Stamp Snobs

"Nothinng ever sounds right
"in ASCII, black, and white."




I was offering anti-scoffer advice; you know, like, being supportive :)

Cheers,

/s/ ikeyPikey

Yeah I got the jist of it and I didn't think you was being rude or anything I was just unclear on "all the snickering" part and the "tough skin" part? lol I just woke up anyway so maybe that was some of it too. OK,I need coffee now, Thank you. :)

There are elitists in every area of collecting. I had one longstanding revenue specialist tell me that I'm "not a real philatelist, just a stamp collector" as if that matters. Some of the philatelic "scholars" who look down their nose at other people who choose to either collect different material than they would, or collect the same material in a different manner, can go take a flying leap.

I've been criticized because (1) I don't competitively exhibit, and (2) I don't collect revenues "the way they should be collected", as in researching every bit of minutiae regarding the tax rates and the dates in question, and the historical significance of X, Y, or Z.

I'm first and foremost an aesthetic collector rather than a researcher. My focus is not necessarily on the mechanics of the document or the fiscal transaction(s) in quesiton, but more frequently the aesthetics and presentation of the items in question.

That doesn't sit well with certain traditionalists.

It's similar to the contempt that some postal history collectors have for stamp collectors or that certain collectors of strictly classics have for topical collectors.

In short: *** them! Collect what and how you like, and the critics be damned.

I spent years buying what I call "novelty" covers - basically covers with stamps which have been philatelically manipulated, illegal usages, cut-outs used as stamps, out of date, etc. I picked up the majority of these covers from conventional dealers for a very small price, because these sellers considered them as nothing more than philatelic concoctions with no value. Well I laugh now as novelty covers are becoming quite collectible

The only time I felt intimidated by a stamp dealer was when I visited the Stanley Gibbons showroom in London. At first I wasn't sure if I was in a jewelry shop or in a stamp store. Lighted showcases for everything LOL. Needless to say, I bought nothing. I crossed the road to a very messy stamp shop and spent an enjoyable afternoon buying worldwide covers.

The armchair psychologist in me says that the snobs are compensating for inadequacies in other areas. Feeling superior - and letting others know about it - is probably their source of self-worth.

I once cracked a joke to a buddy who asked why I collect postal history. I told him something to the effect of, "So I can collect Haiti and still be snobbish about it." Never mind the fact that I don't collect Haitian postal history (though I do collect Haiti).

The snobs are out there. I just don't suffer them, even when they look down their noses at my Haiti collection or my Scouts on Stamps collection, though they seem interested in my newspaper stamps and Coast Guard postal history.

Can I be a half-snob?

to ECMORGAN

Can I be a half-snob? Can you be???


the answer is no, because you took the time to answer instead of saying we all have issues and turn your nose up at us and never look at the post.

I always thought that stamp snobs were some rich stamp collectors who have very expensive items in their collection and who like to look down on those stamp collectors who don't have any expensive items in their collections like they have.

Jogli, they usually are and I have met a few in Stanley Gibbons' shop. I have quite a few expensive "plums" in my collection but like Jenny2U I really enjoy browsing in the shop she mentions (I visit it every time I am back in the UK) and picking up interesting stuff because it looks, well, interesting. Not looking for anything special, just grazing.

IMHO, I am a regular collector. I do have stamps that are quite expensive, but, the vast majority of my collection are stamps that are cheaper in CV status. I, like many other members in here, are lucky once in a while and find an elusive high catalogue gem.

I enjoy looking at other's collections too, which in the vast majority, are ordinary stamps.

As a point of interest, I still have my childhood 25 cent stamp album I started out with.

To sum up, I think that we as collectors have to remember where we began in the hobby. We all started somewhere and I would think I am correct in stating that 99 3/4 of us all started with ordinary stamps. I am assuming of course that we are not related to Bill Gates, in which case, we started out with the 'plums' of philately

My opinion of course

Chimo

Bujutsu