Winds Of Change In The Philatelic World

I don't see graded stamps as having had any negative impact on non-graded stamp values. The data, and there is lots of t, does not support that theory at all. Graded stamps exist in their own world. In fact I have seen the existence of grading raise the value at auction of candidate stamps, stamps that look like they could be a good bet to grade high. Many collectors value centering and who grading has brought some peace of mind. Every not so well centered stamp on ebay for example is described at a minimum as VF or XF. A certificate assigning a number cuts through the nonsense. If you are a confident collector with time to sift through it all you can buy with your eye and save the premium but there is no harm in having a graded cert. Kind of like CarFax for stamps.

Winds of Change in the stamp community needs to be looked at how it effects THREE different groups .

First group are the beginners and bottom feeders --- This group buys the shoe box of stamps at the flea market or from ebay for $20.00 and thinks they are going to retire early with their purchase . These are the people who buy mixture ,kilo's and low end stuff . You can include in this group collectors who buy a 50,000 different WW collections at auction who are now paying up to 10 cents per stamp {years ago at stamp auctions these type of lots sold for 5 cents per stamp and now with inflation it has gone to 10 cents per stamp }.


The second group is the Siegel crowd and are the big money buyers ,this group are more looking at investments and are the " look what I got crowd " They don't scan ebay for purchases .


The third group are the middle group these are those who are building collections and are more interested spending $5.00 to $500.00 for a item . This is the group where the prices are in a long term downward trend . It is this group that supports the whole industry and keeps dealers in business and album makers going . Stamp auction houses depend on this group to run prices up and if buyers hold back then items are selling at open bid or one or two ticks up . This lack of buyers is what will close a few auction firms and that is the change coming .

No, they are not. Masses of examples were prices stay put or go up in this class.

Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. The long term survival of our collecting pashion lies with thoes who collect for the enjoyment of collecting. Making a profit at sales time is at best a secondary goal. The future of our hobby rests with the "bottom feaders".

1. I think you're wrong on several fronts.

2. Do you have any idea just how condescending and denegrating your tone is? People who just want to collect stamps purely for enjoyment without major expenditure are now "bottom feeders"?

Attitudes like this are one of the major barriers to entry for stamp collecting and other forms of collectibles. Self-proclaimed know-it-alls that look down their nose at the "peasants". SMH.

Let me get this straight .......... I started stamp collecting as a collector buying 100 stamps for 10 cents from comic books and from BOYS LIFE magazines at the library . Then advance up to buying 10 cent packets at WOOLWORTH . Then I went to stamp shows and stamp bourses around Chicago when I got older and sat for hours at the 2 cent tables picking out stamps for my collection .

Now your upset when I call some collectors BOTTOM FEEDERS .......


You and others have no understanding of the term BOTTOM FEEDERS .

I ran into a lot of them thru the years and talk to them . The first mistake in your thinking is that a B.F. is a beginner ,that is not the case ,everybody starts with cheap stamps and builds their collection .

Bottom Feeders go thru life thinking they will never spend serious money on stamps and only buy when they can get a price of 2 cents or 5 cents per stamp ,they live their whole life looking thru mixture boxes and kilo ware looking for their treasure that they can retire on . Bottom Feeders show up at stamp auctions and sit there biding only at opening or a one tick advance then drop out because the don't believe a lot is worth more . We all seen these people around stamp shows where they offer the dealers 1/2 of the mark price for collections or box lots .

Sure I will call them for what they are ......tough .......

It is a derogatory term. Period.

I wasn't thinking floortrader was intending to be complimentary...could be wrong.

This is an odd little thread. I missed it the first time through.

Although I have spent real money on items, and have held million dollar items in my hands, I still love to look at dollar boxes for fun. Does that make me a "bottom feeder" (and it is a derogatory term)?

Bottom Feeder = Stampcrow

It does not get more flattering with an English accent

Same here - bottom feeder a lot of the time, "middle income" collector most of the time, and occasionally a "top feeder" at Siegel. I have no problem with the term "bottom feeder" - it's what we are. Definition #1 above. Not sure why folks think it's derogatory in this context. It's the truth.

Definition #1 only applies if you are feeling slightly on the wet side and are breathing through gills.

Instead of bottom feeders I propose POLES (People Of Lower Economic Status).

Example: The poles are at it again on ebay.

PS: If you shop at Salvation Army but have a lot of cash, are you a bottom feeder?