Dumpster Diving

Hi everyone. I am new to the forum and have been collecting stamps off and on since I was young. Mostly U.S. Nothing special, but have enjoyed the hobby. I also have been reading here about different ways one gets stamps for their collections. Some of the more fun times for me as a kid was going down our alley and finding a bunch of old envelopes that had been tossed when an elderly statesmen passed on. Lots of 2c Washingtons but they helped me to understand and identify the different types.

Later on I happened upon a dumpster behind a building near my home. A company in that building colleted monthly payments from people around the country as well as large envelope mail from some of their bigger offices. For me as a kid collector it was a treasure trove of newer and high value stamps. Occasionaly I would find a misplaced stack of uncanceled checks as well which I took back to their office. I figured out early that they did not mind me rummaging through their dumpester if I returned that mail. During that time I spent a good many hours soaking drying and sorting the stamps. Always having the new stamps to put in my collection.

So anyway now that I am a few years older I was wondering is their still places one can find stamps like I did when I was young? What happens to all the mail that the electric or gas company gets. How about when one sends in a product rebate? Do those stamps ever see the light of day again or do they just get recycled in the trash? It would be nice to find out. Thanks

Hi Hoover

Dumpster diving is alive and well and living [probably] all over the world.
It is certainly a good source of both Philatelic stuff and items for my Flea Markets. It is amazing what folk discard.
I am our village handyman,plumber,cleaner,gardener,removal buff and odd jobs freak. If a job needs doing they call me. Most days I am close to some goodies of some sort.
My find yesterday was a load of unused envelopes that save me loads.
I never buy envelopes.
I also found a stack of old Notary papers in one of our paper recycle bins with some lovely cancelled Israel revenues !
And that was a bad day.

Oh yes, dumpster diving is definitely alive and well.

Londonbus1....at least it's living here in the Middle East !

Oh yes,

Nothing wrong with it..dumpster diving that is...we are the scrappers/recyclers of the hobby !!

The terms that you use are curious.......

The stamps you seek are in exactly the same places you say you searched years ago.

There are still dumpsters, garbage collectors, etc. I'm not sure we're answering your question here!!

Isnt it illegal to search people's trash?
My uncle lives in California and he drives a garbage
truck, he mostly collects mall and big store trash, and
he tells us he is not allowed to look throught it?

I think I would feel akward and emberrased if someone saw me
going through their trash. ahah.

Yes, searching trash in some states is illegal but I don't believe it is a federal law applicable in all 50 states.

I too have gone dumpster diving since my youth. One can feel a bit awkward and embarrassed but that feeling goes away real fast once you see all the neat stuff you get for free. I've gotten everything from stamps to bicycles to antique baby cribs, all in good usable condition.

i was under the impresssion that once a person discaded items for trash pickup it was up for grabs..perhaps thats only the New York way !!

Good question. But it seems that dumpster diving is disappearing from the US scene. (it is quite common here in Guatemala though)

So many companies in the US are afraid of being sued that they now deny permission to sort trash even when you ask.

When visiting Otttawamike a few years ago I noticed on trash pickup day a fellow came around with a truck and he loaded up with all kinds of things before the garbage guys arrived...reminded me of Sandford and son on t.v. if some of us are old enough to remember the show !!

Dumpster diving is a hobby in itself. It gets harder though if you are looking for stamps as much of the paper trash is being shredded by companies and individuals. It all depends on what you are looking for though. You can't exactly shred chairs, couches, or lamps and stuff. I used to live in a college community. When the students went home for the summer, back alleys were a wonderful free store....lol

Donna

i have to laugh at the roll off dumpster ad above this post...we used to love flea markets..but after 43 years at this address someone is going to have to get some dumpsters here one day !!

I know some of the stamps from mass mailings to businesses is sold to make grab bags, kiloware as well as donated to charity. National Geographic donates stamps from subscriber payments to Goodwill which is then sold to collectors at events like their annual book sale in Washington D.C.
Sometimes you just have to have the right connection or just ask. I have stamps saved for me from the U.S. Senate since my step-father works in their mailing department. When I worked at the National Zoo, I would get stamps from the envelopes of donations to FONZ (Friends of the National Zoo). If you know anyone who works at the college of admissions they get all sorts of good stamps. Dumpster diving was quite alive when I was living in Kentucky - people would drive trucks up to the dumpsters to load up. I also saw it happen quite a bit when I lived in Albany. I usually put "nicer" things beside the dumpster to save the diver some work.

I wasn't necessarily looking to relive my youth at the same spot. But I was just wondering if one does do diving for stamps. Where might be a good place to start. I just don't want to dig through coffee grounds to get one forever stamp. When I found that one magical dumpster 35 years ago there were many hundreds of good used envelopes with stamps deposited in it daily. The stamps I found were good percent definitives but also had a few commemoratives. Sometimes I was surprised by an older stamp as well.

What I was thinking about was that if some bulk mail handling outlet might be getting rid of envelopes w/stamps by just tossing them what would be the chances of sidling up to their dumpster and taking a peek.

The only other times I have been able to get any stamps off of used business mail was basically from talking people who I worked with and they saved whatever stamps came in.

Battlestamp,
That was very considerate of you. I bet others were just as thankful. I know I would have been...lol

Donna

The only problem with 35 years ago and now, is that fewer people use stamps. A lot of bills are paid online and many who do send in a payment in use meters or Forever stamps. The chances of finding a decent modern commemorative stamp has decreased considerably. Finding Priority or Express mail stamps are even trickier. Now, to say it's impossible to find something is not correct, but the odds are just worst. If you want to find a bulk lot of covers you might want to check local auctions in case someone is clearing out an old house. Search on "letters" on sites like auctionzip.com for your area.

I would agree that most people are electronically sending all over. Seems like its going to be a never ending cycle between USPS raising rates and people going electronic. I personally send out bills and stuff the old fashioned way and also try to use commemorative stamps. Im just worried that my efforts are not amounting to much if the places are just shredding the stuff after they are done. My brother hits a lot of auctions and sometimes comes up with a score of sheets of mint stamps at 20 cents on the dollar. Still valid postage but costs a lot less to send.