Quantity Vs Quality

I am constantly facing a dilemma about whether to spend what money I have on one or two items of high value or trying to spread the money around to acquire several items of lesser value. I'm not trying to "invest" my money but would like to create a collection that can be admired.

What do others do? Do you save up to buy that special item? Or is it more important to build the size of your collection?

I would buy, the high value stamp because it may go higher. Here in Hong Kong, any Macau and China Stamps the value gets higher every few months. It's ridiculous! Also, those stamps of lesser value (good quality I supopose) may not sell for many months/years and hopefully you can get both. Thats how usually think....

As a returning collector, I am in more or less your position so this is what I have decided.

1. Decide on a Topic - I have decided to collect Classic US, Commonwealth but I am focused on Queen Victoria for Common Wealth. This is by itself a huge goal (at least for me).
2. Since I had to restart from scratch, I decided to buy off ebay, I bought a small lot from a dealer but he charged me total CV and being a returnee and unaware of actual market prices I bought for CV.
3. That was the first and last time I buy from a dealer for some time. I am strictly sticking to ebay and buying the cheaper more easily available stamps at the moment. Once the collection starts getting more complete and the rarer stamps are missing, then it will become more challenging on my pocket.

Keeping this in mind too, I buy only under a few conditions:

1. Firstly, very good deal (compared to CV)
2. Topical Stamps
3. I am able to afford it.

I am staying away from stamps that cost $ 5 and up for a single stamp for the moment.

I also have 2012 Scott for Classic stamps which is my bible when I am on ebay, to make a price comparison.

As far as bidding goes, i've not done too bad. Sometimes you win , sometimes you dont. I am also not agressive while bidding. I decide an amount I am going to pay and stick to it, if someone beats me, good luck to them :)

In short, if you have a lot of money you can probably buy stamps off higher value in good condition. But like me if you don't then thats going to be tough.

My advice is: when you are starting a new country, or a new aspect of a country, buy as much material as you can cheaply. You will make mistakes; make them with cheap stamps. When you have learnt a lot from them, you can think about more expensive stuff in the confidence that you probably now know what you're doing.

As a relatively new collector, I prefer the excitement of finding 10-12 stamps a week vs. a single one. I think it really depends on what your long-term goals are. Are you collecting for enjoyment or investment? I also really appreciate Bamra1's advice. Make your mistakes with cheap stamps. I've definitely made a few & I'm thankful that they were relatively inexpensive goofs.

Assuming you have a reasonable grasp of your subject (Bamra1's point, and a very valid one), remember that the cheap stamps will likely always be cheap, and the better ones will likely continue to get better, and more expensive.

If you want to build a collection that will be admired, get those expensive stamps when you can. The cheap ones will still be there later. Knowing your subject, you'll have a clearer view of what constitutes fair value. I recently bought this pair of Charkhari SG 16a (1909-19 1 Pice turquoise-blue, imperf between)



from Gibbons, for a very healthy percentage of (their) full catalogue price. The pair has a crease in the margin, and some rough perfs - but it's the first I've seen of this error in some years of watching the Indian States market. I reckon it's money far better spent than on ten common items I could pick up (almost) any day.

Regardless of price, quality is always more important than quantity, the exception being buying large quantities of inexpensive stamps to flyspeck for varieties. Having said that, knowledge is important as well, to enable one to spend money wisely. In the end everyone has to decide for themselves what quality really means with regard to their own collection.