What Is Your "Time Frame" Parameter For Collecting?

Welcome billsey! I think that there was a fellow who used that user name on Frajola's board, are you that same fellow?

Interesting thread. I collect basically everything WW, however I mostly aquire stuff for its classical material and absorbs whatever recent material that follows. Issues from this millenium I almost ignore. I am intending on creating a more specialised digital collection until 1900 (or until Edward for Brit Empire), as it is the classical issues that interests me the most. I love the look and feel of those classical masterly engraved stamps, with all the varieties.
I have been inspired by others in here to stop spending time on recent wallpaper, so I am considering cut-off at QE1, except for the 'Western countries'.

Why so? Focus on the stamps representing the most interesting part of WW history - the European imperialism and it's aftermath (War...).

Elizabeth I (7 September 1533 – 24 March 1603)


they must be very old stamps the pre QE1 ....lol just kidding

I collect WW any time frame used mainly but whatever I get in bulk. I need to slim down to specific countries but haven't got there. Started into US in the last 10 years doing up to current. Get most used that I need from Steve in Columbus Ohio, just picked a bunch up at the Richmond, Indiana stamp show. I need to go through what I have, an 18 gallon tote of US, one of foreign off paper and one of foreign on paper. Also six envelopes boxes with countries in individual envelopes I have many duplicates. It will give me something to do when I retire in 10 years.I do stamps already mounted in about 10 binders.

Littleriverphil, I am the same billsey. I haven't been hanging out on Richard's board much lately since I got slapped for asking about too many Confederate covers a few months ago. We have a consignment of them at the stamp club and I'm still unsure which auction house would be appropriate for selling them. :(

I maintained a used worldwide collection for many years (since sold), but my strict timeframe was 1840-1940.

Yup. I've told myself the same thing many times, and with the same result: more (and more) stamps! My backlog of stamps to mount, inventories to take, want lists to build and other stamp-related projects would keep me busy for a very long time without acquiring a single new stamp. I could probably work at it a little every day for a year before I'd be completely caught up to my total satisfaction. But I'm basically addicted to mixtures, packets and various bulk lots. Going through one is one of the highlights of my week. I also buy stamps more deliberately in singles and sets, but I don't think I'll ever tire of going through of sorting through a pile of stamps.

I think the phrase used to describe a cat sitting in a bowl, makes a decent parable. "If it fits, I sits"

That being said, "If its postal it fits."

My focus up to this point has been 1840-1940 WW, and Commonwealth up to 1952. Logistically, this is helped immensely by having to use only one physical catalogue- the Scott 1840-1940 classic volume.

It is housed in Steiner pages ("Deep Blue"), although, within them, is a virtual "Big Blue". I keep a wantlist and "collect to the album".

I have been thinking, though, of expanding the general collecting year to 1950 or 1960 for all the reasons voiced earlier on this thread. And then I've already collected the easy picking stamps for the classical era for each country, and so find my stamp additions have dwindled.

It would probably be a variable cutoff for each country, depending on interest. China 1949 would be logical, but I also like early QE II commonwealth issues.

What is bringing me up short are the space requirements. My wonderful spouse has accepted the 6500 pages/44 binder Steiner classical era collection shelving space, but I'm not sure if she would be happy with a volume twice as big.

To that end, I need a more compact approach. I recently acquired the 1840-1952 Minkus Supreme pages. I may put my duplicates into it for 1840-1940, and then house the WW 1940-1952 stamps in there also. True,for more complicated countries (Argentina-watermarks), Steiner pages may still need to be used.