Whats The Average Age Of The Stamp Collector

I would guess that the average APS member is older that the average collector. Two reasons why, 1) an newbie collector probably doesn't join the APS right away. So those who join have already been in the hobby for a longer time. And 2) twenty years ago, clubs and the APS were the only game in town for a serious collector. Internet (and forums like this) have changed that. So a newer (read younger) collector is less likely to see the need to join APS and or to remain a APS member.

In prior times, being an APS member had some cachet. It was a symbol of trust with a strong ethics platform. It has much less now given the diversity of people collecting without the need of an organized society.

I don't know maybe the reason the age is higher we generally have more hobby money when we get into our 50's. I know that is when my three true hobbies really started to go. Who knows.

They likely have more disposable income and free time.

69 here started at 13.

Welcome Grate
Don

82 and still adding to collectrion

I'm 47 and started when I was very, very young--somewhere between 5 and 8 I think...my mother got a notebook, glued interesting looking stamps she had steamed off envelopes (she obviously didn't know about soaking)in it for me to start, and that was the start (she also didn't know you weren't supposed to glue stamps in a notebook!) Later on, in my teens, I found out about soaking stamps off envelopes, and putting them in albums, and took that old notebook and tried to salvage the stamps out of it...come to think of it, I think I still have some of those! Because I am a horse fanatic, the ones I remember from that time were the US horse racing stamp from 1974, the legend of sleepy hollow stamp from the same year, and the 74 Christmas stamp from the same year with the horses and sleigh. Figuring those dates were all 1974, and she got the stamps from the mail, I would guess I was closer to 5 years old when she started that book for me.

This is a very interesting thread and quite frankly the ages as a rule are younger than I would have anticipated raising the question: if there are so many collectors in their 30's and 40's, presumably with disposable income, why there is this general sense among many that the US market is dead for the less than graded 90 classic stamp in the $300 to $3000 catalog range.

What is the most you have ever spent on a single item? For myself, that would probably be $7000 on an unused Scott 122a. But that was several years back --I would NOT spend that kind of money today on a stamp.

I'm 21. Started collecting ~1 year ago.

to a great hobby Edgarsrasa! Good to see young guns entering the community

Born in 1959 (makes me 58 right this moment), collecting since about 1970 at age 10 or 11. Grandfather, two uncles, and older brother all collected (they were all born in Germany!) so I just HAD to collect too!

I got only cheaper "hand-me-down" clothes, used toys, second-hand everything, including unwanted STAMPS. My early memories were of saving allowance / birthday money to buy stamps from stamp store dealers....I picked out a few cheaper German stamps and paid FULL MICHEL CATALOG VALUE, the postwar Saxony locals among them.

--Jim
stampguyaps177-681