Cases Of Philatelic Procrastination

Another poster recently began an interesting thread about the board becoming somewhat boring. Here's my effort to take discussions in a different, and hopefully not boring, direction.

Please contribute your worst case of philatelic procrastination; postponement to tomorrow what you could have done today; etc. Here's mine. Some years ago, I bought a small collection of Montenegro stamps through a Canadian dealer's auction. I had a little extra cash at the time; the collection was cheap; and it was something different. I'm finally now moving most of the stamps; along with some Montenegro stamps from another collection I bought in the early 2000s; into my main Scott International album that houses that part of the alphabet.

Date of the invoice, which I still have: February 23, 1975. Total procrastination time: one month short of 39 years.

What is even more interesting is the price I paid: $11 + 0.76 in postage & registration. The dealer, as an aside, was F.E. Eaton & Associates in Vancouver. I don't think they're in business now.

Next ??

Japan 1919 Scott 158 10s dark blue "Dove and Olive Branch"

For the return of peace after WW I, Japan issued a four stamp set. The higher values have this striking design.

And this story isn't so much about procrastination, as it is about remembrance.....and much delayed action.

My Father, as most in his generation, participated in WW II. When he was in Japan during the occupation, he picked up some mint stamps, including this example. I clearly remember admiring this stamp in my Father's "Modern Postage Stamp Album", the red album.

Because of its beauty, I became interested in stamp collecting,and asked my Father for "The Regent Album", and he allowed me to transfer his stamps.

Forgotten many years, it remained on the shelf of my old boyhood home until my Father passed away, and then I took the album and brought it back with me.

With the rekindling of stamp interest several years ago, I was putting in Japan into the WW classical Steiner pages,when I remembered my old childhood album.

There was the "Dove and Olive Branch", the very stamp that began my fascination, and, at the same time, intertwined with remembrances of my Father..