Some Sad Comments About US Stamps And Fdoi Ceremonies

"Grew out of it" how funny. Some can say the same about collecting stamps or anything else. It is your opinion that Video games are something to grow out of. Consider that the video game industry is making a lot more money than any stamp collector has or even any stamp company like Scott, I would be inclined to say that Stamps should be "grown out of".




I'm not sure where you are pulling your "facts" from but the value of older game systems is continually on the rise. The price of PS1 games is quadrule the price that they came out of because they are no longer in production and they are a good hooby to have and collect.




I'll have you know my collection is not a country collection but a world wide and I would also assume that I have definitely more stamps than you. I don't need to be lectured on what or how I should collect or what and how I have. I don't look for unsolicited advice so you can keep it.




Yes I do. It is a better investment of my time and fun fun factor. I enjoy video gaming and I will until I'm 100. The same could be said about my stamps. I enjoy them but for whittling away a couple of hours I'll choose video games more so than stamps. Your experience is different.

Katchem_ash

I apologize if it comes out like I am lecturing, I wasn't. I've read some of your older posts on different topics and see that you seem to have gotten bitter about stamps somewhere along the line. Your older posts are very friendly, and you truly seemed excited about collecting stamps.

Different strokes for different folks I guess....and I will bow out here.

I played video games and collected stamps from age seven when I received my Atari 2600 and a junior U.S. album. I have a PS3 now with over 40 games and more stamps and covers than I would bother to count. I wouldn't blame video games or any other technology as a reason why younger people don't collect stamps.

Stamp collecting has been declining for decades even before video games, cell/smart phones or any other distraction. I see the decline in collecting in these terms - "Out of sight, out of mind". Simply put, stamp collecting is not as visible at least in the U.S. as it was in the past. The less younger people can see it, the less they would be inclined to start collecting. Any aspect of culture needs to be seen or heard in order to be learned.

For there to be a future for philately there needs to be a greater presence in mainstream society in some manner. It could take many different forms - publications in the media beyond that of philatelic publications, informational tables at popular public events other than stamp shows and brouses, better communication of philatelic events through mass media advertising, creation of educational materials related to philately, spend more time with your children and/or grandchildren if possible and whatever you can think of to put philately into the foreground of our culture. If we could just get one of the characters from the "Big Bang Theory" to "collect stamps" on an episode it would be seen by many millions. The more exposure the greater chance someone might get the collecting bug.

sidenote: Don't think that less people collecting stamps will mean you'll have a greater or cheaper supply of stamps. Think of a seasonal stamp show that occurs quarterly or monthly. The lower attendance at a show means less dealers might return to the next shhow which could mean the demise of the show altogether. It's in all our interests to promote a show (and philately in general) be all means possible.

I would like to take a moment an apologize if I came out as harsh or threatening. I'm going through a tough time, divorce, as its taken a toll on me.

I'm a gamer as well, very openly a geek, under 40 and a woman so statistically I shouldn't be a philatelist, I guess.

But it's years later and I find I'm spending as much time with my stamps as I am having, baking and such. I think we've all hit the point in our collecting where we ask ourselves what we're doing and reevaluate things. I too a few years off before coming back, mostly for cost.

I found that I could life hack must of my supplies or get them cheap and it really helped.

I see nothing wrong with video games and it is my opinion that everything should be done in moderation. This comparing video games to stamps is really comparing apples & oranges as everyone has different personal guidelines as to what's proper and not. Everyone isn't from the same generation. Me for instance, I grew up with with everything from Pong to PAC-man but like some I find the frittering away of time with video gaming could be better well spent doing something else of course the person next to me I'm sure would feel quite differently so, I say- to each their own I suppose? our hobby will most likely never die out but I do foresee the more specialized collector evolving and I feel that as long as there are postage stamps there will almost inevitably be stamp collectors.

Everything eventually dies out. We just have a hobby that is based on a very practical object and shall have a much longer lifespan than other interests.

