The 100,000 Stamp Club

floortrader, I've been burned by ebay a few times when buying Scott International Albums, there always seems to be pages missing. It's hard to get past the "gotta have it now" mentality sometimes! I try to buy my lots in person when I can at a shop or at shows. First they have to pass the "smell test" If the lot is musty, no matter what is inside I pass on it. If I see a lot on ebay I always ask the seller what kind of odor does it have? Sounds kind of silly, but I don't want to introduce mold into my collection. I've had some good experiences on ebay too, but it can be a gamble.

I am a regular customer of a stamp shop near me. I box up my duplicates and albums that I have removed what I need and create box lots to sell on the floor of the shop. I use the money I get from those to buy more stamps of course. I would get more on ebay, but I like to support my local store. There's so few around these days!

I would definitely advise people to sell their duplicates. It cuts down the clutter and gives you more funds to get stamps!

As for forgeries, fake cancels, etc, that's a harder question. As I learn more about stamps, I'm getting better at spotting those. It's one of those things where if you start to look deeper into the subject, one begins to wonder how any early stamps could be real!

You did! Their names were Elizabeth, Victoria, Martha, Wilhemina...

Yeah, that's a drawback when not buying sealed album page sets from the manufacturer (or authorized dealer). Having gone through many collections, I've encountered 1-2 pages that were ripped out, missing pages, even missing sections. More often than not, I don't notice until I'm flipping through the newly acquired collection and my main albums side-by-side, and then notice the missing pages as I pull out stamps to put into my collection.

I have been reading this discussion with increasing annoyance.

This discussion sounds as if you are saying to newbies, 'Children, run along and play with your stamps now. This is grown-up conversation.' Whatever happened to the welcome we all received and the invitation to ask all the questions we want answered?

I certainly understand 'serious' collectors need to discuss at a level which is stimulating and not repetitive. You have PhDs in philately. But for heaven's sake, you can't even agree on what kinds of stamps are worthy of discussion.

And I know I have been one of those 'non-serious' newbies that has been asking those pesky newbie questions. Yes the 'Search' function is a great source for us. But have you ever tried to find an answer to a question that has no specific keywords? Many newbie questions fall into this category. For example, 'What makes up a quality cover?' (Rhetorical question in this thread, but I have held off asking it in the main forum because I'm sure there is an answer to it somewhere in the archives if I can only think of the right keyword.)

And should we not ask clarifying questions in other people's threads? For that matter does anyone 'own' these discussions?

Enough rant. I'm headed for a week in Cozumel and won't see any responses, if any, until I return. I'm sure I will have calmed down by then.

Karen

KEHESS-----Welcome..........This whole forum of the STAMP COMMUNITY has some 150 different subject pages and many more topic discussions.Im sure just about every subject has been and will continue to be discussed.Everybody that I seen here has been helpful and willing to help any question presented.
On the subject of having one of those pages for experience collectors to ask and answer questions about their kind of issues would not sound unreasoniable.Questions about missing pages in albums or musty pages with mold or where to find better mixture lots or any question that comes up to those who have many years of collecting should not upset anyone or cause a rant over subject matter........hope I answer you posting.

Karen...this is one of the most friendliest forums..If you have a question..Just Post It for every advanced collector on this forum there are probably 1000 newbees to middle of the road collectors

Karen,

We were all newbies once. I'm in charge of putting together collections for new collectors at our annual show and I like to meet people new to the hobby.

I think posting a what makes a good cover thread is a good idea. I'm sure people here have lots of thoughts on the subject.

I received the "100,000 Stamp Club" buttons in the mail today and they turned out great! I plan on wearing one to the Minnesota Stamp Expo in July... It will be interesting to see what the dealer's and collectors reactions will be.

I am still trying to formulate how to do this club. It is strictly for fun for the general worldwide collectors out there who are striving to complete the world. I'll probably put together some membership cards to go along with the button.

I would love to use it as a survey of worldwide collectors and how they collect and learn some things along the way.

I also don't want to have people feel bad about this. I don't see anything wrong with a person who has just one stamp or a million of them. There are many facets of philately and there is room for everyone!

