Where Do You Draw The Line And Stop Collecting New US Issues?

Unlike the majority here my cutoff date is generally anything AFTER 1981 for US stamps which is about the time the Transportation Coils began. Why?

The number of each stamp issue produced does start to drop off by the mid 1990's due to reduced postal use. Granted there are more issues per year than in the past but that is not always true.

Take the year 1971 - 23 Commemorative stamps issued, average range of production amount for each stamp - 44 million to 160 million with the majority around 130 million.
Now 2019 - yes the number of commemorative stamp issues nearly quadruples to 82 but average range of production amount for each stamp is much lower - 20 to 60 million with many ranging 20 - 40 million.

The total amount of annual production amounts of commemorative stamps then has remained roughly the same, just that there are many more stamps to choose from in 2019 than in 1971. Furthermore, amounts of used commemorative stamps have been declining with reduced letter and envelope stamped mailings in favor of email or metered postage. And the funny thing is whenever I meet seasoned stamp collectors who are not committed to some specific pre-WW2 era (likely due to cost) they seem to always ask for modern stamps as they find them hard to find. What I think they mean is they are loathe to buy a pane of 20 and be stuck with some stamps they will use infrequently.

As for those who say they don't care to get stamps say after 2000 due to all the variety of stamps and variations within a series, you have plenty of that with pre-WW2 and even those from the late 1960's and 70's pre-canceled stamps. I mean think of all the small varieties of Washington Franklins and the work required to attain them. Yet there is the same richness is some stamp issues of the past 20 - 40 years.

Now I do get stamps before the Transportation Coils but as cheaply as possible and generally don't have any interest in getting the expensive classics - I hope to acquire at a very reasonable cost or face value potential future classics. If I had the financial means would I try to acquire some of the expensive classics --- only if I really love the design and history behind it OR the engraving and printing method and execution is fantastic (and that is my main problem with contemporary stamps except for the occasional intaglio/litho stamp issued I miss the visceralness of engraved stamps and embossed stamped envelopes of the past).

For World stamps I am a little mroe flexible and will go as far back as 1900 but again if it is really attractive or interesting.

1994