Hello From Jullie - I Have 2 Large Boxes Of Older Stamps

Hello Everyone,

I was remiss, I posted before introducing myself - my name is Julie and I have acquired 2 large boxes of stamps, I have described the stamps I have below:

There is a collection that my mother-in-law made as a girl in the 1920's or 30's, not sure what decade - there are many interesting stamps in the book she used, but I am afraid they are all hinged to the old, yellowed pages - the stamps themselves do not look yellowed to me, however there are damaged stamps in this book. I have started with her collection as it is the smallest thing to attack. I am in the process of revising my decision on what to start with the more I learn, I may start with open packets of loose stamps.

There is a very large box of packets from many different stamp companies on a huge variety of topics. We took this box to the Santa Rosa stamp club about 10 years ago, they told us it was worth nothing without looking at even one stamp - I did not, and still do not believe them. We acquired this collection from my neighbor, he did not want it.

The third collection is my son's grandmother's collection which she put together in her later years, but she left a very nice organized set of binders and different collections - there must be about 10 binders, I remember seeing covers, US and foreign stamps - I haven't had these out since last summer and I don't remember them all.

So that is what I am starting with. I also have been collecting Scandinavian silver jewelry for the past 10 years or so - but believe I am going to move to stamps, or do both.

I look forward to participating in the forum.

Julie

Welcome to SCF

It seems you have a lot......but it would be nice to see some scans and Good Luck !

Welcome,
Lots of friendly and experienced folks here, if you have any question let us know.
Don

Thank you both Renden and Don, I appreciate the welcome.

Renden you asked for some uploads, so here is a set of three, Mauritius 276-8, Birds from 1972. To me the stamps look very nicely aligned, although not perfect. I would call them VF, MNH - please correct me if I am wrong.

The stamps are from a packet of stamps from the Falcon Stamp Company.

I looked them up on ebay and they seem like they might be worth maybe 3 dollars - I picked these stamps because I liked them.

Anyway, any comments are most welcome, I am trying to learn.

Thank you, Julie

Revision note: I have noted that these stamps are listed on all the ebay listings as having been issued in 1965, the packet I took them out of a waxed a paper stamp enveloped which had them listed as having been issued in 1972. I working on getting a Scott catalog so I can look things up.

Here are some more stamps that I ran into tonight. I have now acquired a Scott catalog in PDF format, it looks great but I have yet to find a stamp in the catalog - I am working on learning how to search the catalog.

I have a 2009 version of Scott, I went to volume 9 (P,Q,R,Si) and found this country Ras-al-Khaima and to my shock there were only 3 stamps there - that was it, period. I pulled the stamps below from a USPS Stamp Collecting Kit on Animals from about 1974. Shouldn't the older stamps below be in the 2009 catalog?

I am now a bit confused as to why the stamps below weren't in the Scott catalog from 2009, if someone would be kind enough to explain why these stamps aren't in the catalog I would appreciate it very much.

I always go and look at ebay also. I did find the 2 stamps from the set, the lion stamp and the antelope on ebay, but have not found the other 2 stamps yet.

If I can't find something I am looking for on ebay I will go to google and do an image search which is what I did here - I found 3 occurrences of the dog stamp, but they did not help with identification and pricing.

I haven't found the long tall stamp yet at all.

Actually, it is all so immense I am getting a headache :) But I like it...

Thanks, Julie

Hi,
Scott does not list every stamp in the world, they intentionally leave out stamps that they do not consider 'legitimate'. Some countries issues stamps as a way to simply generate income, they may never be used postally. So some catalogs publishers ignore these kinds of stamps. The stamps you show are from one of the 'Dunes' countries, notorious for issuing CTO (Cancel To Order) stamps that are often never used for 'legitimate' postal purposes.
Don

Thank you so much for explaining this to me Don. So, if I do not find a stamp in the Scott catalog do I assume it is not a "legitimate" stamp and move on? So, maybe those folks in the Santa Rosa stamp club were correct? I may have a pile of worthless stamps in the box of stamp packets - that would be a huge bummer for me - but it is what it is.

I think I will continue to examine the stamps in the packets, but I do have a sinking feeling.

So for another scan I will post the page from an older collection, these are one page of the US stamps, this is a page from the book that is from the 1920's or 30's. As you will probably notice this book is not in such good shape.

Julie

Hi,
No, I would not automatically assume that if I could not find it. (I often simply am looking in the wrong place!) I think that Scott has a note in the front/back of the catalog which mentions some of the stamps they have not included.