I can understand Karen's concerns fully. For this reason, I still think we need to have a site FAQ where we can answer those often repeated questions. This would make things much easier and limit duplicate posting

Think of it this way, Karen -- it's not an elitist club. Rather, it's more a club for the certifiably insane. And the badge is the certification. Being qualified for the club is not necessarily a "good" thing!

On another note, the reason I asked the question about criteria was not exclude, but to open up a dialog to show the different things and ways in which we collect. I knew the cinderella and revenue collectors would put in a word or two. I actually collect selvage -- to me, it's just as interesting as the "actual stamp". And has already been noted, many collectors don't use # of stamps as a criteria for evaluating/monitoring their collection.

We also have different criteria for how we enjoy our stamps. Some collectors like to make their own albums, and creating personalized albums is an important part of enjoying their collection. I, for one, really enjoy looking at stamps pics everyone posts, whether unmounted, mounted in a standard album or in a personalized album.

For my own stamps, oddly enough I've discovered that I get much more enjoyment out of sorting and IDing an envelope of 1000 stamps than I do out of looking at an album of stamps I've already mounted. I guess that's why I'm more of an accumulator than a collector. Probably 90% of my stamps are not in any album. I can hardly find anything, and lose it pretty quickly even after I find it. But, it's a lot of fun "rediscovering" previous stamp purchases. I still enjoy that "first excitement". Sitting there looking at my IDed and mounted stamps just doesn't do it for me any more.

Certifiably insane, regardless of whether I have 100K or not!

k

Elitist or insane or what ever you call it ,it has been my escape from all the stuff the outside world throws at us. Its the sit down, close the world out and have a quiet time,its my escape from the day to day concerns.What concerns are they ,many,im watching the silver,gold,grain markets,and few stocks like Ford,GM and a few others,also my stamps were a escape from the real world while my daugther was in Iraq,try sleeping while your child is in combat.yes a escape !.....many collect for different reasons,mine is to escape from news and people problems.
I just took collecting
to a different path and a path no one cared about amoung my few collectors,I wanted to see what are the possibilities on going way pass the 100,000 different level.Were are the outer limits and how far can I go with a worldwide collection.Call it insane or elitist but it has been a fun ride and im not quitting yet .

"amoung my few collectors"---should read-----"amoung my fellow collectors."
I belong to three clubs and none of them had a worldwide collector in the group,they were all interested in gold meadals from stamp shows or research to write a book or articles to be published

Agreed! Many collectors have different criteria in collecting, as well as different reasons for collecting the way they do! Thanks for sharing yours! I got far better results for my health buying stamps than the thousands I was spending each year for prescription meds. Meds may help control your health problems, but meds can't bring joy into your life.



I ran into the same problem. I wasn't interested in showing off my collection or anything -- just looking for another WW collector to get some new ideas, solve problems. But everybody looked at me funny, as if I had no idea what I was doing. I was very interested in their specialties. But somehow WW collecting was deemed absurd and having a specialty was the criteria for determining your philatelic maturity.

Don't get me wrong, not all stamp clubs are like that. I guess I just keep running into them. I know some members here really enjoy the stamp club they belong to. I've found a much more open group at shows, stamps stores, and online forums (especially here).

k

That's strange, my club is just the opposite. There must be a dozen general collectors in the bunch out of about 40-50 that attend the meetings. A couple have pretty advanced collections and I have to compete with them for some of the world lots. On the plus side, I get some really nice stamps when the advanced guys sell things because they have most of country so and so already.

Oh! let me be just nubee, more I learned I knew I do not know much.
yes have 237 lbs in my five 30" Samsonite Suite cases. Apart from
Stock books,Glassine Books, envelopes what not. Still I may not have
100,000 catalog numbers.
sooner or later I will be able to finish count. Karen is right.
Let us spread knowledge to youngsters as well as who ever wants to
know. No doubt it is nice feeling to experience when you have
significant Collection.
BUT but this is the friendliest site. SCF it is really a family.

Cheers!
tikithindi