Top Ten Beginner Mistakes

Another post gave me the idea for this one - the top ten mistakes made by beginning stamp collectors. BTW, most, if not all, of the old timers have done five or more of these things. They may not admit it, but they (me included) have!

Please feel free to add mistakes "you've heard about."

10. Putting that sheet of 50 state flags issues in a old fashioned stock sheet backwards. Yep - over time the humidity will paste them really solid!
9. Bidding on "only two more items because I won't win them all anyway!" I had a tough time paying for those!
8. Failing to use a nice (but inexpensive) set of tongs on a MNH stamp. It's amazing what strawberry jam will do to a stamp!
7. Thinking there's "no real difference between Perf 12 and Perf 14. Maybe only $20 or $20,000!
6. Trusting that online or print ad/auction without a picture when they say F-VF. Believe me - it's usually F if you're lucky!
5. Selling a 'lot' of stamps without going through them to look for varieties and rare items. This one is hard to do when you're trying to get rid of 10,000 items!
4. Bidding on a lot without checking because you "don't think you have it." I guess I've given away or resold a lot of these!
3. Failing to learn about the 'mechanics' of stamp collecting by reading Scott's Stamp Monthly, Linn's or a book. This is the only one I haven't done!
2. Failing to insure an expensive ($50+) set of MNH plate blocks to save $1.35. Ouch!

And the number one mistake beginning collectors make is . . . .

1. Not sharing stamp collecting and this site with your friends and family members! Unforgivable!

I forgot one.

5.a. Forgetting to bring in the UPS delivery of album pages and supplies for two days during the rainy season. Another Ouch!

you have got alot of free time on your hands!



Jason BD

#11......watermarks ??? we don't need to check no stinkin' watermarks !

#12......magnifying glass ?? I can see just fine........ya right!

Here it is Jeffrey!

Here's another
6a. Trusting the seller on disappointmentbay
when you buy that lot of 1,700 US stamps.
They say "very few duplicates"--yeah, right!
Then when you politely complain, they offer to
send you more stamps to make up for all the
duplicates--and if you do that ,then you
would end up with even more "duplicates"

That's a great list laswabbie. The advice from all the rest of you is very good. I too have been bit by ebay, never going there again.

I have never read a scotts monthly.. but I'm not a SERIOUS stmap collector

Here is another one:
Placing the large side of the hinge on the stamp not on the album page. Lightly hinged which is so important to collectors for investment not fun.

How about storing them in a spot that is not too hot or humid.

"I'll just rub a little more gum off this stamp
in the soak water.....Ooops, no one will notice that tiny hole"

I can get two stamps in this piece of crystal mounts if I put the stamp in and cut it just -------

When look back on one of these old threads I see the ID's of many people who used to be big contributors here...i wonder what the average life expectancy is Six Months ????

Agreed,
I used to log on just to read LaSwabbies chucklers,
it was a great pick me up on a slow morning.
I guess people have irritating things like jobs
and responsibilities.

Laswabbie is saving up for a big trip so I guess he will not be around for a while.
I know he wishes us well.
Even his Israel collection is on hold !

Londonbus1

Thanks Lb,
tell him to hurry back, the troops need entertaining.