After a while you will recognize those which are likely to not be legitimate. Also note that topical collectors often collect these and in fact, no one should tell other folks what they should and should not collect. Some of these may be in other catalogs.
Don

Thank you so much Don for your responses to my questions - I hope I am not asking too many questions? Please let me know if I am. In the meantime, I very much appreciate your help.

I read the front part of the Scott catalog the other day, I am going to re-read again today, hopefully things will start to stick in the grey matter.

Thanks Don :)

Of course not, we are happy to help in anyway we can.
Don

Hi Julie - and welcome to the fascinating world of stamps




No need for that! As Don said, lots of people collect and are seeking stamps from Ras al Kaima and similar 'sandunes'. Do not allow any other collectors - like the ones at Santa Rosa stamp club - to make you feel bad for the stamps you have. Unfortunately we see time and time again that new-starters are treated arrogantly by seasoned collectors - shame on them.

Regardless whether your stamps are valuable or not in terms of retail value, it is valuable to you because they are your stamps. You can have a lot of joy in sorting them, arranging them in albums - and expand on your collection. Most of us started from nothing - or with a sweet old collection from a parent or grandparent.

The only really important thing in stamp collecting is the kind of enthusiasm you demonstrated when saying "it is all so immense I am getting a headache :) But I like it...". Don't let anyone take that away from you. This community is filled with other collectors with the same kind of enthusiasm - and willingness to help.

Enjoy!
...and please continue sharing pictures - we love to see your stamps

Hello Blaamand,

Thank you so much for your very nice post. You told me some things I needed to hear - thank you. I have been thinking that I may have some junk stamps here, but I am not a quitter and am continuing with the huge project of going over all of these stamps one by one, it will probably take me one heck of a long time to do that so I guess stamp collecting is my new hobby .

I mentioned in an earlier post in this thread that I collect Scandinavian jewelry, started out collecting silver from Norway, I loved the work that the Norwegian silversmiths did, it is quite wonderful work. Anyway, someday if I am lucky, I hope to visit your country.

I am not feeling at all discouraged, I am really enjoying the experience I am having in this forum, I have learned so much since joining - I see many years of stamps ahead in my future.

Thank you again for your very helpful post, Julie

Julie - glad to hear you are not a quitter - keep on!

Also nice to see you take a keen interest in my little country - you should come I don't know your situation, but 'give-aways' can be helpful. When you've passed 50 posts in this forum, the forum rules allow you to participate, and because you are interested in my country I would love to share some Norwegian stamps with you. It would not be quite the same as a proper visit - but the stamps always give some kind of a cultural visit.

I am surprised that you (living in US) are interested in Scandinavian silver - may I ask if you have any connections?

btw - for anyone not familiar with 'the work that the Norwegian silversmiths did' - this will give you an idea: examples off silwerwork on the 'bunad' - our traditional costume https://www.google.no/search?biw=17....hO3fn0ijGbc




Jon

Hello Jon,

Wow, thank you so much for the picture of the national Norwegian costume with all the silver - I have never seen such a beautiful large solje before, they don't sell like that on ebay, at least I haven't seen them that large. Beautiful...




No, I do not have any special connection to Norway other than my father-in-law from my first marriage was full Norwegian, and of course my two children from that marriage are part Norwegian, and they have a Norwegian last name, "Myhre". I, on the other hand, am part Swedish among other northern European nationalities, and have always had an affinity for the Scandinavian countries.

I would love to have some norwegian stamps, I have found 3 envelopes, unopened, which are labeled Finnland, and Norway. I am anxious to get to them, but am working slowly now as I am always trying to learn.

Thank you once more for sharing the wonderful picture of the national costume of Norway with all the fabulous silver pieces attached.

Julie

Julie,
Wow, sounds like you have a Scandinavian connection as good as any! Keep on participating in the forum - and give me a shout when you've passed the 'magical' 50-post limit. Good luck with your 2 large boxes, hope you find something you like

Welcome Julie, glad to see you have a developing interest. Though not a silver vendor, my fiancé and I are half Swedes in the US (though I also belong to the Sons of Norway via my grandmother's blood line) and she has a Swedish "shop" on the side of her real job.....Ekelund linens, useful household items, crystal, etc. We will be visiting again next Summer, and Yes Jon, even taking in Bergen. Sorry for taking this thread off kilter.....