Trends In Collecting?

I complained earlier about the lack of interest in Plate Blocs and FDCs. But Mystic seems to have moved into these fields. I believe they bought a FDC company. Whatever you think of Mystic, I think you'll agree that the company is not stupidly run. They might be putting a lot of effort to improve the market for blocks and covers. We'll see.

Don

Mystic Stamps bought out Fleetwood FDC in 2007 and Colorano FDC in 2016.

http://www.linns.com/news/us-stamps...amp-co-.html

Artcraft FDC were discontinued at the end of 2015 by Washington Press.

I agree with you erilaz that pop culture has taken over. Besides Simpsons and Star Trek, you now have Harry Potter and Star Wars. USA offered TV themes for Christmas such as Rudolph and Peanuts. I wish they would offer a Grinch theme for next Christmas.

Soccerfan, even though I set 2005 as my stopping-point for collecting new U.S. issues in general, I've kept every single one of the issues you mention for my collection, and I've used most of them for postage, as well. I'd absolutely buy Grinch stamps, too.

I wonder how the shift of collector focus to ebay has changed things?

It used to be that dealers could direct the market, and made a ton of money from new issues, FDCs and other novelty items.

It seems hard to create a new fad now that we are in the ebay era.

With brick-and-mortar stores largely gone and going in all "traditional" hobbies, I think ebay just took up the slack in demand. Stamps shows are still generally ongoing, supported by bourse fees in the case of club shows.

Can there be any new huge fad in the stamp world in 2018? Some relatively small upticks maybe, with the next Royal Wedding due, for example. Back when, people in general (so collectors in general) had more disposable income and would readily jump onto the Royal Wedding etc. bandwagon. Not so now, I think. A 2016 study reported that US income was up but that buying power was still at mid-1990s levels. Less free cash to spend/hobby money, in other words. I recently returned to the current ebay, and I see more bottom-feeders/low bidders than ever and thin bidding/only a couple of bidders on many, many lots.

I guess it depends on what you are looking for on ebay. While I've picked up an occasional lot for either the minimum bid or just above it, I often find myself having to pay a fair price for the material I want on ebay and other venues.

I guess it is the type of material and/or seller's reputation which can drive it as well.

However, being able to bottom feed occasionally would sure help my stamp budget stretch further

Q/ How many bandwagons can one man jump on, before they call him ...?

I think its the increase in years, not any decrease in income.

The Baby Boomer stamp collectors have all been 'had', some of us more than once.

Cheers,

/s/ ikeyPikey