Dilemma; To Float Or Not To Float?

I understood the point, and there are always valuable exceptions in any collecting area. It is true however that the number of modern US FDC's that will bring a three figure price (or even a modest two figure price) is VERY limited. If it's 1% or 2% of the total number of issued cachets that would be a lot.
Which makes it easy for the people who collect them to enjoy it without spending a fortune.

revcollector




Your comment is irrelevant to the discussion. Your statement applies equally to stamps. I am questioning the disdain Stamp collectors have towards modern FDCs. As you see from the comments posted in this topic, stamp collectors are quite open . This comment says it all:




The fact that prices of modern FDCs are relatively low does not justify dismissive attitudes towards collecting FDCs.

It is obvious that your knowledge of Modern (in your case post 1935) FDCs is very limited.

Let me have one more go at explaining this to you by changing the argument a bit.

1. Billions and billions of stamps have been issued and many millions (perhaps billions) are in collector hands (figuratively)

2. Most stamps are without much value

3. Stamps are not worthy of being collected.

Absurd right?

Change to:

1. Millions of first day covers have been produced
2. Most FDCs are without much value t
3. FDCs are not worthy of being collected.

Do you get it?

I simply ask stamp collectors who believe that FDCs are junk to watch their language.

Sounds like a replay of me. Except I don't go post-1988. I don't consider mail from stamp sellers plastered with medium-old stamps to be "covers". I soak the stamps off, put them in kiloware and get rid of them to someone who can use them, hopefully for the price of postage. Every 4 to 6 months or so I have lot to get rid of. I have quite another load right now I'm soaking.


-IBFS

"It is obvious that your knowledge of Modern (in your case post 1935) FDCs is very limited."

If by that you mean I have not spent many years studying them, that is true. However I have seen many thousands of modern FDC's. Among other things, I have spent time in the last few years occasionally examining and describing large lots of modern FDC's.
I have never said they should not be collected; people should collect whatever makes them happy. It's just difficult to take them seriously when seeing 20 or 50 or 100 of each of dozens of FDC's and knowing all were creations for collectors. And knowing that there are a hundred more lots just like it out there somewhere.
"Most stamps are without much value"
But most stamps were issued to be used as postage, or at least COULD be used as postage in the country that issued them. Even given the obvious collector market and the many stamps specifically issued to fill it, most stamps have/had the potential to be legitimately used.
Clearly philatelic covers have always been looked down upon by many collectors, rightly or wrongly. This has been true for many decades, and if you are waiting for that to change you will have a very long wait. It could certainly be handled with more tact by some, but that is not the nature of either stamp collectors or chatboards.

Hopefully lord denning will chill out a bit. I have a few modern FDCs in my collection. I don't choose to collect them; but that doesn't mean that I am uninformed, as s/he seems to imply. I think the original poster got some good answers about modern FDCs, including lord denning's implied suggestion to consider collecting them.

Revcollector




The same could be said of the Columbians and many other stamp issues. But thank you revcollector for getting at the heart of the matter:

"It's just difficult to take then seriously...knowing all were creations for collectors".

The Sinclair FDC that sold for over $300 was NOT a creation for collectors. It's objective was to publicize Sinclair's participation at the World's Fair. The cover is legitimate postal history in addition to being a philatelic creation.

Since you have a lot of experience with FDCs I'm sure you are familiar with these commercial covers:

Texas Refinery Corporation



Inserts are interesting:



Campbell Sales Company





Artmaster Cachet



Pharmaceutical Stamp









The above companies and organizations used a philatelic creation as an advertizing medium. I am a postal history collector and these items are 100% commercial mail.But it's OK if you don't take them seriously because I am not trying to encourage anyone to collect FDCs. I certainly don't want any competition!

Climber Steve




"Chill out a bit" - please explain. And here I thought I was presenting logical and factual arguments.

When Walter Sobchak pulled our a M1911A1 from his bowling bag and told Smoky that he would be in a "world of pain", well like that is a good example of someone who needs to chill out a bit.

[Walter Sobchak is the fictional character in the movie "The Big Leboswski" by the Coen brothers played by John Goodman]

Climber Steve you may be informed about FDCs and understand why the Sinclair FDC sold for over $300 and why Texas Refinery covers are in big demand. But you are in the minority. You are probably one of the few stamp collectors who know about Marg FDCs. But at least you have made an effort to inform yourself about FDCs. This is not the case for the majority of stamp collectors who don't think FDCs can be taken seriously.




There is a difference between defending and promoting a practice. I am not implying that people "should consider collecting them". I am simply responding to condescending remarks made by stamp collectors about FDCs. Again, I don't need or want competition. I collect. I don't sell.

I love a really good discussion like this. the views are as different as there are different collectors and appreciators of FDCs.

I have sold some FDCs years ago and the market was there for a quality product, but not as much for a mass-produced product.

Part or most of the value of a FDC (or stamp) comes from the perceived value of the item by collectors. Rarity is only one factor. For example and Elvis stamp or cover, to name one.

The salesmanship of the dealer or colelctor comes into play at this time and the more skilled he or she is at people skills and selling in a friendly way, the more sucessful will be the product sold.


I enjoy a well-considered, well-crafted cover and do now collect incoming mail and other philatelic items of interesting import to me; and my interest does change over the months and years as I learn and come to understand other aspects of stamp / cover / cancel collecting.


Speaking of cancels I do love a good cancel now (an aquired taste, I am afraid, for many at this time) and am slowly trying to make collectors aware of the interesting aspects of cancels in and of themselves.

Along with a good stamp, a good emvelope and nice postal markings or artistic and asthetic cachets, a good cancel just adds to the value of the whole package.


It is unfortunate that some covers (or a lot) are produced in quantities, but, wouldn't it be wonderful and more than interesting if we ourselves could add to the cover by adding other stamps or a resending (forwarding perhaps) or just out own reception cancels like days of old. Something to add value.

Then all these mass-produced one-of-a-kinds would indeed become personal and valued.

Yes, I have seen these types of FDC's before. I last saw a couple about 8 or 10 months ago in a large lot. As far as the company was concerned, it was just another targeted advertising mailing. As a collector they are certainly more interesting than the usual Artcraft covers seen everywhere.

Well if you find any more I'll pay you $5.00 for Texas Refinery Covers.

I sure do like the kilowae idea for modern stamps that come in routinely, and I'd have to say that any cover will fetch more than the face value of the stamp thats on it in the proper time. I consider my a philatelic collector, in that I collect anything that was used for postage, regardless of how it was used.
Modern stamps are sent to me by the bag full by a member of the Knights of Columbus. I pay him back the postage. I dont know what I'll do with all the copies, but I must have them!! They are stamps!

I save every envelope that comes to my house with a stamp on it. I have been told its called hoarding, but I call it collecting. :)

For a $5 sale I would just keep them as curiosities, that is not remotely enough to make it worth my while. Even as a revenue collector, after 50+ years of collecting, I would rather keep any non revenue oddities that I come across until serious money starts to be discussed. Or possibly a trade for something that I have an interest in.

You might enjoy this site then.

http://www.postalhistory.com/index.htm

just to stir the pot a little ... perhaps this cover should be saved as an 'error' ???

I do save FDC's when they fit my topical collecting needs ...





but I'm under no illusions that they have any value other than that what I ascribe to them as part of my collection ... if, however I should come across any Texas Refinery or Sinclair (or any other 'older' advertising) covers, I'll definitely hang on to them, and maybe even start another topical collection.