Comments And A Question From A Forum 'Newbie'

Howdie, folks

I've been reading through the forum messages for the best part of a couple months now, and joined up last weekend (thanks again for the quick service for an avatar!). I collected as a teen in the 70's, in my early 30's in the early 90's, lost most of it in the mid-90's, and am tipping my toes back into the pool now, with my 10 year old son as my co-pilot.

I wish this forum had been around when I started - I can't begin to explain how much I've learned (when I thought I already knew it all) reading through about 30 pages (so far) of forum postings. As much as most Philatelic books cost back in 'da days' (not to mention now!), I didn't buy many. This forum sure is a fine 'instant education' in it's place, though. Thanks to the moderators/active posters for making this place a very entertaining and enlightening place to spend time

My question - I read over the rules regarding buy/sell/trade, and the number of posts required (no issue - totally understand the rules). However, is there a minimum number of posts for a gift?

What I'm talking about - in getting involved again, I've really gotten into the idea of adding a Worldwide Classic collection 'my way' (from 1840 to 1964, my birth year.. or the usual 'classic' plus WWII, the rise of the Iron Curtain, the United Nations, and the birth of African nations in the early 60's, up through the Kennedy years). Most of this was due to finding the Steiner pages and joining up and downloading all of them - easy album!. What this did was correct my one spending goof of my early 90's rebirth - I purchased the 'Big Blue' volume 1 - more specifically, The Scott International Part 1 - the 1A1, 1A2, 1B1 and 1B2 version. I bought the four binders, the four slipcases, etc. Put them all together, put exactly 1 stamp in (US #11, used), and pretty much decided I didn't like the album due to the usual dissatisfaction reasons (double sided printing, omission of many issues). Forgot worldwide until discovering Steiner.

So what I have, in the course of moving, is my International - 4 albums, brand new aside from one clear Showgard mount on US #11, in 4 International slipcases, with no desire to ever use them.

I'm not big on selling these - I'd rather get somebody interested in Stamp Collecting. I'd like to give these to somebody running a stamp club for kids, or some group that would like to use these to get a youngster inspired to get into stamps. I'd happily throw them in the biggest prepaid Priority Mail box, reinforce the heck out of it, and ship them off.

Is this something I could do with my measly 2 message count? If so, I'll gladly start a thread offering them to see who could really use them. If not, I understand, and will wait till I have enough posts.

Thanks, and I'll do whatever the mods think is best :)

Allan

Jallan7982

PM sent. ;-)

JALLAN------welcome to the board ,nice of you to offer those albums to some group . But let me offer you a better deal .Sell them to the highest bidder with the funds going to support this website .I'll start off the bidding ,if you think this will work .

I'd be in on that!

Not that I expect anybody was hanging around on baited breath, but wanted to make sure I knew all the facts before I posted.

Basically, I liked all the suggestions I got regarding the Scott Internationals. Given all the knowledge that's here for the taking, and the warm welcome I've received (and a very enjoyable Stoker conversation with Bujutsu and others!), I thought it was a grand idea to donate any funds received to the board as a supporter. The same day I posted my original message, Joe (aka jkjblue) contacted me.

I had read his great blog the classic period Big Blue checklist previously, and enjoyed it a great deal. He stated his need for a modern International for the project. We found my version was the 1994 (1A1, 1A2, and 1B). I was/am very happy to help his great site, so we arranged a mutually beneficial transaction.

The albums are on the way to Joe's 1840-1940 Big Blue abode, and he will be sending me a very generous payment plus my postage costs. Once said payment arrives, I will be donating this money (aside from my postage costs) to this board to support it's ongoing operation.

Seems this will mean 1 set of albums will be setting 2 separate nets to ensnare new collectors into the fold. Once site shows folks that it's affordable to collect a representative world classic collection, even down to showing exactly what stamps to put in exactly what spots (and soon he'll be able to show the page like it should look!), and the other site is probably the greatest wealth of philatelic information that I've ever came across, and it's membership rolls include some of the nicest and open folks I've ever ran across on a collectables site of any kind.

I just love it when things work out nicely. Now I just need to read up on how to actually become a supporter (though I'm quite sure somebody with the board will kindly instruct me how to send them money )

Allan

I really appreciate the blog you mention and for him to have the newer albums to reference will be great. And thanks for donating the money to this site!

Allan

You are very generous to donate the funds to SCF from the transaction. I promise I will use them well, and the results will eventually show up on the Big Blue blog.

Jim aka jkjblue

A four Binder 1840-1940 Big Blue arrived this afternoon- Thanks Allan!

I expect the Big Blue 1840-1940 blog will show many of the pages (mostly) full of stamps sometime............

(There is still quite a journey that has to unfold. )

It's a great time to be a WW classical era collector.

Hi,
I'm a Big Blue owner/fan, but still recognize their shortcomings. For my USA collection, I have the Scott's National albums, and have removed the USA pages from the Big Blues.

Regarding the 4 subject albums...... what exactly (country/year) is in each of the books. I'm looking at rearranging mine at some point, and always am curious as to what others have done.

Mobilman - I can't recall exactly how it was split up, never really looked it over that much (hence my letting it go!). I'm sure somebody can answer that. We sound pretty similar, I use the Scott National for my US as well (think I'll be up to 6 volumes once I get done moving and can actually decompress a bit and start working on them again - couple of those binders look pretty thick, think I need to spread it out a little more)..

Jkblue Jim - In moving my Stamp stuff from the room I had it here in the new house to the master bedroom (more cat-free), I checked a box of stuff I'd ordered from Subway about the time I got going again a few years back. Thought the box just had Showgard mounts in all the big sizes for the miniature pages and such, but saw a little bag. On checking this out, I remembered it was labels I'd ordered to add to my national binders, numbers 1-7.

Also in the bag - not sure why I ordered, as I know I'd already decided against using Big Blue, I found 4 labels for the 4 International Binders I sent you. They are the ones that would normally go at the bottom of the album spine, and read 'PART 1a' , as well as 1b.. for some reason, 2 of each.. labels look like the ones in this pic I found on ebay..





If you have any interest in these, let me know and I'll just mail them off to you ( you could always paint a silver 1 or 2 after the letter portion, making a 1A1, 1A2, 1B1 and 1B2). I obviously have no use for them, and they'll easily fit in a regular envelope for normal letter postage.

Allan

Mobilman44-

The Binder pages are split like the '97 edition...

(Part IA1) Aden-Ethiopia (From the '94 edition)
(Part IA2) Falkland Islands-Latvia (From the '94 edition)
(Part IB1) Lebanon-Quelimane (From the '92 edition)
(Part IB2) Reunion-Zululand (From the '92 edition)

The paper is thicker then say, the '69 edition, but the coverage is actually quite similar. So, the thick one volume Part I is still a viable option for many collectors. ;-)

Spreading the Part I into 4 binders allows for the thicker paper, more spacious presentation, and interleaving. Oh, and Scott can sell the pages for more. ;-)

Allan- I would love those labels. :-)

Ok, I still have your address, Jim. I'll get them out to you.

Labels posted today, should get to you in a few days, Jim.