Where Stamp Collecting Is Still A Nerd Thing To Do.

I live in Orange County, California and I don't know one other stamp collector. Once an old boss of mine admitted he collected and had some very nice Zepplins in a safe deposit box (seemed a shame to hide them). That's when I realized there may be many collectors nearby, but no one will admit it.

I started collecting to earn a cub scout badge. I bought an Ambassador album and the bright orange bag of world-wide stamps. My goal was to have a stamp on every page in my book, it didn't matter what it was or how it looked. I never did get the Zululand page.

Twenty years later I moved to New Guinea and started collecting their stamps. Oddly, I can find more New Guinea stamps in the USA than I could in New Guinea! That collection is near complete and I moved to North Borneo (at least in my stamp album) and that collection is also near complete. I bought a German Colonies Scott Album and have started filling it in.

But after all these years, I still like buying mixed boxes of worthless stamps and sticking them in my old Ambassador album with hinges. I just enjoy the organizing and sorting.

I've created a database program for my North Borneo stamps that reports on how many I own, what I have left, how much I've paid and how much more I'll have to pay. It's a great way to watch your collection grow and become complete. It also cross references Stanley Gibbons so I can shop ebay easily.

Joe, a big . Interesting to read your story - you are also welcome to share any of your work with us.

I think stamp collecting is a nerd thing more or less anywhere, at least among folks below age 50. My wife keeps harassing me for it, I don't mind.

You've got a club near you, why don't you join them?
http://ocphilatelicsociety.org/index.html
Their site also lists local and regional shows which would connect you to other collectors.