What Did You Do Philatelically: Today Or Recently?

Received & reviewed the last 2026 USPS issues & the 2026 Annual Yearbook. Cataloged both & placed the issues into mounts & album. (Going to mount the Annual later this weekend.)

I think this is the last year for the collecting of issues and corresponding FDCs. It is really getting too expensive, given the # of issues and the present $ .82 FC rates, which undoubtedly rise in 2027. (I really am amazed at WW collectors given all the issues/country). I may purchase some unique FDCs during the year & then the Annual Yearbook in October, but I've been collecting since 1961 & I think it's time to wind it down.

That doesn't mean I'm stopping completely as I do plan on filling holes in the waning years, but it is getting $$s, too much on a fixed income, (over $3K each of the past 5-years). So now I will go back, review the albums, maybe rearrange the excess stock into a more sensible inventory stash.

I'll continue to look into the SCF for advice, hints or curiosities & keep up with my publications. This is a great resource of information. I've enjoyed the discourse over the years, learned a bunch.

I don't collect any US past 2006. I get it! The $$ issue with new US is unreasonable. Personally I think they shot themselves in the foot when they went with forever stamps. Older forever stamps have doubled in postage value and to anyone looking to get holes from those years filled.

On the topic for me, today was our monthly club meeting which consisted of a silent auction. Lots of club inventory went. Some unpicked WW boxes from a recent large donation. Members brought in items they auctioned off. Good times. Some back n forth on a couple things.
Was offered a MH set of Zepplins, that I may have to save up for. That would complete my US Airmails.
My US regular is full Mint from Scott 600 through 3495. Holes from there through 2006 and backwards from 599.

Have been working the last few days on sorting my British Commonwealth stamps and mounting them in Vario pages. Total is around 800 stamps mint and used, covering around 70 colonies/stamp issuing agencies - just a fledgling collection. Canada, Australia, and New Zealand were not included in this exercise as they already have their own binders. I broke out any 1935, 1937, 1946, and 1953 omnibus issues into separate pages and phased out stamps at either the independence date or mid-to-late 1960's. I used Stampworld as my guide as I do not have a catalog covering British Commonwealth and did sort based on any watermark and perforation differences noted. Also found that in the mix I had stamps for 9 entries in my 1 stamp from every country album that were not filled. That brought my total there to 61.49%, 420 countries and out 683 (using the Smithsonian pages printed thru Antartica). Next will be French colonies, though additional Vario pages may need to be purchased.