The APS Report On Resurecting The Hobby

I've brought this up at previous APS town halls and still nothing - but we really ought to be thinking about training the next generation of experts now, before it's too late.

Tough to do, as there aren't really any incentives to do so - not to mention just plain old inertia - but I see this as a huge looming problem

I do not consider myself sufficiently knowledgeable to comment on many areas of postal history. And I don't have a crystal ball to predict the future either.

Incentives come from within. I have always thought about what I might learn as a philatelist every day, and still do. Obviously not everyone thinks that way, but some more of us must......

Thinking about this, I came to the following conclusions. For one to be an expert in philately, one really needs the following:

1) Be independently wealthy or be subsidized by a wealthy benefactor.

There are no philatelic apprenticeships or unions that guarantee a living wage, and most retirees don't have the desire or energy to work full time because, let's be realistic, being an expertizer is a full time job, so the vast majority of collectors simply cannot become expertizers even if they wanted to.

2) Be a prolific collector in the intended area of expertise.

Reading books is helpful but owning, handling, and studying one's own stamps is the best way to learn, imo. Why would anyone trust their classic US stamps to an expertizer who only collects stamps from the British Empire, etc.?

3) Be detail oriented.

If you haven't the patience or ability to be a "flyspecker", you have no chance at being a successful expertizer.

4) Reputation, reputation, reputation!

If I quit my day job and apply to work for PSE, PF, etc., or open up "Rileysan's Philatelic Expertizing Service", tomorrow, who in their right mind is going to hire me, let alone trust me to handle their expensive stamps without me having been actively involved in philately at a national or international level? It would take many years (and references) to establish one's reputation before they could reasonably expect to become an expert in any area of philately.

I'm sure there are many other criteria you all can think of, but these few stand out to me.

What else do you, the community, think is needed?

Brian

Wealth is not required, but good fortune in meeting the right people at an early age is. Luck is a big part; having a serious interest in learning as much as possible will take care of much of the rest.

As with a lot of professional pursuits, expertizing benefits from an apprenticeship. I don't see the current generation of experts casting about for apprentices to assume the mantle when they shuffle off this mortal coil? JF Brun in France has brought on a younger colleague - that's the only instance that comes to mind. I believe the colleague has a "day job", too.

I agree that an apprenticeship would be great. It's difficult to find people who can be in that position.

In which position - apprentices or teachers? (Or both?)

I think as long as we relax any expectation that the apprentice will be working full-time, it'll be easier to find able and willing apprentices than able and willing teachers.



For some of us, perhaps, but when you rely on your expert knowledge to make a living, a lot of incentives come from without.

Reminds me of a famous quote from a leading expertizing group to an auctioneer: "Why didn't you tell me what you wanted the cert to say when you submitted it?" …. Beyond sad but this really happened and is true

[qn which position - apprentices or teachers?][/q]

I was thinking apprentices.

[q][Reminds me of a famous quote from a leading expertizing group to an auctioneer: "Why didn't you tell me what you wanted the cert to say when you submitted it?" …. Beyond sad but this really happened and is true/q]

I suspect that the group was being satirical, although I suppose it depends on the group and the time period.

It was not satirical! I left out the comment included by the expert group, "like "X" does" - the group called a fake cover genuine and the submitter wanted to confirm that it was bad and the expert group called it genuine.

Obviously such things have happened in the past, but I don't think it fair to paint all the current groups of being the same way.

You don't become a expert thru a apprentice program . You study and learn on your own thru many years of building your own reference library of owning the material and getting the reference books .

Seeing the material is required. Owning it, not always. Spending years either auction describing, or breaking down and cataloging large lots and collections would be a big help (I spent 10 years doing the latter after spending 50 years in the hobby learning). And having serious mentors who have done so and are always willing to teach and point the way is essential.