Greetings From NYC - New Stamp Collector (Or Accumulator?)

I started stamp collecting after reviewing a small and poorly stored stamp collection of one of my family members. I salvaged a few - some commemoratives from the 1980's - early 1990's and one or two higher value stamps from the same period. But then I started to get the panes - it was the 2019 TransContinental Railroad one that got me going. From there I got some from prior years that was on sale at the USPS website. A few high value stamps too and then I was introduced to engraved Austrian stamps of the 1970's. That got me to collect international stamps.

My collection is not particularly focused except it concentrates on US moderns and mainly 20th century International stamps. My preferences are US commemoratives, some low denomination stamps featuring a series theme (for example the American Craftsman stamp denominations of 1,2, 3, 4, 5, and 10 cents from the early 2000's), the Priority Mail stamps, and I am a sucker for intaglio/engraved stamps. My international collection is eclectic --- I go for the design first and then countries that issue low amounts of stamps (most recent was a 2011 E-Government Stamps from Sudan, good design and it seems they don't put out that many stamps), and again love a good engraved stamp!

Since my main focus is coin collecting I really keep my purchases very,very modest. My limit is whatever the price is of the US Priority Mail Express stamp for what I will pay for one stamp. It is just I do not have the resources to spend much on stamps. However, I also collect stamps as a way to offer variety and a change from coins. I figure too that if I ever hit some tight times, the options for stamps are always more affordable than most coins and the variety and historical breadth greater. If I had the means I would pursue both with more resources and aggressively than I can do now. But so what - for stamps the emphasis is really on fun, coins there is fun to it but there is also an impetus aim to have some of it be a decent investment in the future (knowing it will not pay for my retirement, but it may help ease some lean times).

Welcome!

Dale

Welcome to the community! I liked that transcontinental railroad pane as well, I sent one to my father who got me into stamps. lots of great information here!

A lot of beautiful engraved stamps WW can be had for very little money. Check out Latin America, El Salvador and South America such as Uruguay.

Tell us more about your coin collecting interests. This seems to be your main collecting focus

Welcome. The Transcontinental Railroad stamp is consistently mentioned by people as being attractive. I do not collect modern anything but completely agree that the TR stamp is a standout. Wish the USPS would notate that and use it to inform future issue design decisions. You have piqued my interest now in the Sudan issue you mentioned. Have to go look! Thank you.

Chris S,

Collecting for the enjoyment of collecting, whatever that might be, is the name of the game. Don't hesitate to ask questions especially if you need basic information and especially more advanced sources of information for any possible topic. You should be able to find folks on this board a little further along on their collecting journey glad to share experiences. Russ

Thanks guys.

So far, my favorite stamps I have gotten as one who just started in early 2020:

US
a) 2019 Transcontinental Railroad Stamps
b) 2018 Head of Statue of Freedom ($1, $2 and $5)
c) 2021 Go For Broke Commemorative. The intaglio effect on the stamp is simply NOT captured by photographs. It is cool and the stamp is an excellent example of a simple and beautiful design.
d) 1994 Surrender of Burgoyne - inherited and one of the most beautiful engraved modern stamps in the collection I was able to salvage.
e) The transportation coil stamps from the late 1980's early 90's - a wonderful series and I only have a few of them. Wish my family had collected all of them.
f) 2019 Postal Murals stamps
g) 2020 American Innovation stamps
h) Grand Ice Caverns Priority Mail Express 2020 stamps - really wonderful artwork of an unusual natural wonder
i) 1988 Carousel Horses Stamps
j) US-Japan join issue 2012 Cherry Blossom stamps
k) The Chippendale 4 cent stamps from the American Design series starting in the early 2000's
l) I love the Butterfly non-machinable stamps and hope to get more of the discontinued ones.

UN - NY stamps
a) All I have are the red flowers and one of Ghandi from 2009 but what a beauty these are.

