I Found An Album At A Thrift Store..

Hello! I am not a stamp collector, but I love crafts and when I first picked this up I decided I would probably use the stamps and cool vintage prints for craft projects. Before I tore the packet open, I figured I should first find out if that would be a bad idea. I have read this forum and googled my brains out (I am usually really good at that) but to no avail. I have only found one link to an ebay listing with the album used and not looking so hot.

What I bought was a Harris Explorer World-Wide Postage Stamp Album. The package says there are 117 postage stamps included, an explorer album, 150 world flag stamps, 124 coats-of-arms stamps, stamp hinges, stamp magnifier and simplified beginners instructions. There is a stock number (STOCK NO. 116). I can see into the package and on the "world map" it says: "prepared and copyrighted 1973 By H.E. Harris & Co., INC., BOSTON, MASS."

It looks brand new and is unopened. On the front it says: "BIG $2.50 VALUE $1.98 SPECIAL."

Any info would be greatly appreciated!

It's what is referred to as a kids starter collection. H.E. Harris was a big Stamp dealer for many years and they were bought out a while back (Amos Publishing?) My local hobby store here still has a few of those type starter kits on their shelf today. Someone would purchase it more for a nostalgia item than anything else. The Stamps inside have no financial value.

Actually, H.E. Harris & Co., was bought out by Whitman Publishing (the coin folder people) and, in fact, they still sell a similar version of the beginner's Explorer album, although no longer is it $1.98 as it was in 1973, but is now $9.99 which, accounting for the fact that 40 years has now passed, is about in line with inflation:

https://www.whitman.com/Inventory/D...Explorer-Kit

Considering its antique age it would be good to keep it as it is unopened. It may be one of the last in this condition. Very neat to see. If you need stamps for crafts, which is also neat, eBay may be a good source or a local stamp show kids table.

Thanks guy for the info! Before I posted this, I knew it probably wasn't worth much from researching it myself. It is just hard to make a true judgement without something to compare it to that is exactly what you have and in the same condition. Now I just gotta figure out what I wanna do with it. I imagine I will find it in a closet somewhere 5 years from now and think, "oh...forgot about this!" I know EXACTLY were my mint collection of Saved By the Bell dolls and Captain Planet rings are, so for that I am slightly ashamed...I don't blame you for judging me...*sigh* talk about treasuring things for nostalgia purposes!

That is freaking Awesome! That is the same one I had as a kid and around the same time....1973.

What a great find! Do not open it. Please.

Note: thread was bumped... original poster has not logged back on in 4 years.
Don

What an awesome find.

I think that may have been my very first stamp album as a kid, circa 1977, give or take a year. If it wasn't this exact one, it was something pretty similar. At any rate, I no longer have it, I would have transferred any stamps to a Harris Traveler a few years later, which I do still have.