The Internet And Stamp Collecting

I started collecting stamps at age 9..but it was a lonely struggle..all I had were approval companies and you do not get too sophisticated buying from them...then in my early 30's I met a fellow collector at work..he got me to join the American Philatelic Society and told me of a stamp club somewhere in Kingston New York that I had to find...still collecting and knowledge were hit and miss...around the time the IBM plant closed in Kingston and I had time on my hands I started to attend the shows in New York..a 20 dollar train ride at the time...that gave my collecting a boost. Then came the ebay craze..i was introduced to literally thousands of other collectors..i have been studying and reading about stamps for 60 years...i still have only scratched the surface..but some learn faster than others !!

I know exactly how you felt back then. The only place to buy stamps around here is the post office and I can't even buy hinges. I have to order them and any other collecting supplies from companies in Quebec or Ontario.

The internet was my only source of information. And then I discovered ebay. It became my best friend in stamp collecting. They make it so easy now a days with paypal and all.

Until I joined this forum I felt like I was alone in my quest for knowledge. Now I think I feel confident enough to join the local Stamp collecting club. As a matter of fact I think I'll check that out today.


I'll mention this forum to them maybee we'll get some new members.

Dianne

I know that feeling,too! I was strugglling over on the Coin Forum--new at coin collcting but wanting to limit my area due to the cost of the coins. I still am collecting my Lincoln wheaties and cents to fill albums for the grandkids.
Then I saw the stamp forum and remembered I had that stash from when I was a kid plus all those "cute" stamps I would remove from envelopes and cards that folks sent. I know now that I don't have to be an expert in the field--I can collect used stamps til my hearts content--of course with buying on ebay ,I will need to know some basics and eventually get catalogues to help guide me so that I don't pay too much for a stamp. But it is much more reasonable than the coins for my pocket book.

Gussyboy1

Funny. I would have thought the internet age would have killed stamp collecting. Sure it's easier to gather information, but it seems like e-mail is killing postage. It's funny, I've worked with computers my entire career (12+ years), yet I love the charm of a mailed letter, or reading a good book. Something about the smells and feel of the paper.

Though in some ways I love the internet I still prefer communicating the good old fasion way. I still send letters, christmas cards and pay all my bills through the mail.

Dianne

Diane my wife pays 95 percent of our bills electronicly !!

Kibosh, ebay literally brought the stampcollectors out of the woodwork...it gave them a common meeting place..i am fortunate that I have a stampclub that meets twice a month..but many are solitary collectors and the internet gave them a marketplace ...

That's great that the internet had such a positive effect on the hobby. I would just thing the modern world would be killing it to a degree. Especially the last 10 years, it seems no one mails letteres, cards, etc. anymore. It's all digital. And it seems like the quality of stamps has gone down the last 10-15 years. The old ones I'm finding in my collection almost have a cloth-like quality to them until the high gloss stamps of today.

Is there much collectibility to today's stamps?

Hello Kibosh......

Modern stamps are just as collectable as any others. I'm sure you've noticed that very few are used on regular mail and that there are mint ones available just about anywhere. Collectors in the future will be hard pressed to find and afford many used issues from this time period. I think it's strange that it's easier to find dozens of stamps that are 100 years old or more than it is to find all that were issued last year. Anyone that has used modern stamps complete for any year has something very few collectors have. And that, to me is a collection worth having.

Nr-Notrare...i try to save the current commemoratives on the envelope if I can..i also soak some..they will be great trading material !!

Modern stamps are just as collectable as any others. I'm sure you've noticed that very few are used on regular mail and that there are mint ones available just about anywhere. Collectors in the future will be hard pressed to find and afford many used issues from this time period. I think it's strange that it's easier to find dozens of stamps that are 100 years old or more than it is to find all that were issued last year. Anyone that has used modern stamps complete for any year has something very few collectors have. And that, to me is a collection worth having.

Notrare is absolutely right. If you look at the value of used German stamps VF copies of issues from the 1950's are listed in Scott at under 50 cents and quite often at the minimum 20 cents. Used issues from 2000 and on are listed at anywhere from a dollar to $3.25. It's very curious!

Hi Greg....

Thanks....I've been sure I'm not the only one that felt that way, but all you really hear about are the folks complaining that the USPO is triggering the downfall of the hobby. I think it's just evolving, reacting to modern changes that are necessary to keep the PO from floundering because of the use of on-line messaging & bill paying. It makes the stamps that do get used worth even more simply because there are fewer of them. Any in great condition will command a premium just like older items.

Phil.....I also save everything possible, not just comms, as whole covers, but there are always some in poor condition that aren't worth saving that have decent stamps. I like having a nice set of used stamps along with a nice set on cover properly used in the correct time period. It doubles my thrill of the hunt and the satisfaction I feel having a collection somewhat different than other. Most used collections basically look alike but most covers are quite different. When you blend the two, collections develop into individuals.

Tom, thats true no doubt...i have a friend who has fantastic Germany and German states collections...but he does not understand covers..to drive me crazy he will tell me of ripping a desirable stamp off a cover for his collection..theres nothing to be done with him..myself..i see the story that the cover tells !!

I'd be reluctant to critize anyone's collecting habits, but I agree that removing a stamp from a cover - especially on older material - must degrade it's value. I mostly collect used off cover, but I can't ever remember removing a stamp from it's cover unless the cover was entirely useless.