Who Collects Stamps...???... Poll Closed - Thank You

Welcome Carey...It's not so bad....

I was actually surprised at how high the 31-40 age group is right now. I added one more vote to that age group, being on the lower end at 31 years.

Collecting since I was a teenager, but no longer.
Getting back into the hobby after may years of absence.

Lots of catching up to do.

I wish you had a "70 or over" category, so I wouldn't have to tick the last box of your survey.

Actually, based on the age group that attends our local stamp club, 70+ would have the most members.

Thanks carebare for the 10 year old commit. My wife would agree with you.

But my granddaughter told me once old people collect stamps. and looking at the pole results she is somewhat right. We are only middle age and up. I keep trying to get my grand kids 13 & 14, but they will have no part of it. It is sad because this is a great hobby to be in, and I have been in others, not saying the others are bad now. Just a thinking out loud

This may be controversial... But....
I have two small children. I would love them to get into stamps, and I'm sure they will, I will give them every encouragement and opportunity, as I had when I was young. I think all kids should be able to try out the hobby at a young age.
When they are 5, 7, 10, 12 years old I hope they collect stamps, enjoy it and learn from it.
When they are 15, 17, 20, 25? - do I hope they are still collecting? Well, maybe, but maybe not. It won't perturb me if they are not spending too much time alone indoors with little pieces of paper. I hope they are gaining qualifications, making friends, playing sports, travelling, learning about themselves. They can come back to the stamps later, like many of us have. Its planting the seed early that counts, the seed can stay dormant for a while, but once planted, it has every chance of growing sometime in the future.

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME TO SUPPORT THIS LITTLE POLL

Below is the out come of 100 replies, and it looks as though the old guys rule...

Below is a chart showing the outcome of the poll and below that is another chart with outside additions as I promised spanishmoss.

THANK YOU AGAIN...

That's certainly the case with my local stamp club, but I think it doesn't accurately reflect the stamp collecting demographic. I have a theory that there are far more collectors in the 20-50 age bracket than this, or any other poll shows. However, it's during these years that parents are busy with school activities and related obligations that prevents collectors in this age bracket from becoming involved in local stamp clubs, online forums, and so on. For them, stamp collecting needs to be a respite, not an obligation.

Brian

You are probably correct Rileysan....My Dad's friend was big time into stamps when I was about 10 years old...He gave my Dad a few older stamps to start me off with...I JUST came back to stamps after years, and years....At least there were hidden away from sunshine for a very long time....

I don't know if it is a dying hobby, with the internet, etc. taking over the minds of younger people(I know it has captured me).

We see many people come on this site and they indicate they were not into stamp collecting until they inherited it from a relative, and then the BUG gets them.

stampgal,
You are right on planting the seed. You can't have a salad with a package of lettuce seeds. You have to plant it and nurture it to grow to a full plant.
Now to keep planting those seeds.

Hey 100 post for me, onward to 1,000 next

Stampgal, very well put! I agree with you, all it takes is a seed.....

Wert, those are some great graphs. Thanks for doing a second one for me. As of yesterday, I recruited another young collector at our local stamp show. That's another 11 year old boy!

I am not sure if I am to late to vote but I selected 31-40

Roos