. So I'm sure you'll learn a lot and be able to contribute to others.

KirkS

Gimbel's Now there is a department store that only us in their 40's or older would remember.

Chris I am not familiar with the Gentleman you mentioned but my wife and I used to go down to Dutch Country Auctions in Wilmington back in the day when you could bring home a car load of boxlots for $400..the dealers from Baltimore and Philly wont let me do that anymore since they show up with a lot more pocket money than I can !

Hi Chris,

Welcome to the SCF.

Steve

Welcome, Chris!

I also got back into collecting recently after a long hiatus. I've been having a lot of fun rediscovering the hobby.

Thanks everyone!

I have a lot of catching up and learning to do, and it looks as though I found the right place to do so...

Welcome to the forum Chris