Confessions Of Stupdity ...

I seem to recall a thread here once where someone talked about classic mistakes they had made as a beginning collector.

I was just reading a question about HINGES and it reminded me of a bonehead decision I made, so I thought I'd start a new thread for goofs, blunders, etc.

MY CONFESSION:

Like many of you, I collected stamps as a kid, but for whatever reasons, I quit, put my album and everything in a box in the closet and forgot about it. Years later, I found the box and decided to give the hobby another chance. So, as a "new" collector, I cleaned out that box and threw away the junk -- like a couple of old dealer catalogs and pricelists from the mid 1960s.

I also threw out a two big packs of old hinges. I figured they were too old to use and I'd just buy new ones. Color me foolish. I wish I had them back.

KirkS

Don't feel bad Kirk..every time I do something stupid it costs me BIG $$$$$$$$$$ !

Stuff Happens!
And Happens to everyone!

Using tape when I was out of hinges.

Luckily, someone set me straight very early on about that.

sending alot of stamps to someone and getting the short end of the stick

peeled stamps off of envelopes instead of soaking

Thanks to everyone for sharing ... maybe someone will learn from our mistakes.

Here's another one from me -- putting a stamp in a mount, noticing it didn't quite lay flat, but assuming the mount would somehow magically stretch to the appropriate dimensions. It didn't, but the stamp wrinkled nicely

KirkS

When starting out collecting stamps as a kid, I stuck 2 Portiguse colon y stamps of Mozambique Company right to the page with their original gum ||

Chimo

Bujutsu

I'll recycle this one because it still makes me mad every time I thing about it.

I cut open the end of an envelope to remove the stamps and sliced the corner off one of the more expensive issues in the glassine. If I remember right, that was about a $10 mistake.

I think I already posted this before --

I was cutting the stamp off the envelope of a shipment I received. I forgot that I hadn't removed my purchase that was still inside. Well, that stamp may have cataloged for $100+, but...

I was cutting a stamp out an album page to soak it because it was stuck down. I forgot about the stamps still on the other side. I produced an interesting assortment of bisects.

Neither of the above happened while I was a beginner. I already had almost 3 decades of collecting "experience" under my belt at those times.


k

Oh Man, Iaswabbie's post had me chuckling,
yep, done exactly that, well, nearly exactly :)
I was cutting out pages from a cheap album to soak a page of stamps
and cut through some very nice overprints that were tucked in the spine.
I still recall that with lots of Grrrr.

I would like to post Mr. John Doe's error as well, he put his stamps
in one of those disgusting "magnetic photo albums". I was a novice
and thought the glue stripes on the back of the stamp were indications
of laid paper.

Last summer 36c+90% humidity and posted payment for an auction buy.By forgetfulness I left my postage album opened. Returned home 3hrs later to find the album open and 120 50c stamps stuck to the pages. It is just too easy to make big mistakes in this great hobby of ours.

Many years ago leaving an album next to an open window overnight. A moist breeze blew all night, and you can guess the rest.

when I started reading this thread I thought it will have a detailed account of how I became captain but no

oh well :)

there is always another time :)

My most recent, was, on spying what I thought to be an illegal souvenir sheet from Somalia, that had scantily dressed women on it, the label said
"Earl MacPherson", I thought the printers had misspelled Elle MacPherson.
Red faced department on that one.
(Sorry Earl!) Earl MacPherson=Illustrator.

That reminds me, of that famous error, the country escapes me,
I'm posting on behalf of the artist of the stamp
that he designed of that delightful flower, the "Water Lily"
then subsequently inscribed the stamp "Walter Lily"