The Definition Of A Fly Specker

Sarge

31 Mar 2025
09:37:08am
I got the biggest laugh this morning when my 9 year old son asked me. Dad what does fly speaker mean? I was taken back for a minute and almost blowing snot, spitting my coffee everywhere and laughing uncontrollably. I had to think for a split second of a way to explain what it means to a 9 year old without being profane, which by the way is an almost impossible task for me because I'm usually unfiltered. Chuckling loudly I said.

Son the definition of a Fly Specker as it pertains to Stamp Collecting which is when you hear me say that the most. It is a term that means a person who tries to find the smallest detail in a stamp to justify keeping it as a new variety error, freak or oddity. In other words the stuff that comes out of the tail end of an insect that most people cannot see without a magnifying glass. Then he said. Dad does it mean poop? Laughing again I said to him yes son. Nothing gets past you does it?
Then he asked me as seriously as a 9 year old can be and I knew the question was coming. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what that one was and I wasn't even done laughing from the first question. He then asked me. Dad are we Fly Specker's? All I could say was yes laughing even harder.

I can say honestly say that those are some of the biggest moments of joy in parenthood and I wouldn't trade it for the world. My day has been made and I cant wait to share this story with the stamp club members at the next meeting.

This story is for all you FLY SPECKERS out there.Rolling On The Floor Laughing

Jeremy

The first time I heard "fly specker" was as a derogatory comment by the President of our State stamp club in response to my interests in 1851 3 cent platings. It sure took the bloom off of what I believed was a very interesting area of philately.

A most unworthy president, to be sure.

Yeah, it was a bummer.

Scott English's recent talk re improving the hobby really hit home with me and I am working toward that end. Time to make some lemonade.......

Most platers are victims of such abuse at one time or another.

I will never forget a pleasant evening I spent after a show, with a very prominent exhibitor, who sat down with me and we discussed material all evening in depth.

As he went through my stock book, if I had a nickel for every time he mentioned that my stamps were "student stamps", I'd have been able to afford his collection.

Alas, plenty of elitist collectors out there........

txstamp, sorry you had that experience. As I've gotten "older" (I'm not even yet thirty) I have less and less tolerance for any kind of snooty, elitist behavior as revcollector put it. I can tell you people in my generation certainly won't put up with it, they'll just get up and leave.

Shooing away collectors of any generation will result in detrimental effects on the hobby, and as it's been discussed ad nauseam, I won't bother repeating it.

Maybe I have been a sleepy bee here and missed something. Here is a rhetorical question for those that seemed to have missed the point my story and learn what I was getting to teach my 9 year old son when I shared my story with you all in my original post.

If he asked me what the definition of a Fly Specker is. How many other philatelic terms before my explanation of what the term means to my son? If I used them with him then it must mean that he understands what they mean. But some of you missed that. The reason why he knows what they mean is because I handed him my copy of the philatelic dictionary when I first started teaching him the hobby.

If any of you read my original post you'd know that answer is 4 and they are as follows in no particular order. New variety, error, freak and oddities are the answers to the test.

As far as elitist collectors are concerned in my book. They can go pound sand!!!

It is our duty as philatelist's/stamp collectors and parents to teach the younger generations about the hobby. Otherwise it will go extinct like the Dodo bird and the hobby will remain exclusive to the elite.

So quit complaining and stand up for yourselves and teach the younger generations about the hobby so it doesn't become extinct or just an elitist/old farts hobby. I know that I'm doing my part and I happen to be old enough to be a member of AARP.

Have a nice day gentlemen. I'm out of patience for this subject.

Jeremy

A noble sentiment for sure.

I do think that while the spark may light a fire in some young people, the World has change dramatically. When I was growing up in the 60's there was no internet, and the public library was a thing. Now, young people have the World quite literally at their fingertips. Information overload is real, and the entertainment possibilities are infinite. Just about every child has a "device", if not more than one, and stamps are no longer a part of everyday life. Email and texting have changed how we communicate.

It is worth trying to bring young people into the hobby, but it is unlikely that their numbers will ever overcome the rate of attrition caused by Father Time.

PS: I think it disingenuous to think that a "snarky" or derogatory comment by a stamp club officer is going to dissuade someone who is passionate. People saying things we don't like is just a part of life. Nothing to get knickers in a twist over.

I agree 100% with rogdcam.

As far as getting the young ones into collecting I tried my best.
Many years ago in the 1970s I gave the kids from my parents' friends an album with stamps, stamps,hinges, catalogs etc and explained the fun of collecting.
All for naught.
I tried to get both my kids into the hobby.
My son even went along to a couple of stamp shows in Toronto and the daughter
loved helping in soaking off stamps.
She would ask "Daddy when can we wash some stamps?"
Both showed some interest for a couple of years and then that was it.
So I tried.
Compared to when my grandfather got me started when I was around six or seven.
When my generation grew up letters and stamps
where a big part of life in communicating with others.
It's a pity but IMO stamp collecting is doomed,done,finito no matter what.

Shakey 7, you have wrote a nice answer to people's comments.




I completely agree. It's really encouraging to see philatelists like you are doing this. This is a nice approach for young kids, (giving him a dictionary about philatelic terms) and then he can learn as much as he wants. I think when he started asking you questions about philately is one of the best news you can get about that. It means he's interested in the subject.

A huge congratulations to you for teaching and try to interest your son at philately! I really encourage you.

CS

I spent 10 years volunteering with a kids group teaching the hobby until COVID put a temporary stop to it, and the death of the director put a more permanent one (so far). I still hope that it will be revived and I can continue in the future. So I really don't need anyone telling me to "quit complaining".

My advice ,stay away from the " ELITIST COLLECTORS . "

If you don't know the subject and can't explain it and show examples of what they do ,stay on the sidelines .

I see the term "elitist collectors" being used here. So that I better understand what is being discussed could someone please define what constitutes an "elitist collector"? I can't begin to guess what the defining characteristics are so any, and all input would be appreciated.