Album Recomendations Please

I've had Mystic's album for years, and I love it. My only gripe has to do with mini sheets. When I get the supplements, sometimes they show space for mini sheets as well as spaces for the individual stamps. Sometimes they only give a space for the mini sheet. Sometimes it's only for the individual stamps. And sometimes they show space for a strip of stamps from a sheet, and they might be arranged vertically or horizontally. I work around it, and add a page here and there if I need to, but I wish they'd be consistent with how they show these stamps.

I went through this choice a few months ago and ended up with the Scott National series (complete set about $325 from iHobb.com). I'm not the least bit disappointed in the quality, the albums are top notch. I'm using black mounts and the pages look great with the stamps mounted.'

With that being said I do kind of miss having "the story behind the stamps" as Mystic advertises. I was originally planning on using two old Harris Liberty albums to put together a second collection however I'm now thinking about eventually getting a Mystic Heirloom for that purpose.

Good luck,

George

I'm doing the same as George, and I couldn't be happier. A Scott National page with a high-quality set of stamps mounted carefully in well-aligned black mounts is a thing of beauty. As for the "story behind the stamps," I enjoy researching them on my own, and I also have an older Minuteman album set in which I keep my "second class" stamps, and those pages have stories.

I recommend trying to see different types of albums in person, with stamps mounted, at a club or large show. The choice of an album set tends to be emotional rather than rational, and after seeing a few different ones, one of them will grab you emotionally, and you'll know that's the one.

Chris

Chris and George,

Got any pictures? I'd really like to see.

Jack

Jack,
I don't know if I can claim a Thing of beauty" like Chris - but I will put a picture up this afternoon.
George

Thank you, George. I know its too late for me as I've already taken the plunge. I just want to see what I missed. Masochist.

Jack

Jack - Here are three random pages - sorry that the quality/lighting isn't great.

George

Very nice, George. I especially like your choice of mid 40's engraved stamps. They are my favorites. And they look even better with those black backed mounts. I did the same with all my USA stamps 1901-2015 (Mystic). (I still have some Washington-Franklin "holes" to fill)

Jack

Commercial albums are expensive. 60 years ago I started with Scott Specialized of which I have 80+ albums.
For any new country I start I now use Steiner print yourself album pages. You have much more freedom in what you collect because it is so easy create new pages for special interest items. And the cost is sooooo much less!

If I had it to do over again, I would go with Steiner too.

Jack

If you are starting from scratch, any album you can afford and you are happy with will do. If you have an existing collection and are resuming the hobby, whatever you have will do.

If you have $$$ and are trying to upgrade, then go with the consensus recommendation, but just be happy with your decision because it is hard, hard, hard, to transfer stamps from one album to another.... easy to start, but time wears you down... so you wind up with two half finished products....