At What Point Does A Country's Postage Stamps Just Become Stickers?

John: Of course, this was the basis for the "humor" (if there is any) of the cinderella image I posted above.

Note: The following is not my original research. It appeared elsewhere first.

Actually, this story has its roots in an advertisement which appeared in The Times (Saturday, Oct 29, 1842; pg. 1; Issue 18127; col B):

POSTAGE STAMPS - A young lady, being desirous of covering her dressing room with cancelled POSTAGE STAMPS, has been so far encouraged in her wish by private friends as to have succeeded in collecting 16,000. These, however, being insufficient, she will be greatly obliged if any good natured person who may have these (otherwise useless) little articles at their disposal would assist her in her whimsical project. Address to E. D., Mr. Butt's, glover, Leadenhall Street, or Mr. Marshall's, Jeweler, Hackney.



John

I have this whole page full of Haiti stamps that were all birds. The stamps all have the same 6 designs but use different border colors and denominations. Pretty I got these in a mixed packet when I was a kid. Haven't had the chance to look them up in a catalog yet but probably not worth anything more than stickers.

Probably these, the subject of one of many philatelic scandals

https://windowsonhaiti.com/windowso...stamps.shtml

Reading the forward to a Stanley Gibbons catalogue I noticed they have a definition for Undesirable issues, which they don't list and international stamp collecting organizations don't recognize as stamps for competition purposes. I think it boils down to overproduction of stamps beyond reasonable need, not for sale except generally. No evidence of them being used used for ordinary postage rather than Philatelic purposes. I seem to have also read SG don't sell stamps that came off first day covers as used stamps. I think this is reasonable. I have cut off dates for my GB and US collections. This also means I don't buy every new edition of the SG GB concise catalogue. I have the SG "Commonwealth and Empire stamps1840 -1970" Because a few years ago Auctions seemed to be awash with the 2017 edition in almost mint condition and for £4.00 it was a bargain. I like the published definition of undesirable issues, personally I think may commemorative GB stamps should qualify as such. I suspect many stamps of other countries could be classed as undesirable issues but basically all I have to do Is not buy them. I collect older stamps so old catalogue is OK. I don't need to know about ostensible values. I have a set of the specialised GB catalogues SG publish; total cost under £20.00 because I haven't got the latest edition. Of course some stamps are just coloured labels, which they are is a matter of debate.

This is my criteria. But where to draw the line?

See also my post on page 1

Although I applaud the intention, I cannot see how this is practical. SG will list all those music legends stamps that Royal Mail is issuing. They do tend to mention the purely philatelic sheetlets that come with these in footnotes.

Where is a set of stamps depicting Ruud Gullit, Rudi Völler, and Michel Platini issued by a mostly illiterate African country or one of 40 issues a year of a tiny speck in the Caribbean beyond reasonable need, but the plethora of thematic sets of 10 stamps or five plus a miniature sheet with five staps that do not prepay any tariff in a highly litterate country where hardly anyone sends letters not eyond reasonable need?

Are all Royal Mail issues readily available at post offices in the UK?

Except countries have been doing that for decades, even legitimate countries. I can't imagine that ANY country needs 100+ new issues a year, but most of them release them. Japan puts out more than 500 stamps a year. It that beyond a reasonable need? I'd certainly say so.

That's why I don't collect modern issues. I stopped at 1988 for Australia, 1970 for the UK. If I wasn't Australian I probably would've drawn the line at 1966.

I take my hat off to those that keep their collections up to date. It involves a lot of dedication!

I do buy the mini sheets that come out twice a year from the Australian Antarctic Territory. They're very attractive, to me anyway.

Shermae The last time I asked at a sub post office for a commemorative stamp was told that nly the main post offices sold them.this was in 2009. since then all the main post offices in towns and cities have been shut. Some retail store has a postal department that supposedly the main post office. No sub post office has ever offered me a commemorative stamp, since then, and when I specify that I want a stamp rather than a Printed sticky label for a letter or parcel have some post offices or certain staff refuse to put a stamp on the mail. Someone told me this is because the Sub post offices get no payment for selling a postage stamp, I don't know if ths is so.

Stamps are stickers for adults. That being said.
CTO - great for topical collectors
For WW - I only keep them if they represent the culture of the country. No Elvis from XYZ country for example.
CTO - are part of stamp history.
When do they become wall paper?
For a WW collector if I see something that has nothing to do with the culture of the country it gets the heave ho. Sell or give to a topical collector.

stampgreendragon,
I find your post of:


to be an insult to every topical collector in this wonderful hobby. I know many topical collectors and they are some of the best ambassadors toand most generous volunteers in this hobby and the finest humans. I myself have several modest topical collections and I am insulted by your condescending attitude toward topical collectors. I try to stay out of the politics of the hobby, buy THIS was too much to tolerate in silence.

I am not, and have never been a topical collector, but without them the hobby may be in an infinitely worse state than it might otherwise be in.

Becker - talk about being way too sensitive! No insult to a topical collector. Topical collectors are not bound to a CTO rule IMO because well they are topical collectors. Look lets say your a topical collector of Elvis. If you only restrict yourself to Elvis stamps in the US, you have a pretty boring collection. For my topical collections there are no hard rules.

Your original comments speak quite plainly for themselves. They require no further comment as they reveal your true character. If I told you what I really think, the moderators would have to kick me off here.