An Ignorant Question(S)

I'm 68. I have collected stamps since I was about 8 (1958). I started collecting worldwide (like most) and mounted my stamps in a worldwide album using hinges (like most). From there I graduated to collecting U.S., and I now have a fairly formidable U.S. collection to the point where I really shouldn't be spending the amount of money I would have to in order to add a single stamp (4 figures).
This got me to thinking that the most "fun" I ever had collecting stamps was as an eight year old and maybe I should go back to that. My question(s) are....what can I house my stamps in? I would rather have an album(s), but I would rather not spend more that maybe $200. Don't really want to use stock books. Wouldn't mind buying used albums. Wouldn't be greatly upset if there were not spaces for every stamp as I realize at this point that would require 20-30 albums, and that may be low. So bottom line, is there a series of albums that might fit my needs? If so, how do I acquire them (Ebay?).
Additionally, once I have the album(s), how do I mount them. I understand that hinges are not readily available anymore (my U.S. collection is in a hingeless album). Almost forgot, where would the best place to acquire the stamps at a reasonable price be (I fully realize that any money I spend on this collection will never be recouped, and that the most valuable thing in the collection will probably be the albums. Suggestions? Don't say take up coin collecting. I've done that and it's just as costly, if not more.

I am 69 Howell ,I collected all my life from spending my paper route money on them to spending my Social Sercuity check on them .I am a worldwide collector . The best advice I can give is use Steiner Pages and print only the pages you need . No need to collect or put money into albums that will never return what you paid for them .

Here are a couple links to topics in this forum that might help you out:

https://goscf.com/t/60800
https://goscf.com/t/31983

Howell, I took up the use of Steiner pages early on to avoid buying (what I thought) expensive albums and album supplements. I have found sources for 8.5 x 11 buff no acid 70 pound paper to print the pages, as Floortrader says, only as I need them. The Steiner CD also comes with blank and title pages that can be adapted.

The pages are housed in simple Avery three ring binders, for now. Your hunch is right, I think. Across a worldwide type collection, this has saved a lot of money.

I use Scott black mounts only, realizing that sometimes the mount is worth more than the stamp. I think the Steiner print-as-you-go economics make the mounts worthwhile.

My own preferences tend to finding stamps at shows, APS Stamp Store, auctions (Rasdale is my local source), and a few dealers such as Freidman come to mind, in Woodridge, IL. I am sure there are lots of folks here with ideas on online sources.

Hinges are readily available just not the easily peelable type. Dennison hinges are peelable and available but are more costly.

One thought about using the Steiner pages- which I do for my Czech, UN and Lithuanian collections. They work well if you have a catalogue open so that you can find what stamp goes where. If you were using them for a worldwide collection that you're doing just for fun it might become more of a chore. If you're just "space-filling" having the illustrations that a Scott Big Blue or Minkus Album features might keep the fun factor higher. Worldwide albums are available on ebay and you might also check out a local stamp show. Many dealers these days have albums that somebody started that you can buy to continue. Check out the Amos Advantage website too. It will give you some options for a new pre-printed album. And there are others out there as well. If you're just doing it for fun a Harris Album might be enough to reclaim the sense of fun you had as an eight-year old. Arpin Philately also has a number of world-wide albums which might be worth a look if you're primarily in pursuit of the joy of space filling.

I had another thought about worldwide collecting. The APS website has the pages the National Postal Museum in Washington DC uses for its world stamp exhibit It features one stamp from every stamp issuing entity . It invites you to consider what one (sometimes two or three) stamp is most representative of that particular country or its forerunners (lots of former colonies, dead countries and the like are featured). While this may be limiting for some, I find it a very cost effective way to "collect the world" without breaking the bank. For me the fun has come in tracking down the "perfect" stamp or two to fill the space provided. Check this link to take a look at the pages that are available for free. https://stamps.org/userfiles/file/a...-Country.pdf

Perhaps showing my age, but do they still make hinges that you lick?

Yes. Just look on ebay. Prinz are the brand I use.

No one makes a good quality hinge anymore; the modern hinges are not pealable like the vintage Dennison you might remember. You can find vintage Dennison hinges but they typically run about $17-$20 per pack. Some folks cut them into two hinges to make them less costly per stamp.

Modern hinges can be applied so that they are a bit more pealable by using a VERY light amount of moisture. If you use modern hinges, I recommend working with cheap inexpensive stamps until you develop the light touch needed to make them pealable.

Don

I don't understand the need for "easily peelable" hinges. I don't even peel the good Dennison's.

If I need to remove a hinge, I just soak the stamp. Although damage to the page you're taking it off is a different story but most seem to be talking about the stamps themselves

Of course this doesn't apply to mint stamps, but I don't put hinges on them anyway unless it's a penny or two stamp

Hi Mike,
Indeed, you can always soak the stamps. But time is money, so I (and others) will be willing to pay more for collections which have vintage Dennison hinges. So if folks do not care about resale value, then using modern hinges which require a large investment in time to unmount are ok.
Don

Don - Perhaps most of us buy stamps from a distance, without having the material in hand. Do buyers really ask about the hinging of material?

Can't speak for others, but I often ask. If I do not, then I assume that I'll be spending large amounts of time soaking hinges and always bid accordingly. When I sell, I typically put in the description if there are vintage hinges or not.

Speaking only for myself, I have better things to do than spend hours and hours soaking hinges on penny stamps. So seeking out collections with good hinges makes sense for me.
Don

Yes ,Don is correct about hinging ,it cost a lot of time if you buy a collection and the hinging is done wrong . Every collector has experiencing damaging a stamp because of poor quality hinges .