I don't think that's a defensible view though. The number of new people who pick up stamp collecting every year is tiny, compared to the number of new people who pick up playing video games. Stamp collecting just isn't a growing concern anymore, the number of people who collect has fallen year after year, the trend is never upwards. Video gaming is exactly the opposite. Besides, the quality of video games continues to increase every year, the quality of most modern postage stamps gets worse and worse and the post office is targeting the shrinking community of collectors as a means to make money, while raising prices every other year or so. The Post Office is going out of business while video game companies are thriving.

I don't think we're going to see stamp collecting outlive video game playing as a viable, growing hobby.

If stamp collecting died out enough as a hobby, places like ebay, bidStart and especially the stamp stores that are left would not be able to afford to continue selling stamps. We would lose places to buy stamps and probably be relegated to only trading.


-IBFS

You can look at that statement two ways.

Sure, dwindling interest in stamps could mean declining sales; on the other hand, certain philatelic items could come down to a price where existing stamp collectors who presently cannot afford some scarce and/or rare items can now afford something that would previously have been unattainable.

Supply and demand is always at work.

So much to think about. Well, I come from a family history of stamps. As a youngster I didn't collect my own, I helped my grandmother with hers, my dad with his and much later I started collecting used stamps. Anyone can get into collecting.


I beg to differ; I have purchased a wii and a ps2 and have tons of games that I no longer play. I have a handful of online games on my computer. These have cost me much more than getting into stamps. And one does not need a hard copy of the Scott catalog. That's why the price is going up. Most folk can easily get info from the internet, software, or even get up to 6 free photo copies a day from the local library.
Stamp collecting IMO is a hobby where the youngsters help us elders and one day get into it realizing that it is a peaceful way to spend some time unwinding from the cares of life; reflecting on times past when there were no video games and a letter traveled across the country on a horse or a train.
Stamp collecting will never die as long as there stamps out there that change hands for millions of dollars. It's a pipe dream for sure; but every collector must admit they fantasized about stumbling across that one stamp that is coveted by the known world. A new oddity found in an estate sale of some old fogie that hoarded every stamp that crossed his path.
There will always be seller and buyers and hoarders of philatelic material, so fret not my fellow "Geeks", even if they stop printing stamps altogether, (forgive my blasphemy) there will always be more to be found.
I myself didn't really get into it until after my 30's and had already acquired a plethora of used samples.

So, onward you soakers and mounters, keep up the good work and be of good cheer.

As the only "youngster" (aka under 40) in my local stamp club in 1970, I recall hearing similar comments: "We have to increase membership" "We need to get younger people interested in stamp collecting, it's dying!" Yada, yada, yada.

Well, 43 years later stamp collecting isn't dead. Of course there are a lot of reasons. For me, access to stamps on the internet allowed me to buy stamps I only dreamed about before. That really spurred my interest. We baby boomers are also dusting off our collections and spending more time (and money) on them.

Stamp collecting in the US probably isn't going to be as popular as it once was. I can't say about other countries that are developing and have populations with more disposable income (E.g., China). Who knows? Stamp collecting might become popular with kids again because it is "retro." That is, it becomes cool because no one is doing it! I don't know.

I do know Americans collect doggone near everything: barbed wire, beer mats, comic books, posters, matchbooks, oil cans. You name it; some group is probably collecting it and probably always will. I remember an article in the local newspaper that highlighted collections. In addition to the usual collections, stamps, coins, etc., one gentleman was proud of his antique motorboat sparkplug collection. Now that's a niche market!

If we really enjoy stamp collecting, so what if we become a niche hobby? Are we concerned about the value of our collections? I can't think of a year that the increase in stamp prices (excepting some stamps) has kept up with inflation. This will depress you: http://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm

Isn't the reason we became stamp collectors or engage in other recreational hobbies and activities in the first place primarily for the enjoyment and satisfaction it brings us?
Dan

Dan's right, there will always be stamp collectors as people collect everything under the sun. I know a guy who collects banana stickers.
What I would really love to see data on is the number of stamp clubs, stamp shows and stamp stores over time. I doubt such records has been complied, but I feel these are dwindling at a more alarming rate than the past. As I've said before, the physical presence of philately seems to be disappearing from the public view. Luckily, the virtual presence is strong and may the saving grace of the hobby.