International
a) Many of the city and country scenes of Austria engraved and issued about the period of 1974 - 1980
b) Kenya Uganda Tanganyika British Commonwealth during the reign of George VII - enjoy the high quality of the design as well its history
c) 2003 Great Britain Regional stamps - got them recently and again enjoy these
d) From Poland what stamps I have - not much - from the great stamp artist Czeslaw Slania.
e) 2018 Hannukah stamps for Israel (although a joint issue the mint sheets have them in shekels and other identifiers showing these are for Israeli post)
f) All 4 of the Graphic Design stamps from Iceland

As for coin collecting interests:

a) Coin roll hunting to save money and train my eye. It started from searching for W quarters and old silver coinage. Then I started to get into Lincoln cents, anything from after 1976 try for Red redbrown (with red still predominant) in high Au and MS recently put into circulation but still could qualify for MS, from the mid 1960's - 1975 AU or a very high XF with nice strike and red but more likely red-brown, prior to about the 1960's only very modest mintage, scarce, or if very lucky a rare one --- even if very worn like a 1917D I found in a Coinstar

b) Coins I spend money on and my main focus: Walking Liberty Half dollars, Gold $1 (when I can afford a nice one), American Innovation golden dollars, American Silver Eagle - mainly the Burnished Uncs from the West Point mint, British Mandate Palestine coins.

c) Coin I like very much but I get only if I have extra cash - Peace dollars and, more often Franklin halves. The franklins I like since you can get nice Mint state coins for under $50 quite easily (I avoid the whole mania for full bell lines).

d) I have a few enrollments from the US Mint I get every year - not a huge focus but I like to have the current circulating and NIFC coinage. Just one mint set and a proof set (silver or clad depending on budget).

I like to have a variety of areas to collect as my income fluctuates much. I will say that when I tight or flush, I will always go for one or two nice Walking Liberty, save for one $1 Gold (even if it takes a year to pay off!), get at least one or two British Mandate Palestine coins and my US Mint enrollments. This offers me much flexibility and as I like to explore, it offers a core to come back to.

Welcome Chris. I lived in Flushing Queens for 30 years.

Welcome. You are in for a lot of fun and interesting times.
Greg

I cannot believe I joined this forum over 2 years ago -- been a fun and invaluable source of info and discussion so far.

Since my introduction my collecting goals/areas have modified.

US Postal Stationery/First Day Covers/Digital Postmark FDCs

These areas are NOT a main focus but I did find a great dealer of postal stationery in my area and discovered the pleasures of postal stationery. I keep it light - simply get what I find attractive and keep my spending on individual items well below $10, usually less than $5. I find particularly fun getting the older stamp yearbooks that provide postal stationery.

FDC from USPS I don't get much except to have one example of a recent issue of which I don't want a pane or search a coil to get PNC5s.

Digital Postmark FDCs - I only get one if I find it very attractive - so far have maybe half-a-dozen of them. I think it is a bit gimmicky but the USPS has produced a very small amount with lovely artwork (I think the two best I have seen was the LeGuin Digital postmark (really boosts the attractiveness of a rather so-so stamp) and the Palace of Fine Arts Priority Mail Express stamp of 2022. Another nice one was the Yogi Berra one. But otherwise haven't seen much to bother with.

UN Stamps and Stationery

I get a single or the set of stamps for some of the new issues. Rarely do I get a sheet. In 2023 I did get the Body, Mind and Spirit sheets as I loved the design. I will get stationery if the UN offers a beautiful cancel --- the Mental Wellness souvenir cards offered a block of 4 with beautiful cancels which I got. I get a mint and CTO of a single stamp issue once in awhile.

US Commemoratives and Definitives

At first I got quite a few US commemorative panes but now I get less of them and stick close to these topical areas: Visual Artists, Space, anything with Intaglio. I end up getting a few outside these areas but try not to get carried away.

For Definitives I get one or a pane of the Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express stamps, new low denomination stamps (1 - 10cents), and one or a pane of the $1, 2, 5 and 10. If I like the design I may get the postcard and additional ounce stamps - either a coil or pane.

Non-Profit, PreSorted --- I will only gt them IF I like the design very much. SO in 2024 I liked the Pre-Sorted Bridges stamps and got a few of them.

Duck Stamps - if my budget allows a Duck Stamp souvenir and the ceremony card/certificate of appreciation.

Worldwide

I try to focus mainly on French Polynesia and have a dealer who provides a standing order of new issues. Other than that I will get a smattering of British Commonwealth, French stamps (plus a few from other countries if I like the design).

2023 was expensive only because I got tempted and got one of the Royal Mail products highlighting the change from Elizabeth to Charles and an Endangered Species folio with proofs. I don't get these usually as I think they are a but gimmicky but I found these two products attractive.

As you can see my budget doesn't allow for collecting the classic stamps from before 1930. Although I enjoy the beauty and history of some of these issues I would rather concentrate on much more modern stuff. I will get a stamp grabbag offering "Vintage" or older stamps for the fun of searching them and using those unwanted for postage.